benita-第45节

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Benita　went。　The　mist　was　thinning　now；　and　through　it　she　saw　a　sight

at　which　her　heart　sank；　for　between　her　and　the　mount　Bambatse

Matabele　were　pouring　towards　their　camp　on　the　river's　edge。　They

were　cut　off。　A　couple　of　minutes　later　Robert　joined　her；　and　as　he

came　she　looked　at　him　anxiously　in　the　growing　light。　He　seemed　older

than　when　they　had　parted　on　the　/Zanzibar/；　changed；　too；　for　now　his

face　was　serious；　and　he　had　grown　a　beard；　also；　he　appeared　to　limp。



〃I　am　afraid　there　is　an　end；〃　she　said；　pointing　to　the　Matabele

below。



〃Yes；　it　looks　like　it。　But　like　you；　I　say；　what　does　it　matter　now？〃

and　he　took　her　hand　in　his；　adding：　〃let　us　be　happy　while　we　can　if

only　for　a　few　minutes。　They　will　be　here　presently。〃



〃What　are　you？〃　she　asked。　〃A　prisoner？〃



〃That's　it。　I　was　following　you　when　they　captured　me；　for　I　have　been

here　before　and　knew　the　way。　They　were　going　to　kill　me　on　general

principles；　only　it　occurred　to　one　of　them　who　was　more　intelligent

than　the　rest　that　I；　being　a　white　man；　might　be　able　to　show　them

how　to　storm　the　place。　Now　I　was　sure　that　you　were　there；　for　I　saw

you　standing　on　that　point；　though　they　thought　you　were　the　Spirit　of

Bambatse。　So　I　wasn't　anxious　to　help　them；　for　thenyou　know　what

happens　when　the　Matabele　are　the　stormers！　Butas　you　still　livedI

wasn't　anxious　to　die　either。　So　I　set　them　to　work　to　dig　a　hole　with

their　assegais　and　sharp　axes；　through　granite。　They　have　completed

exactly　twenty　feet　of　it；　and　I　reckon　that　there　are　one　hundred　and

forty　to　go。　Last　night　they　got　tired　of　that　tunnel　and　talked　of

killing　me　again；　unless　I　could　show　them　a　better　plan。　Now　all　the

fat　is　in　the　fire；　and　I　don't　know　what　is　to　happen。　Hullo！　here

they　come。　Hide　in　the　waggon；　quick！〃



Benita　obeyed；　and　from　under　cover　of　the　tent　where　the　Matabele

could　not　see　her；　watched　and　listened。　The　party　that　approached

consisted　of　a　chief　and　about　twenty　men；　who　marched　behind　him　as　a

guard。　Benita　knew　that　chief。　He　was　the　captain　Maduna；　he　of　the

royal　blood　whose　life　she　had　saved。　By　his　side　was　a　Natal　Zulu；

Robert　Seymour's　driver；　who　could　speak　English　and　acted　as

interpreter。



〃White　man；〃　said　Maduna；　〃a　message　has　reached　us　from　our　king。

Lobengula　makes　a　great　war　and　has　need　of　us。　He　summons　us　back

from　this　petty　fray；　this　fight　against　cowards　who　hide　behind

walls；　whom　otherwise　we　would　have　killed；　everyone；　yes；　if　we　sat

here　till　we　grew　old。　So　for　this　time　we　leave　them　alone。〃



Robert　answered　politely　that　he　was　glad　to　hear　it；　and　wished　them

a　good　journey。



〃Wish　yourself　a　good　journey；　white　man；〃　was　the　stern　reply。



〃Why？　Do　you　desire　that　I　should　accompany　you　to　Lobengula？〃



〃No；　you　go　before　us　to　the　kraal　of　the　Black　One　who　is　even

greater　than　the　child　of　Moselikatse；　to　that　king　who　is　called

Death。〃



Robert　crossed　his　arms　and　said：　〃Say　on。〃



〃White　man；　I　promised　you　life　if　you　would　show　us　how　to　pierce　or

climb　those　walls。　But　you　have　made　fools　of　usyou　have　set　us　to

cut　through　rock　with　spears　and　axes。　Yes；　to　hoe　at　rock　as　though

it　were　soilyou　who　with　the　wisdom　of　your　people　could　have　taught

us　some　better　way。　Therefore　we　must　go　back　to　our　king　disgraced；

having　failed　in　his　service；　and　therefore　you　who　have　mocked　us

shall　die。　Come　down　now；　that　we　may　kill　you　quietly；　and　learn

whether　or　no　you　are　a　brave　man。〃



Then　it　was；　while　her　lover's　hand　was　moving　towards　the　pistol

hidden　beneath　his　coat；　that　Benita；　with　a　quick　movement；　emerged

from　the　waggon　in　which　she　crouched；　and　stood　up　at　his　side　upon

the　driving　box。



〃/Ow！/〃　said　the　Captain。　〃It　is　the　White　Maiden。　Now　how　came　she

here？　Surely　this　is　great　magic。　Can　a　woman　fly　like　a　bird？〃　and

they　stared　at　her　amazed。



〃What　does　it　matter　how　I　came；　chief　Maduna？〃　she　answered　in　Zulu。

〃Yet　I　will　tell　you　why　I　came。　It　was　to　save　you　from　dipping　your

spear　in　the　innocent　blood；　and　bringing　on　your　head　the　curse　of

the　innocent　blood。　Answer　me　now。　Who　gave　you　and　your　brother

yonder　your　lives　within　that　wall　when　the　Makalanga　would　have　torn

you　limb　from　limb；　as　hyenas　tear　a　buck？　Was　it　I　or　another？〃



〃Inkosi…kaasChieftainess；〃　replied　the　great　Captain；　raising　his

broad　spear　in　salute。　〃It　was　you　and　no　other。〃



〃And　what　did　you　promise　me　then；　Prince　Maduna？〃



〃Maiden　of　high　birth；　I　promised　you　your　life　and　your　goods；　should

you　ever　fall　into　my　power。〃



〃Does　a　leader　of　the　Amandabele；　one　of　the　royal　blood；　lie　like　a

Mashona　or　a　Makalanga　slave？　Does　he　do　worsetell　half　the　truth

only；　like　a　cheat　who　buys　and　keeps　back　half　the　price？〃　she　asked

contemptuously。　〃Maduna；　you　promised　me　not　one　life；　but　two；　two

lives　and　the　goods　that　belong　to　both。　Ask　of　your　brother　there；

who　was　witness　of　the　words。〃



〃Great　Heavens！〃　muttered　Robert　Seymour　to　himself；　as　he　looked　at

Benita　standing　with　outstretched　hand　and　flashing　eyes。　〃Who　would

have　thought　that　a　starved　woman　could　play　such　a　part　with　death　on

the　hazard？〃



〃It　is　as　this　daughter　of　white　chiefs　says；〃　answered　the　man　to

whom　she　had　appealed。　〃When　she　freed　us　from　the　fangs　of　those

dogs；　you　promised　her　two　lives；　my　brother；　one　for　yours　and　one

for　mine。〃



〃Hear　him；〃　went　on　Benita。　〃He　promised　me　two　lives；　and　how　did

this　prince　of　the　royal　blood　keep　his　promise？　When　I　and　the　old

man；　my　father；　rode　hence　in　peace；　he　loosed　his　spears　upon　us；　he

hunted　us。　Yet　it　was　the　hunters　who　fell　into　the　trap；　not　the

hunted。〃



〃Maiden；〃　replied　Maduna；　in　a　shamed　voice；　〃that　was　your　fault；　not

mine。　If　you　had　appealed　to　me　I　would　have　let　you　go。　But　you

killed　my　sentry；　and　then　the　chase　began；　and　ere　I　knew　who　you

were　my　runners　were　out　of　call。〃



〃Little　time　had　I　to　ask　your　mercy；　but　so　be　it；〃　said　Benita。　〃I

accept　your　word；　and　I　forgive　you　that　offence。　Now　fulfil　your

oath。　Begone　and　leave　us　in　peace。〃



Still　Maduna　hesitated。



〃I　must　make　report　to　the　king；〃　he　said。　〃What　is　this　white　man　to

you　that　I　should　spare　him？　I　give　you　your　life　and　your　father's

life；　not　that　of　this　white　man　who　has　tricked　us。　If　he　were　your

father；　or　your　brother；　it　would　be　otherwise。　But　he　is　a　stranger；

and　belongs　to　me；　not　to　you。〃



〃Maduna；〃　she　asked；　〃do　women　such　as　I　am　share　the　waggon　of　a

stranger？　This　man　is　more　to　me　than　father　or　brother。　He　is　my

husband；　and　I　claim　his　life。〃



〃/Ow！/〃　said　the　spokesman　of　the　audience；　〃we　understand　now。　She　is

his　wife；　and　has　a　right　to　him。　If　she　were　not　his　wife　she　would

not　be　in　his　waggon。　It　is　plain　that　she　speaks　the　truth；　though

how　she　came　here　we　do　not　know；　unless；　as　we　think；　she　is　a

witch；〃　and　he　smiled　at　his　own　cleverness。



〃Inkosi…kaas；〃　said　Maduna；　〃you　have　persuaded　me。　I　give　you　the

life　of　that　white　fox；　your　husband；　and　I　hope　that　he　will　not

trick　you　as　he　has　tricked　us；　and　set　you　to　hoe　rock　instead　of

soil；〃　and　he　looked　at　Robert　wrathfully。　〃I　give　him　to　you　and　all

his　belongings。　Now；　is　there　anything　else　that　you　would　ask？〃



〃Yes；〃　replied　Benita　coolly；　〃you　have　many　oxen　there　which　you　took

from　the　other　Makalanga。　Mine　are　eaten　and　I　need　cattle　to　draw　my

waggon。　I　ask　a　present　of　twenty　of　them；　and；〃　she　added　by　an

afterthought；　〃two　cows　with　young　calves；　for　my　father　is　sick

yonder；　and　must　have　milk。〃



〃Oh！　give　them　to　her。　Give　them　to　her；〃　said　Maduna；　with　a　tragic

gesture　that　in　any　other　circumstances　would　have　made　Benita　laugh。

〃Give　them　to　her　and　see　that　they　are　good　ones；　before　she　asks　our

shields　and　spears　alsofor　after　all　she　saved　my　life。〃



So　men　departed　to　fetch　those　cows　and　oxen；　which　presently　were

driven　in。



While　this　talk　was　in　progress　the　great　impi　of　the　Matabele　was

massing　for　the　march；　on　the　flat　ground　a　little　to　the　right　of

them。　Now　they　began　to　come　past　in　companies；　preceded　by　the　lads

who　carried　the　mats　and　cooking…pots　and　drove　the　captured　sheep　and

cattle。　By　this　time　the　story　of　Benita；　the　witch…woman　whom　they

could　not　kill；　and　who　had　mysteriously　flown　from　the　top　of　the

peak　into　their　prisoner's　waggon；　had　spread　among　them。　They　knew

also　that　it　was　she　who　had　saved　their　general　from　the　Makalanga；

and　those　who　had　heard　her　admired　the　wit　and　courage　with　which　she

had　pleaded　and　won　her　cause。　Therefore；　as　they　marched　past　in

their　companies；　singing　a　song　of　abuse　and　defiance　of　the　Makalanga

who　peered　at　them　from　the　top　of　the　wall；　they　lifted　their　great

spears　in　salutation　to　Benita　standing　upon　the　waggon…box。



Indeed；　they　were　a　wondrous　and　imposing　spectacle；　such　a　one　a