benita-第48节

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one　of　the　Kaffirs　pushed　him　away。　Back　he　went；　still　back；　till　he

struck　the　further　wall　and　stood　there；　perhaps　for　half　a　minute。　He

lifted　his　hand　and　pointed　first　to　those　ancient　footprints；　some　of

which　still　remained　in　the　dust　of　the　floor；　and　next；　as　they

thought；　at　Benita。　His　lips　moved　fast；　he　seemed　to　be　pleading；

remonstrating；　yetand　this　was　the　ghastliest　part　of　itfrom　them

there　came　no　sound。　Lastly；　his　eyes　rolled　up　until　only　the　whites

of　them　were　visible；　his　face　became　wet　as　though　water　had　been

poured　over　it；　and；　still　without　a　sound；　he　fell　forward　and　moved

no　more。



So　terrible　was　the　scene　that　with　a　howl　of　fear　the　two　Kaffirs

turned　and　fled　up　the　stairway。　Robert　sprang　to　the　Jew；　dragged　him

over　on　to　his　back；　put　his　hand　upon　his　breast　and　lifted　his

eyelids。



〃Dead；〃　he　said。　〃Stone　dead。　Privation；　brain　excitement；　heart

failurethat's　the　story。〃



〃Perhaps；〃　answered　Benita　faintly；　〃but　really　I　think　that　I　begin

to　believe　in　ghosts　also。　Look；　I　never　noticed　them　before；　and　I

didn't　walk　there；　but　those　footsteps　seem　to　lead　right　up　to　him。〃

Then　she　turned　too　and　fled。







Another　week　had　gone　by。　The　waggons　were　laden　with　a　burden　more

precious　perhaps　than　waggons　have　often　borne　before。　In　one　of　them；

on　a　veritable　bed　of　gold；　slept　Mr。　Clifford；　still　very　weak　and

ill；　but　somewhat　better　than　he　had　been；　and　with　a　good　prospect　of

recovery；　at　any　rate　for　a　while。　They　were　to　trek　a　little　after

dawn；　and　already　Robert　and　Benita　were　up　and　waiting。　She　touched

his　arm　and　said　to　him：



〃Come　with　me。　I　have　a　fancy　to　see　that　place　once　more；　for　the

last　time。〃



So　they　climbed　the　hill　and　the　steep　steps　in　the　topmost　wall　that

Meyer　had　blockedre…opened　nowand　reaching　the　mouth　of　the　cave；

lit　the　lamps　which　they　had　brought　with　them；　and　entered。　There

were　the　fragments　of　the　barricade　that　Benita　had　built　with

desperate　hands；　there　was　the　altar　of　sacrifice　standing　cold　and

grey　as　it　had　stood　for　perhaps　three　thousand　years。　There　was　the

tomb　of　the　old　monk　who　had　a　companion　now；　for　in　it　Jacob　Meyer

lay　with　him；　his　bones　covered　by　the　/débris/　that　he　himself　had

dug　out　in　his　mad　search　for　wealth；　and　there　the　white　Christ　hung

awful　on　His　cross。　Only　the　skeletons　of　the　Portuguese　were　gone；

for　with　the　help　of　his　Kaffirs　Robert　had　moved　them　every　one　into

the　empty　treasure…chamber；　closing　the　trap　beneath；　and　building　up

the　door　above；　so　that　there　they　might　lie　in　peace　at　last。



In　this　melancholy　place　they　tarried　but　a　little　while；　then；

turning　their　backs　upon　it　for　ever；　went　out　and　climbed　the　granite

cone　to　watch　the　sun　rise　over　the　broad　Zambesi。　Up　it　came　in

glory；　that　same　sun　which　had　shone　upon　the　despairing　Benita　da

Ferreira；　and　upon　the　English　Benita　when　she　had　stood　there　in

utter　hopelessness；　and　seen　the　white　man　captured　by　the　Matabele。



Now；　different　was　their　state　indeed；　and　there　in　that　high　place；

whence　perhaps　many　a　wretched　creature　had　been　cast　to　death；　whence

certainly　the　Portuguese　maiden　had　sought　her　death；　these　two　happy

beings　were　not　ashamed　to　give　thanks　to　Heaven　for　the　joy　which　it

had　vouchsafed　to　them；　and　for　their　hopes　of　life　full　and　long　to

be　travelled　hand　in　hand。　Behind　them　was　the　terror　of　the　cave；

beneath　them　were　the　mists　of　the　valley；　but　above　them　the　light

shone　and　rolled　and　sparkled；　and　above　them　stretched　the　eternal

sky！



They　descended　the　pillar；　and　near　the　foot　of　it　saw　an　old　man

sitting。　It　was　Mambo；　the　Molimo　of　the　Makalanga：　even　when　they

were　still　far　away　from　him　they　knew　his　snow…white　head　and　thin；

ascetic　face。　As　they　drew　near　Benita　perceived　that　his　eyes　were

closed；　and　whispered　to　Robert　that　he　was　asleep。　Yet　he　had　heard

them　coming；　and　even　guessed　her　thought。



〃Maiden；〃　he　said　in　his　gentle　voice；　〃maiden　who　soon　shall　be　a

wife；　I　do　not　sleep；　although　I　dream　of　you　as　I　have　dreamt　before。

What　did　I　say　to　you　that　day　when　first　we　met？　That　for　you　I　had

good　tidings；　that　though　death　was　all　about　you；　you　need　not　fear；

that　in　this　place　you　who　had　known　great　sorrow　should　find

happiness　and　rest。　Yet；　maiden；　you　would　not　believe　the　words　of

the　Munwali；　spoken　by　his　prophet's　lips；　as　he　at　your　side；　who

shall　be　your　husband；　would　not　believe　me　in　years　past　when　I　told

him　that　we　should　meet　again。〃



〃Father；〃　she　answered；　〃I　thought　your　rest　was　that　which　we　find

only　in　the　grave。〃



〃You　would　not　believe；〃　he　went　on　without　heeding　her；　〃and

therefore　you　tried　to　fly；　and　therefore　your　heart　was　torn　with

terror　and　with　agony；　when　it　should　have　waited　for　the　end　in

confidence　and　peace。〃



〃Father；　my　trial　was　very　sore。〃



〃Maiden；　I　know　it；　and　because　it　was　so　sore　that　patient　Spirit　of

Bambatse　bore　with　you；　and　through　it　all　guided　your　feet　aright。

Yes；　with　you　has　that　Spirit　gone；　by　day；　by　night；　in　the　morning

and　in　the　evening。　Who　was　it　that　smote　the　man　who　lies　dead　yonder

with　horror　and　with　madness　when　he　would　have　bent　your　will　to　his

and　made　you　a　wife　to　him？　Who　was　it　that　told　you　the　secret　of　the

treasure…pit；　and　what　footsteps　went　before　you　down　its　stair？　Who

was　it　that　led　you　past　the　sentries　of　the　Amandabele　and　gave　you

wit　and　power　to　snatch　your　lord's　life　from　Maduna's　bloody　hand？

Yes；　with　you　it　has　gone　and　with　you　it　will　go。　No　more　shall　the

White　Witch　stand　upon　the　pillar　point　at　the　rising　of　the　sun；　or

in　the　shining　of　the　moon。〃



〃Father；　I　have　never　understood　you；　and　I　do　not　understand　you

now；〃　said　Benita。　〃What　has　this　spirit　to　do　with　me？〃



He　smiled　a　little；　then　answered　slowly：



〃That　I　may　not　tell　you；　that　you　shall　learn　one　day；　but　never

here。　When　you　also　have　entered　into　silence；　then　you　shall　learn。

But　I　say　to　you　that　this　shall　not　be　till　your　hair　is　as　white　as

mine；　and　your　years　are　as　many。　Ah！　you　thought　that　I　had　deserted

you；　when　fearing　for　your　father's　life　you　wept　and　prayed　in　the

darkness　of　the　cave。　Yet　it　was　not　so；　for　I　did　but　suffer　the　doom

which　I　had　read　to　fulfil　itself　as　it　must　do。〃



He　rose　to　his　feet　and；　resting　on　his　staff；　laid　one　withered　hand

upon　the　head　of　Benita。



〃Maiden；〃　he　said；　〃we　meet　no　more　beneath　the　sun。　Yet　because　you

have　brought　deliverance　to　my　people；　because　you　are　sweet　and　pure

and　true；　take　with　you　the　blessing　of　Munwali；　spoken　by　the　mouth

of　his　servant　Mambo；　the　old　Molimo　of　Bambatse。　Though　from　time　to

time　you　must　know　tears　and　walk　in　the　shade　of　sorrows；　long　and

happy　shall　be　your　days　with　him　whom　you　have　chosen。　Children　shall

spring　up　about　you；　and　children's　children；　and　with　them　also　shall

the　blessing　go。　The　gold　you　white　folk　love　is　yours；　and　it　shall

multiply　and　give　food　to　the　hungry　and　raiment　to　those　that　are

a…cold。　Yet　in　your　own　heart　lies　a　richer　store　that　cannot　melt

away；　the　countless　treasure　of　mercy　and　of　love。　When　you　sleep　and

when　you　wake　Love　shall　take　you　by　the　hand；　till　at　length　he　leads

you　through　life's　dark　cave　to　that　eternal　house　of　purest　gold

which　soon　or　late　those　that　seek　it　shall　inherit；〃　and　with　his

staff　he　pointed　to　the　glowing　morning　sky　wherein　one　by　one　little

rosy　clouds　floated　upwards　and　were　lost。



To　Robert　and　to　Benita's　misty　eyes　they　looked　like　bright…winged

angels　throwing　wide　the　black　doors　of　night；　and　heralding　that

conquering　glory　at　whose　advent　despair　and　darkness　flee　away。











End