benita-第7节

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sat　in　heavy　silence；　watching　the　sky。



At　length　it　grew　grey；　and　then；　with　a　sudden　glory　peculiar　to

South　Africa；　the　great　red　sun　arose　and　began　to　dispel　the　mist

from　the　surface　of　the　sea。　Half　an　hour　more　and　this　was　gone；　and

now　the　bright　rays　brought　life　back　into　their　chilled　frames　as

they　stared　at　each　other　to　see　which　of　their　company　were　still

left　alive。　They　even　asked　for　food；　and　biscuit　was　given　to　them

with　water。



All　this　while　Benita　remained　unconscious。　Indeed；　one　callous

fellow；　who　had　been　using　her　body　as　a　footstool；　said　that　she　must

be　dead；　and　had　better　be　thrown　overboard；　as　it　would　lighten　the

boat。



〃If　you　throw　that　lady　into　the　sea；　living　or　dead；〃　said　Mr。

Thompson；　with　an　ominous　lift　of　his　eye；　〃you　go　with　her；　Mr。

Batten。　Remember　who　brought　her　here　and　how　he　died。〃



Then　Mr。　Batten　held　his　peace；　while　Thompson　stood　up　and　scanned

the　wide　expanse　of　sea。　Presently　he　whispered　to　a　sailor　near　him；

who　also　stood　up；　looked；　and　nodded。



〃That　will　be　the　other　Line's　intermediate　boat；〃　he　said；　and　the

passengers；　craning　their　heads　round；　saw　far　away　to　the　right　a

streak　of　smoke　upon　the　horizon。　Orders　were　given；　a　little　corner

of　sail　was　hoisted；　with　a　white　cloth　of　some　sort　tied　above　it；

and　the　oars　were　got　out。　Once　more　the　cutter　moved　forward；　bearing

to　the　left　in　the　hope　of　intercepting　the　steamer。



She　came　on　with　terrible　swiftness；　and　they　who　had　miles　of　water

to　cover；　dared　hoist　no　more　sail　in　that　breeze。　In　half　an　hour　she

was　nearly　opposite　to　them；　and　they　were　still　far　away。　A　little

more　sail　was　let　out；　driving　them　through　the　water　at　as　quick　a

rate　as　they　could　venture　to　go。　The　steamer　was　passing　three　miles

or　so　away；　and　black　despair　took　hold　of　them。　Now　the　resourceful

Thompson；　without　apologies；　undressed；　and　removing　the　white　shirt

that　he　had　worn　at　the　dance；　bade　a　sailor　to　tie　it　to　an　oar　and

wave　it　to　and　fro。



Still　the　steamer　went　on；　until　presently　they　heard　her　siren　going；

and　saw　that　she　was　putting　about。



〃She　has　seen　us；〃　said　Thompson。　〃Thank　God；　all　of　you；　for　there　is

wind　coming　up。　Pull　down　that　sail；　we　shan't　need　it　any　more。〃



Half　an　hour　later；　with　many　precautions；　for　the　wind　he　prophesied

was　already　troubling　the　sea　and　sending　little　splashes　of　water

over　the　stern　of　their　deeply　laden　boat；　they　were　fast　to　a　line

thrown　from　the　deck　of　the　three　thousand　ton　steamer　/Castle/；　bound

for　Natal。　Then；　with　a　rattle；　down　came　the　accommodation　ladder；

and　strong…armed　men；　standing　on　its　grating；　dragged　them　one　by　one

from　the　death　to　which　they　had　been　so　near。　The　last　to　be　lifted

up；　except　Thompson；　was　Benita；　round　whom　it　was　necessary　to　reeve

a　rope。



〃Any　use？〃　asked　the　officer　on　the　grating　as　he　glanced　at　her　quiet

form。



〃Can't　say；　I　hope　so；〃　answered　Thompson。　〃Call　your　doctor。〃　And

gently　enough　she　was　borne　up　the　ship's　side。



They　wanted　to　cast　off　the　boat；　but　Thompson　remonstrated；　and　in

the　end　that　also　was　dragged　to　deck。　Meanwhile　the　news　had　spread；

and　the　awakened　passengers　of　the　/Castle/；　clad　in　pyjamas；

dressing…gowns；　and　even　blankets；　were　crowding　round　the　poor

castaways　or　helping　them　to　their　cabins。



〃I　am　a　teetotaller；〃　said　second　officer　Thompson　when　he　had　made　a

brief　report　to　the　captain　of　the　/Castle/；　〃but　if　anyone　will　stand

me　a　whiskey　and　soda　I　shall　be　obliged　to　him。〃







IV



MR。　CLIFFORD



Although　the　shock　of　the　blow　she　had　received　upon　her　head　was

sufficient　to　make　her　insensible　for　so　many　hours；　Benita's　injuries

were　not　of　a　really　serious　nature；　for　as　it　happened　the　falling

block；　or　whatever　it　may　have　been；　had　hit　her　forehead　slantwise；

and　not　full；　to　which　accident　she　owed　it　that；　although　the　skin

was　torn　and　the　scalp　bruised；　her　skull　had　escaped　fracture。　Under

proper　medical　care　her　senses　soon　came　back　to　her；　but　as　she　was

quite　dazed　and　thought　herself　still　on　board　the　/Zanzibar/；　the

doctor　considered　it　wise　to　preserve　her　in　that　illusion　for　a

while。　So　after　she　had　swallowed　some　broth　he　gave　her　a　sleeping

draught；　the　effects　of　which　she　did　not　shake　off　till　the　following

morning。



Then　she　came　to　herself　completely；　and　was　astonished　to　feel　the

pain　in　her　head；　which　had　been　bandaged；　and　to　see　a　strange

stewardess　sitting　by　her　with　a　cup　of　beef…tea　in　her　hand。



〃Where　am　I？　Is　it　a　dream？〃　she　asked。



〃Drink　this　and　I　will　tell　you；〃　answered　the　stewardess。



Benita　obeyed；　for　she　felt　hungry；　then　repeated　her　question。



〃Your　steamer　was　shipwrecked；〃　said　the　stewardess；　〃and　a　great　many

poor　people　were　drowned；　but　you　were　saved　in　a　boat。　Look；　there

are　your　clothes；　they　were　never　in　the　water。〃



〃Who　carried　me　into　the　boat？〃　asked　Benita　in　a　low　voice。



〃A　gentleman；　they　say；　Miss；　who　had　wrapped　you　in　a　blanket　and　put

a　lifebelt　on　you。〃



Now　Benita　remembered　everything　that　happened　before　the　darkness

fellthe　question　to　which　she　had　given　no　answer；　the　young　couple

who　stood　flirting　by　herall　came　back　to　her。



〃Was　Mr。　Seymour　saved？〃　she　whispered；　her　face　grey　with　dread。



〃I　dare　say；　Miss；〃　answered　the　stewardess　evasively。　〃But　there　is

no　gentleman　of　that　name　aboard　this　ship。〃



At　that　moment　the　doctor　came　in；　and　him；　too；　she　plied　with

questions。　But　having　learned　the　story　of　Robert's　self…sacrifice

from　Mr。　Thompson　and　the　others；　he　would　give　her　no　answer；　for　he

guessed　how　matters　had　stood　between　them；　and　feared　the　effects　of

the　shock。　All　he　could　say　was　that　he　hoped　Mr。　Seymour　had　escaped

in　some　other　boat。



It　was　not　until　the　third　morning　that　Benita　was　allowed　to　learn

the　truth；　which　indeed　it　was　impossible　to　conceal　any　longer。　Mr。

Thompson　came　to　her　cabin　and　told　her　everything；　while　she　listened

silently；　horrified；　amazed。



〃Miss　Clifford；〃　he　said；　〃I　think　it　was　one　of　the　bravest　things

that　a　man　ever　did。　On　the　ship　I　always　thought　him　rather　a　head…

in…air　kind　of　swell；　but　he　was　a　splendid　fellow；　and　I　pray　God

that　he　has　lived；　as　the　lady　and　child　for　whom　he　offered　himself

up　have　done；　for　they　are　both　well　again。〃



〃Yes；〃　she　repeated　after　him　mechanically；　〃splendid　fellow　indeed；

and；〃　she　added；　with　a　strange　flash　of　conviction；　〃I　believe　that

he　/is/　still　alive。　If　he　were　dead　I　should　know　it。〃



〃I　am　glad　to　hear　you　say　so；〃　said　Mr。　Thompson；　who　believed　the

exact　contrary。



〃Listen；〃　she　went　on。　〃I　will　tell　you　something。　When　that　dreadful

accident　occurred　Mr。　Seymour　had　just　asked　me　to　marry　him；　and　I

was　going　to　answer　that　I　wouldbecause　I　love　him。　I　believe　that　I

shall　still　give　him　that　answer。〃



Mr。　Thompson　replied　again　that　he　hoped　so；　which；　being　as　honest

and　tender…hearted　as　he　was　brave　and　capable；　he　did　most　earnestly；

but　in　his　heart　he　reflected　that　her　answer　would　not　be　given　this

side　of　the　grave。　Then；　as　he　had　been　deputed　to　do；　he　handed　her

the　note　which　had　been　found　in　the　bosom　of　her　dress；　and；　able　to

bear　no　more　of　this　painful　scene；　hurried　from　the　cabin。　She　read

it　greedily　twice；　and　pressed　it　to　her　lips；　murmuring：



〃Yes；　I　will　think　kindly　of　you；　Robert　Seymour；　kindly　as　woman　can

of　man；　and　now　or　afterwards　you　shall　have　your　answer；　if　you　still

wish　for　it。　Whenever　you　come　or　wherever　I　go；　it　shall　be　ready　for

you。〃



That　afternoon；　when　she　was　more　composed；　Mrs。　Jeffreys　came　to　see

Benita；　bringing　her　baby　with　her。　The　poor　woman　was　still　pale　and

shaken；　but　the　child　had　taken　no　hurt　at　all　from　its　immersion　in

that　warm　water。



〃What　can　you　think　of　me？〃　she　said；　falling　on　her　knees　by　Benita。

〃But　oh！　I　did　not　know　what　I　was　doing。　It　was　terror　and　my　child；〃

and　she　kissed　the　sleeping　infant　passionately。　〃Also　I　did　not

understand　at　the　timeI　was　too　dazed。　Andthat　herohe　gave　his

life　for　me　when　the　others　wished　to　beat　me　off　with　oars。　Yes；　his

blood　is　upon　my　handshe　who　died　that　I　and　my　child　might　live。〃



Benita　looked　at　her　and　answered；　very　gently：



〃Perhaps　he　did　not　die　after　all。　Do　not　grieve；　for　if　he　did　it　was

a　very　glorious　death；　and　I　am　prouder　of　him　than　I　could　have　been

had　he　lived　on　like　the　otherswho　wished　to　beat　you　off　with　oars。

Whatever　is；　is　by　God's　Will；　and　doubtless　for　the　best。　At　the

least；　you　and　your　child　will　be　restored　to　your　husband；　though　it

cost　me　one　who　would　have　beenmy　husband。〃



That　evening　Benita　came　upon　the　deck　and　spoke　with　the　other　ladies

who　were　saved；　learning　every　detail　that　she　could　gather。　But　to

none　of　the　men；　except　to　Mr。　Thompson；　would　she