benita-第15章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


not　done；　it　is　only　begun；　and　now　you　shall　hear　its　second　chapter。

Clifford；　may　I　call　in　the　messengers？〃　And　without　waiting　for　an

answer　he　rose　and　left　the　room。



Neither　Mr。　Clifford　nor　his　daughter　said　anything　after　he　had　gone。

Benita　appeared　to　occupy　herself　in　fixing　the　broad　gold　coin　to　a

little　swivel　on　her　bracelet；　but　while　she　did　so　once　more　that

sixth　sense　of　hers　awoke　within　her。　As　she　had　been　afraid　at　the

dinner　on　the　doomed　steamer；　so　again　she　was　afraid。　Again　death　and

great　fear　cast　their　advancing　shadows　on　to　her　soul。　That　piece　of

gold　seemed　to　speak　to　her；　yet；　alas！　she　could　not　understand　its

story。　Only　she　knew　that　her　father　and　Jacob　Meyer　andyes；　yes；

yesRobert　Seymour；　had　all　a　part　in　that　tragedy。　Oh！　how　could

that　be　when　he　was　dead？　How　could　this　gold　link　him　to　her？　She

knew　notshe　cared　not。　All　she　knew　was　that　she　would　follow　this

treasure　to　the　edge　of　the　world；　and　if　need　be；　over　it；　if　only　it

brought　her　back　to　him　again。







VII



THE　MESSENGERS



The　door　opened；　and　through　it　came　Jacob　Meyer；　followed　by　three

natives。　Benita　did　not　see　or　hear　them；　her　soul　was　far　away。　There

at　the　head　of　the　room；　clad　all　in　white；　for　she　wore　no　mourning

save　in　her　heart；　illuminated　by　the　rays　of　the　lamp　that　hung　above

her；　she　stood　still　and　upright；　for　she　had　risen；　on　the　face　and

in　her　wide；　dark　eyes　a　look　that　was　very　strange　to　see。　Jacob

Meyer　perceived　it　and　stopped；　the　three　natives　perceived　it　also

and　stopped。　There　they　stood；　all　four　of　them；　at　the　end　of　the

long　sitting…room；　staring　at　the　white　Benita　and　at　her　haunted

eyes。



One　of　the　natives　pointed　with　his　thin　finger　to　her　face；　and

whispered　to　the　others。　Meyer；　who　understood　their　tongue；　caught

the　whisper。　It　was：



〃Behold　the　Spirit　of　the　Rock！〃



〃What　spirit；　and　what　rock？〃　he　asked　in　a　low　voice。



〃She　who　haunts　Bambatse；　she　whom　our　eyes　have　seen；〃　answered　the

man；　still　staring　at　Benita。



Benita　heard　the　whispering；　and　knew　it　was　about　herself；　though　not

one　word　of　it　did　she　catch。　With　a　sigh　she　shook　herself　free　from

her　visions　and　sat　down　in　a　chair　close　by。　Then　one　by　one　the

messengers　drew　near　to　her；　and　each；　as　he　came；　made　a　profound

obeisance；　touching　the　floor　with　his　finger…tips；　and　staring　at　her

face。　But　her　father　they　only　saluted　with　an　uplifted　hand。　She

looked　at　them　with　interest；　and　indeed　they　were　interesting　in

their　way；　tall；　spare　men；　light　coloured；　with　refined；　mobile

faces。　Here　was　no　negro…blood；　but　rather　that　of　some　ancient　people

such　as　Egyptians　or　Ph？nicians：　men　whose　forefathers　had　been　wise

and　civilized　thousands　of　years　ago；　and　perchance　had　stood　in　the

courts　of　Pharaoh　or　of　Solomon。



Their　salutations　finished；　the　three　men　squatted　in　a　line　upon　the

floor；　drawing　their　fur　karosses；　or　robes；　about　them；　and　waited　in

silence。　Jacob　Meyer　thought　a　while；　then　said：



〃Clifford；　will　you　translate　to　your　daughter；　so　that　she　may　be

sure　she　is　told　exactly　what　passes？〃



Next　he　turned　and　addressed　the　natives。



〃Your　names　are　Tamas；　Tamala；　and　Hoba；　and　you；　Tamas；　are　the　son

of　the　Molimo　of　Bambatse；　who　is　called　Mambo；　and　you；　Tamala　and

Hoba；　are　his　initiated　councillors。　Is　it　so？〃



They　bowed　their　heads。



〃Good。　You；　Tamas；　tell　the　story　and　give　again　your　message　that

this　lady；　the　lady　Benita；　may　hear　it；　for　she　has　a　part　in　the

matter。〃



〃We　understand　that　she　has　a　part；〃　answered　Tamas。　〃We　read　in　her

face　that　she　has　the　greatest　part。　Doubtless　it　is　of　her　that　the

Spirit　told　my　father。　These；　spoken　by　my　mouth；　are　the　words　of　the

Molimo；　my　father；　which　we　have　travelled　so　far　to　deliver。



〃'When　you　two　white　men　visited　Bambatse　four　years　ago；　you　asked　of

me；　Mambo；　to　be　admitted　to　the　holy　place；　that　you　might　look　for

the　treasure　there　which　the　Portuguese　hid　in　the　time　of　my　ancestor

in　the　sixth　generation。　I　refused　to　allow　you　to　look；　or　even　to

enter　the　holy　place；　because　I　am　by　birth　the　guardian　of　that

treasure；　although　I　know　not　where　it　lies。　But　now　I　am　in　a　great

strait。　I　have　news　that　Lobengula　the　usurper；　who　is　king　of　the

Matabele；　has　taken　offence　against　me　for　certain　reasons；　among　them

that　I　did　not　send　him　a　sufficient　tribute。　It　is　reported　to　me

that　he　purposes　next　summer　to　despatch　an　impi　to　wipe　me　and　my

people　out；　and　to　make　my　kraal　black　as　the　burnt　veld。　I　have

little　strength　to　resist　him　who　is　mighty；　and　my　people　are　not

warlike。　From　generation　to　generation　they　have　been　traders；

cultivators　of　the　land；　workers　in　metal；　and　men　of　peace；　who

desire　not　to　kill　or　be　killed。　Also　they　are　few。　Therefore　I　have

no　power　to　stand　against　Lobengula。



〃'I　remember　the　guns　that　you　and　your　companion　brought　with　you；

which　can　kill　things　from　far　away。　If　I　had　a　supply　of　those　guns

from　behind　my　walls　I　might　defy　the　impi　of　Lobengula；　whose

warriors　use　the　assegai。　If　you　will　bring　me　a　hundred　good　guns　and

plenty　of　powder　and　bullets　for　them；　it　is　revealed　to　me　that　it

will　be　lawful　for　me　to　admit　you　to　the　secret；　holy　place；　where

you　may　look　for　the　buried　gold　for　as　long　as　you　wish；　and　if　you

can　find　it；　take　it　all　away　without　hindrance　from　me　or　my　people。

But　I　will　be　honest　with　you。　That　gold　will　never　be　found　save　by

the　one　appointed。　The　white　lady　said　so　in　the　time　of　my

forefather；　he　heard　it　with　his　ears；　and　I　have　heard　it　from　his

descendants　with　my　ears；　and　so　it　shall　be。　Still；　if　you　bring　the

guns　you　can　come　and　see　if　either　of　you　is　that　one　appointed。　But

I　do　not　think　that　any　man　is　so　appointed；　for　the　secret　is　hid　in

woman。　But　of　this　you　can　learn　for　yourselves。　I　do　but　speak　as　I

am　bidden。



〃'This　is　my　message　spoken　by　my　mouth；　Tamas；　son　of　my　body；　and　my

councillors　who　go　with　him　will　bear　witness　that　he　speaks　the

truth。　I；　Mambo；　the　Molimo　of　Bambatse；　send　you　greeting；　and　will

give　you　good　welcome　and　fulfil　my　promise；　if　you　come　with　the　far…

shooting　guns；　ten　times　ten　of　them；　and　the　powder；　and　the　bullets

wherewith　I　may　drive　off　the　Matabele；　but　not　otherwise。　My　son；

Tamas；　and　my　councillors　will　drive　your　waggon　into　my　country　but

you　must　bring　no　strange　servants。　The　Spirit　of　the　white　woman　who

killed　herself　before　the　eyes　of　my　forefather　has　been　seen　of　late

standing　upon　the　point　of　rock；　also　she　has　visited　me　at　night　in

my　secret　place　where　her　companions　died。　I　do　not　know　all　that　this

portends；　but　I　think　that　amongst　other　things　she　wished　to　tell　me

that　the　Matabele　are　about　to　attack　us。　I　await　the　decree　of　the

Heavens。　I　send　you　two　karosses　as　a　gift；　and　a　little　ancient　gold；

since　ivory　is　too　heavy　for　my　messengers　to　carry；　and　I　have　no

waggon。　Farewell。'〃



〃We　have　heard　you；〃　said　Meyer；　when　Mr。　Clifford　had　finished

translating；　〃and　we　wish　to　ask　you　a　question。　What　do　you　mean　when

you　say　that　the　Spirit　of　the　white　woman　has　been　seen？〃



〃I　mean　what　I　say；　white　man；〃　answered　Tamas。　〃She　was　seen　by　all

three　of　us；　standing　upon　the　pinnacle　at　the　dawn；　also　my　father

saw　and　spoke　with　her　alone　in　his　sleep　at　night。　This　is　the　third

time　in　my　father's　day　that　she　has　appeared　thus；　and　always　before

some　great　event。〃



〃What　was　she　like？〃　asked　Meyer。



〃Like？　Oh！　like　the　lady　who　sits　yonder。　Yes；　quite　the　same；　or　so

it　seemed　to　us。　But　who　knows？　We　have　seen　no　other　white　women；　and

we　were　not　very　near。　Let　the　lady　come　and　stand　side　by　side　with

the　Spirit；　so　that　we　can　examine　them　both；　and　we　shall　be　able　to

answer　better。　Do　you　accept　the　offer　of　the　Molimo？〃



〃We　will　tell　you　to…morrow　morning；〃　replied　Meyer。　〃A　hun