benita-第16章

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

are　many　to　find；　and　will　cost　much　money。　Meanwhile；　for　you　there

is　food　and　a　sleeping…place。〃



The　three　men　seemed　disappointed　at　his　answer；　which　they　evidently

believed　to　be　preliminary　to　a　refusal。　For　a　moment　or　two　they

consulted　together；　then　Tamas　put　his　hand　into　a　pouch　and　drew　from

it　something　wrapped　in　dry　leaves；　which　he　undid；　revealing　a　quaint

and　beautiful　necklace；　fashioned　of　twisted　gold　links；　wherein　were

set　white　stones；　that　they　had　no　difficulty　in　recognising　as　uncut

diamonds　of　considerable　value。　From　this　necklace　also　hung　a

crucifix　moulded　in　gold。



〃We　offer　this　gift；〃　he　said；　〃on　behalf　of　Mambo；　my　father；　to　the

lady　yonder；　to　whom　the　karosses　and　the　rough　gold　are　of　no　use。

The　chain　has　a　story。　When　the　Portuguese　lady　hurled　herself　into

the　river　she　wore　it　about　her　neck。　As　she　fell　into　the　river　she

struck　against　a　little　point　of　rock　which　tore　the　chain　away　from

hersee　where　it　is　broken　and　mended　with　gold　wire。　It　remained

upon　the　point　of　rock；　and　my　forefather　took　it　thence。　It　is　a　gift

to　the　lady　if　she　will　promise　to　wear　it。〃



〃Accept　it；〃　muttered　Mr。　Clifford；　when　he　had　finished　translating

this；　〃or　you　will　give　offence。〃



So　Benita　said：　〃I　thank　the　Molimo；　and　accept　his　gift。〃



Then　Tamas　rose；　and；　advancing；　cast　the　ancient；　tragic　thing　over

her　head。　As　it　fell　upon　her　shoulders；　Benita　knew　that　it　was　a

chain　of　destiny　drawing　her　she　knew　not　where；　this　ornament　that

had　last　been　worn　by　that　woman；　bereaved　and　unhappy　as　herself；　who

could　find　no　refuge　from　her　sorrow　except　in　death。　Had　she　felt　it

torn　from　her　breast；　she　wondered；　as　she；　the　living　Benita　of

to…day；　felt　it　fall　upon　her　own？



The　three　envoys　rose；　bowed；　and　went；　leaving　them　alone。　Jacob

Meyer　lifted　his　head　as　though　to　address　her；　then　changed　his　mind

and　was　silent。　Both　the　men　waited　for　her　to　speak；　but　she　would

not；　and　in　the　end　it　was　her　father　who　spoke　first。



〃What　do　you　say；　Benita？〃　he　asked　anxiously。



〃I？　I　have　nothing　to　say；　except　that　I　have　heard　a　very　curious

story。　This　priest's　message　is　to　you　and　Mr。　Meyer；　father；　and　must

be　answered　by　you。　What　have　I　to　do　with　it？〃



〃A　great　deal；　I　think；　my　dear；　or　so　those　men　seemed　to　believe。　At

any　rate；　I　cannot　go　up　there　without　you；　and　I　will　not　take　you

there　against　your　wish；　for　it　is　a　long　way　off；　and　a　queer

business。　The　question　is；　will　you　go？〃



She　thought　a　space；　while　the　two　men　watched　her　anxiously。



〃Yes；〃　she　answered　at　length；　in　a　quiet　voice。　〃I　will　go　if　you

wish　to　go；　not　because　I　want　to　find　treasure；　but　because　the　story

and　the　country　where　it　happened　interest　me。　Indeed；　I　don't　believe

much　in　the　treasure。　Even　if　they　are　superstitious　and　afraid　to

look　for　it　themselves；　I　doubt　whether　they　would　allow　you　to　look

if　they　thought　it　could　be　found。　To　me　the　journey　does　not　seem　a

good　business　speculation；　also　there　are　risks。〃



〃We　think　it　good　enough；〃　broke　in　Meyer　decidedly。　〃And　one　does　not

expect　to　get　millions　without　trouble。〃



〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　her　father；　〃but　she　is　rightthere　are　risks；　great

risksfever；　wild　beasts；　savages；　and　others　that　one　cannot

foresee。　Have　I　a　right　to　expose　her　to　them？　Ought　we　not　to　go

alone？〃



〃It　would　be　useless；〃　answered　Meyer。　〃Those　messengers　have　seen

your　daughter；　and　mixed　her　up　with　their　superstitious　story　of　a

ghost；　of　which　I；　who　know　that　there　are　no　such　things；　believe

nothing。　Without　her　now　we　shall　certainly　fail。〃



〃As　for　the　risks；　father；〃　said　Benita；　〃personally　I　take　no　account

of　them；　for　I　am　sure　that　what　is　to　happen　will　happen；　and　if　I

knew　that　I　was　to　die　upon　the　Zambesi；　it　would　make　no　difference

to　me　who　do　not　care。　But　as　it　chances；　I　thinkI　cannot　tell　you

whythat　you　and　Mr。　Meyer　are　in　more　danger　than　I　am。　It　is　for

you　to　consider　whether　you　will　take　the　risks。〃



Mr。　Clifford　smiled。　〃I　am　old；〃　he　said；　〃that　is　my　answer。〃



〃And　I　am　accustomed　to　such　things；〃　said　Meyer；　with　a　shrug　of　his

shoulders。　〃Who　would　not　run　a　little　danger　for　the　sake　of　such　a

glorious　chance？　Wealth；　wealth；　more　wealth　than　we　can　dream　of；　and

with　it；　powerpower　to　avenge；　to　reward；　to　buy　position；　and

pleasure；　and　all　beautiful　things　which　are　the　heritage　of　the　very

rich　alone；〃　and　he　spread　out　his　hands　and　looked　upwards；　as　though

in　adoration　of　this　golden　god。



〃Except　such　trifles　as　health　and　happiness；〃　commented　Benita；　not

without　sarcasm；　for　this　man　and　his　material　desires　disgusted　her

somewhat；　especially　when　she　contrasted　him　with　another　man　who　was

lost　to　her；　though　it　was　true　that　/his/　past　had　been　idle　and

unproductive　enough。　Yet　they　interested　her　also；　for　Benita　had

never　met　anyone　like　Mr。　Meyer；　so　talented；　so　eager；　and　so

soulless。



〃Then　I　understand　it　is　settled？〃　she　said。



Mr。　Clifford　hesitated；　but　Meyer　answered　at　once：



〃Yes；　settled　as　far　as　anything　can　be。〃



She　waited　a　moment　for　her　father　to　speak；　but　he　said　nothing；　his

chance　had　gone　by。



〃Very　well。　Now　we　shall　not　need　to　trouble　ourselves　with　further

doubts　or　argument。　We　are　going　to　Bambatse　on　the　Zambesi；　a　distant

place；　to　look　for　buried　gold；　and　I　hope；　Mr。　Meyer；　that　if　you

find　it；　the　results　will　come　up　to　your　expectations；　and　bring　you

all　sorts　of　good　luck。　Good…night；　father　dear；　good…night。〃



〃My　daughter　thinks　it　will　bring　us　ill…luck；〃　said　Mr。　Clifford；

when　the　door　had　closed　behind　her。　〃That　is　her　way　of　saying　so。〃



〃Yes；〃　answered　Meyer　gloomily；　〃she　thinks　that；　and　she　is　one　of

those　who　have　vision。　Well；　she　may　be　wrong。　Also；　the　question　is；

shall　we　seize　our　opportunity　and　its　dangers；　or　remain　here　and

breed　bad　horses　all　our　lives；　while　she　who　is　not　afraid　laughs　at

us？　I　am　going　to　Bambatse。〃



Again　Mr。　Clifford　made　no　direct　answer；　only　asked　a　question：



〃How　long　will　it　take　to　get　the　guns　and　ammunition；　and　what　will

they　cost？〃



〃About　a　week　from　Wakkerstroom；〃　replied　Meyer。　〃Old　Potgieter；　the

trader　there；　has　just　imported　a　hundred　Martinis　and　a　hundred

Westley…Richards　falling…blocks。　Fifty　of　each；　with　ten　thousand

rounds　of　cartridges；　will　cost　about　￡600；　and　we　have　as　much　as

that　in　the　bank；　also　we　have　the　new　waggon；　and　plenty　of　good　oxen

and　horses。　We　can　take　a　dozen　of　the　horses　with　us；　and　sell　them

in　the　north　of　the　Transvaal　for　a　fine　price；　before　we　get　into　the

tetsefly　belt。　The　oxen　will　probably　carry　us　through；　as　they　are

most　of　them　salted。〃



〃You　have　thought　it　all　out；　Jacob；　I　see；　but　it　means　a　lot　of

money　one　way　and　another；　to　say　nothing　of　other　things。〃



〃Yes；　a　lot　of　money；　and　those　rifles　are　too　good　for　Kaffirs。

Birmingham　gas…pipes　would　have　done　for　them；　but　there　are　none　to

be　had。　But　what　is　the　money；　and　what　are　the　guns；　compared　to　all

they　will　bring　us？〃



〃I　think　you　had　better　ask　my　daughter；　Jacob。　She　seems　to　have　her

own　ideas　upon　the　subject。〃



〃Miss　Clifford　has　made　up　her　mind；　and　it　will　not　change。　I　shall

ask　her　no　more；〃　replied　Meyer。



Then　he；　too；　left　the　room；　to　give　orders　about　the　journey　to

Wakkerstroom　that　he　must　take　upon　the　morrow。　But　Mr。　Clifford　sat

there　till　past　midnight；　wondering　whether　he　had　done　right；　and　if

they　would　find　the　treasure　of　which　he　had　dreamed　for　years；　and

what　the　future　had　in　store　for　them。



If　only　he　could　have　seen！







When　Benita　came　to　breakfast　the　next　morning；　she　asked　where　Mr。

Meyer　was；　and　learned　that　he　had　already　departed　for　Wakkerstroom。



〃Certainly　he　is　in　earnest；〃　she　said　with　a　la