benita-第49章

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footprints　of　the　dead　that　she　was　following　disappeared　immediately

in　front　of　her；　and　she　stopped。



It　was　but　just　in　time。　One　step　more　and　she　would　have　fallen　down

the　mouth　of　a　deep　pit。　Once　it　had　been　covered　with　a　stone；　but

this　stone　was　removed；　and　had　never　been　replaced。　Look！　there　it

stood　against　the　wall　of　the　chamber。　Well　was　this　for　Benita；　since

her　frail　strength　would　not　have　sufficed　to　stir　that　massive　block；

even　if　she　had　discovered　its　existence　beneath　the　dust。



Now　she　saw　that　down　the　pit　ran　another　ladderlike　stair　of　stone；

very　narrow　and　precipitous。　Without　hesitation　she　began　its　descent。

Down　she　went　and　downone　hundred　steps；　two　hundred　steps；　two

hundred　and　seventy…five　steps；　and　all　the　way　wherever　the　dust　had

gathered　the　man's　and　the　woman's　footprints　ran　before　her。　There

was　a　double　line　of　them；　one　line　going　down　and　the　other　line

returning。　Those　that　returned　were　the　last；　for　often　they　appeared

over　those　that　descended。　Why　had　these　dead　people　returned；　Benita

wondered。



The　stair　had　ended；　now　she　was　in　a　kind　of　natural　cave；　for　its

sides　and　roof　were　rugged；　moreover；　water　trickled　and　dripped　from

them。　It　was　not　very　large；　and　it　smelt　horribly　of　mud　and　other

things。　Again　she　searched　by　the　feeble　light　of　her　candle；　but

could　see　no　exit。　Suddenly　she　saw　something　else；　however；　for

stepping　on　what　she　took　to　be　a　rock；　to　her　horror　it　moved　beneath

her。　She　heard　a　snap　as　of　jaws；　a　violent　blow　upon　the　leg　nearly

knocked　her　off　her　feet；　and　as　she　staggered　backwards　she　saw　a

huge　and　loathsome　shape　rushing　away　into　the　darkness。　The　rock　that

she　had　trodden　on　was　a　crocodile　which　had　its　den　here！　With　a

little　scream　she　retreated　to　her　stair。　Death　she　had　expectedbut

to　be　eaten　by　crocodiles！



Yet　as　Benita　stood　there　panting　a　blessed　hope　rose　in　her　breast。

If　a　crocodile　came　in　there　it　must　also　get　out；　and　where　such　a

great　creature　could　go；　a　woman　would　be　able　to　follow。　Also；　she

must　be　near　the　water；　since　otherwise　it　could　never　have　chosen

this　hole　for　its　habitation。　She　collected　her　courage；　and　having

clapped　her　hands　and　waved　the　lantern　about　to　scare　any　alligators

that　might　still　be　lurking　there；　hearing　and　seeing　nothing　more；

she　descended　to　where　she　had　trodden　upon　the　reptile。　Evidently

this　was　its　bed；　for　its　long　body　had　left　an　impress　upon　the　mud；

and　all　about　lay　the　remains　of　creatures　that　it　had　brought　in　for

food。　Moreover；　a　path　ran　outwards；　its　well…worn　trail　distinct　even

in　that　light。



She　followed　this　path；　which　ended　apparently　in　a　blank　wall。　Then

it　was　that　Benita　guessed　why　those　dead　folks'　footprints　had

returned；　for　here　had　been　a　doorway　which　in　some　past　age　those　who

used　it　built　up　with　blocks　of　stone　and　cement。　How；　then；　did　the

crocodile　get　out？　Stooping　down　she　searched；　and　perceived；　a　few

yards　to　the　right　of　the　door；　a　hole　that　looked　as　though　it　were

water…worn。　Now　Benita　thought　that　she　understood。　The　rock　was

softer　here；　and　centuries　of　flood　had　eaten　it　away；　leaving　a　crack

in　the　stratum　which　the　crocodiles　had　found　out　and　enlarged。　Down

she　went　on　her　hands　and　knees；　and　thrusting　the　lantern　in　front　of

her；　crept　along　that　noisome　drain；　for　this　was　what　it　resembled。

And　nowoh！　now　she　felt　air　blowing　in　her　face；　and　heard　the　sound

of　reeds　whispering；　and　water　running；　and　saw　hanging　like　a　lamp　in

the　blue　sky；　a　starthe　morning　star！　Benita　could　have　wept；　she

could　have　worshipped　it；　yet　she　pushed　on　between　rocks　till　she

found　herself　among　tall　reeds；　and　standing　in　water。　She　had　gained

the　banks　of　the　Zambesi。



Instantly；　by　instinct　as　it　were；　Benita　extinguished　her　candle；

fearing　lest　it　should　betray　her；　for　constant　danger　had　made　her

very　cunning。　The　dawn　had　not　yet　broken；　but　the　waning　moon　and　the

stars　gave　a　good　light。　She　paused　to　look。　There　above　her　towered

the　outermost　wall　of　Bambatse；　against　which　the　river　washed；　except

at　such　times　as　the　present；　when　it　was　very　low。



So　she　was　not　in　the　fortress　as　she　had　hoped；　but　without　it；　and

oh！　what　should　she　do？　Go　back　again？　How　would　that　serve　her　father

or　herself？　Go　on？　Then　she　might　fall　into　the　hands　of　the　Matabele

whose　camp　was　a　little　lower　down；　as　from　her　perch　upon　the　top　of

the　cone　she　had　seen　that　poor　white　man　do。　Ah！　the　white　man！　If

only　he　lived　and　she　could　reach　him！　Perhaps　they　had　not　killed　him

after　all。　It　was　madness；　yet　she　would　try　to　discover；　something

impelled　her　to　take　the　risk。　If　she　failed　and　escaped；　perhaps　then

she　might　call　to　the　Makalanga；　and　they　would　let　down　a　rope　and

draw　her　up　the　wall　before　the　Matabele　caught　her。　She　would　not　go

back　empty…handed；　to　die　in　that　dreadful　place　with　her　poor　father。

Better　perish　here　in　the　sweet　air　and　beneath　the　stars；　even　if　it

were　upon　a　Matabele　spear；　or　by　a　bullet　from　her　own　pistol。



She　looked　about　her　to　take　her　bearings　in　case　it　should　ever　be

necessary　for　her　to　return　to　the　entrance　of　the　cave。　This　proved

easy；　for　a　hundred　or　so　feet　above　herwhere　the　sheer　face　of　the

cliff　jutted　out　a　little；　at　that　very　spot　indeed　on　which　tradition

said　that　the　body　of　the　Se？ora　da　Ferreira　had　struck　in　its　fall；

and　the　necklace　Benita　wore　to…day　was　torn　from　hera　stunted

mimosa　grew　in　some　cleft　of　the　rock。　To　mark　the　crocodile　run

itself　she　bent　down　a　bunch　of　reeds；　and　having　first　lit　a　few

Tandstickor　brimstone　matches　and　thrown　them　about　inside　of　it；　that

the　smell　of　them　might　scare　the　beast　should　it　wish　to　return；　she

set　her　lantern　behind　a　stone　near　to　the　mouth　of　the　hole。



Then　Benita　began　her　journey　which；　when　the　river　was　high；　it　would

not　have　been　possible　for　her　to　make　except　by　swimming。　As　it　was；

a　margin　of　marsh　was　left　between　her　and　the　steep；　rocky　side　of

the　mount　from　which　the　great　wall　rose；　and　through　this　she　made

her　way。　Never　was　she　likely　to　forget　that　walk。　The　tall　reeds

dripped　their　dew　upon　her　until　she　was　soaked；　long；　black…tailed

finchessaccaboolas　the　natives　call　themflew　up　undisturbed；　and

lobbed　away　across　the　river；　owls　flitted　past　and　bitterns　boomed　at

the　coming　of　the　dawn。　Great　fish　splashed　also　in　the　shallows；　or

were　they　crocodiles？　Benita　hoped　notfor　one　day　she　had　seen

enough　of　crocodiles。



It　was　all　very　strange。　Could　she　be　the　same　woman；　she　wondered；

who　not　a　year　before　had　been　walking　with　her　cousins　down

Westbourne　Grove；　and　studying　Whiteley's　windows？　What　would　these

cousins　say　now　if　they　could　see　her；　white…faced；　large…eyed；

desperate；　splashing　through　the　mud　upon　the　unknown　banks　of　the

Zambesi；　flying　from　death　to　death！



On　she　struggled；　above　her　the　pearly　sky　in　which　the　stars　were

fading；　around　her　the　wet　reeds；　and　pervading　all　the　heavy　low…

lying　mists　of　dawn。　She　was　past　the　round　of　the　walls；　and　at

length　stood　upon　dry　ground　where　the　Matabele　had　made　their　camp。

But　in　that　fog　she　saw　no　Matabele；　probably　their　fires　were　out；

and　she　chanced　to　pass　between　the　sentries。　Instinctively；　more　than

by　reason；　she　headed　for　that　hillock　upon　which　she　had　seen　the

white　man's　waggon；　in　the　vague　hope　that　it　might　still　be　there。　On

she　struggled；　still　on；　till　at　length　she　blundered　against

something　soft　and　warm；　and　perceived　that　it　was　an　ox　tied　to　a

trek…tow；　beyond　which　were　other　oxen　and　a　white　waggon…cap。



So　it　/was/　still　there！　But　the　white　man；　where　was　he？　Through　the

dense　mist　Benita　crept　to　the　disselboom。　Then；　seeing　and　hearing

nothing；　she　climbed　to　the　voorkissie　and　kneeling　on　it；　separated

the　tent　flaps　and　peered　into　the　waggon。　Still　she　could　see　nothing

because　of　the　mist；