benita-第50章

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

because　of　the　mist；　yet　she　heard　something；　a　man　breathing　in　his

sleep。　Somehow　she　thought　that　it　was　a　white　man；　a　Kaffir　did　not

breathe　like　that。　She　did　not　know　what　to　do；　so　remained　kneeling

there。　It　seemed　as　though　the　man　who　was　asleep　began　to　feel　her

presence；　for　he　muttered　to　himselfsurely　the　words　were　English！

Then　quite　suddenly　he　struck　a　match　and　lit　a　candle　which　stood　in

a　beer　bottle　by　his　side。　She　could　not　see　his　face　while　he　lit　the

match；　for　his　arm　hid　it；　and　the　candle　burned　up　slowly。　Then　the

first　thing　she　saw　was　the　barrel　of　a　revolver　pointing　straight　at

her。



〃Now；　my　black　friend；〃　said　a　pleasant　voice；　〃down　you　go　or　I

shoot。　One；　two！　Oh；　my　God！〃



The　candle　burned　up；　its　light　fell　upon　the　white；　elfish　face　of

Benita；　whose　long　dark　hair　streamed　about　her；　it　shone　in　her　great

eyes。　Still　she　could　see　nothing；　for　it　dazzled　her。



〃Oh；　my　God！〃　said　the　voice　again。　〃Benita！　Benita！　Have　you　come　to

tell　me　that　I　must　join　you？　Well；　I　am　ready；　my　sweet；　my　sweet！

Now　I　shall　hear　your　answer。〃



〃Yes；〃　she　whispered；　and　crawling　forward　down　the　cartel　Benita　fell

upon　his　breast。



For　she　knew　him　at　lastdead　or　living　she　cared　notshe　knew　him；

and　out　of　hell　crept　to　him；　her　heaven　and　her　home！







XXIII



BENITA　GIVES　HER　ANSWER



〃Your　answer；　Benita；〃　Robert　said　dreamily；　for　to　him　this　thing

seemed　a　dream。



〃Have　I　not　given　it；　months　ago？　Oh；　I　remember；　it　was　only　in　my

heart；　not　on　my　lips；　when　that　blow　fell　on　me！　Then　afterwards　I

heard　what　you　had　done　and　I　nearly　died。　I　wished　that　I　might　die

to　be　with　you；　but　I　could　not。　I　was　too　strong；　now　I　understand

the　reason。　Well；　it　seems　that　we　are　both　living；　and　whatever

happens；　here　is　my　answer；　if　it　is　worth　anything　to　you。　Once　and

for　all；　I　love　you。　I　am　not　ashamed　to　say　it；　because　very　soon　we

may　be　separated　for　the　last　time。　But　I　cannot　talk　now；　I　have　come

here　to　save　my　father。〃



〃Where　is　he；　Benita？〃



〃Dying　in　a　cave　up　at　the　top　of　that　fortress。　I　got　down　by　a

secret　way。　Are　the　Matabele　still　here？〃



〃Very　much　so；〃　he　answered。　〃But　something　has　happened。　My　guard

woke　me　an　hour　ago　to　say　that　a　messenger　had　arrived　from　their

king；　Lobengula；　and　now　they　are　talking　over　the　message。　That　is

how　you　came　to　get　through；　otherwise　the　sentries　would　have

assegaied　you；　the　brutes；〃　and　he　drew　her　to　him　and　kissed　her

passionately　for　the　first　time；　then；　as　though　ashamed　of　himself；

let　her　go。



〃Have　you　anything　to　eat？〃　she　asked。　〃IIam　starving。　I　didn't

feel　it　before；　but　now〃



〃Starving；　you　starving；　while　Ilook；　here　is　some　cold　meat　which　I

could　not　get　down　last　night；　and　put　by　for　the　Kaffirs。　Great

Heavens！　that　I　should　feed　you　with　Kaffirs'　leavings！　But　it　is　good

eat　it。〃



Benita　took　the　stuff　in　her　fingers　and　swallowed　it　greedily；　she

who　for　days　had　lived　on　nothing　but　a　little　biscuit　and　biltong。　It

tasted　delicious　to　hernever　had　she　eaten　anything　so　good。　And　all

the　while　he　watched　her　with　glowing　eyes。



〃How　can　you　look　at　me？〃　she　said　at　length。　〃I　must　be　horrible；　I

have　been　living　in　the　dark　and　crawling　through　mud。　I　trod　upon　a

crocodile！〃　and　she　shuddered。



〃Whatever　you　are　I　never　want　to　see　you　different；〃　he　answered

slowly。　〃To　me　you　are　most　beautiful。〃



Even　then；　wreck　as　she　was；　the　poor　girl　flushed；　and　there　was　a

mist　in　her　eyes　as　she　looked　up　and　said：



〃Thank　you。　I　don't　care　now　what　happens　to　me；　and　what　has　happened

doesn't　matter　at　all。　But　can　we　get　away？〃



〃I　don't　know；〃　he　answered；　〃but　I　doubt　it。　Go　and　sit　on　the

waggon…box　for　a　few　minutes　while　I　dress；　and　we　will　see。〃



Benita　went。　The　mist　was　thinning　now；　and　through　it　she　saw　a　sight

at　which　her　heart　sank；　for　between　her　and　the　mount　Bambatse

Matabele　were　pouring　towards　their　camp　on　the　river's　edge。　They

were　cut　off。　A　couple　of　minutes　later　Robert　joined　her；　and　as　he

came　she　looked　at　him　anxiously　in　the　growing　light。　He　seemed　older

than　when　they　had　parted　on　the　/Zanzibar/；　changed；　too；　for　now　his

face　was　serious；　and　he　had　grown　a　beard；　also；　he　appeared　to　limp。



〃I　am　afraid　there　is　an　end；〃　she　said；　pointing　to　the　Matabele

below。



〃Yes；　it　looks　like　it。　But　like　you；　I　say；　what　does　it　matter　now？〃

and　he　took　her　hand　in　his；　adding：　〃let　us　be　happy　while　we　can　if

only　for　a　few　minutes。　They　will　be　here　presently。〃



〃What　are　you？〃　she　asked。　〃A　prisoner？〃



〃That's　it。　I　was　following　you　when　they　captured　me；　for　I　have　been

here　before　and　knew　the　way。　They　were　going　to　kill　me　on　general

principles；　only　it　occurred　to　one　of　them　who　was　more　intelligent

than　the　rest　that　I；　being　a　white　man；　might　be　able　to　show　them

how　to　storm　the　place。　Now　I　was　sure　that　you　were　there；　for　I　saw

you　standing　on　that　point；　though　they　thought　you　were　the　Spirit　of

Bambatse。　So　I　wasn't　anxious　to　help　them；　for　thenyou　know　what

happens　when　the　Matabele　are　the　stormers！　Butas　you　still　livedI

wasn't　anxious　to　die　either。　So　I　set　them　to　work　to　dig　a　hole　with

their　assegais　and　sharp　axes；　through　granite。　They　have　completed

exactly　twenty　feet　of　it；　and　I　reckon　that　there　are　one　hundred　and

forty　to　go。　Last　night　they　got　tired　of　that　tunnel　and　talked　of

killing　me　again；　unless　I　could　show　them　a　better　plan。　Now　all　the

fat　is　in　the　fire；　and　I　don't　know　what　is　to　happen。　Hullo！　here

they　come。　Hide　in　the　waggon；　quick！〃



Benita　obeyed；　and　from　under　cover　of　the　tent　where　the　Matabele

could　not　see　her；　watched　and　listened。　The　party　that　approached

consisted　of　a　chief　and　about　twenty　men；　who　marched　behind　him　as　a

guard。　Benita　knew　that　chief。　He　was　the　captain　Maduna；　he　of　the

royal　blood　whose　life　she　had　saved。　By　his　side　was　a　Natal　Zulu；

Robert　Seymour's　driver；　who　could　speak　English　and　acted　as

interpreter。



〃White　man；〃　said　Maduna；　〃a　message　has　reached　us　from　our　king。

Lobengula　makes　a　great　war　and　has　need　of　us。　He　summons　us　back

from　this　petty　fray；　this　fight　against　cowards　who　hide　behind

walls；　whom　otherwise　we　would　have　killed；　everyone；　yes；　if　we　sat

here　till　we　grew　old。　So　for　this　time　we　leave　them　alone。〃



Robert　answered　politely　that　he　was　glad　to　hear　it；　and　wished　them

a　good　journey。



〃Wish　yourself　a　good　journey；　white　man；〃　was　the　stern　reply。



〃Why？　Do　you　desire　that　I　should　accompany　you　to　Lobengula？〃



〃No；　you　go　before　us　to　the　kraal　of　the　Black　One　who　is　even

greater　than　the　child　of　Moselikatse；　to　that　king　who　is　called

Death。〃



Robert　crossed　his　arms　and　said：　〃Say　on。〃



〃White　man；　I　promised　you　life　if　you　would　show　us　how　to　pierce　or

climb　those　walls。　But　you　have　made　fools　of　usyou　have　set　us　to

cut　through　rock　with　spears　and　axes。　Yes；　to　hoe　at　rock　as　though

it　were　soilyou　who　with　the　wisdom　of　your　people　could　have　taught

us　some　better　way。　Therefore　we　must　go　back　to　our　king　disgraced；

having　failed　in　his　service；　and　therefore　you　who　have　mocked　us

shall　die。　Come　down　now；　that　we　may　kill　you　quietly；　and　learn

whether　or　no　you　are　a　brave　man。〃



Then　it　was；　while　her　lover's　hand　was　moving　towards　the　pistol

hidden　beneath　his　coat；　that　Benita；　with　a　quick　movement；　emerged

from　the　waggon　in　which　she　crouched；　and　stood　up　at　his　side　upon

the　driving　box。



〃/Ow！/〃　said　the　Captain。　〃It　is　the　White　Maiden。　Now　how　came　she

here？　Surely　this　is　great　magic。　Can　a　woman　fly　like　a　bird？〃　and

they　stared　at　her　amazed。



〃What　does　it　matter　how　I　came；　chief　Maduna？〃　she　answered　in　Zulu。

〃Yet　I　will　tell　you　why　I　came。　It　was　to　save　you　from　dippi