benita-第51章

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

spear　in　the　innocent　blood；　and　bringing　on　your　head　the　curse　of

the　innocent　blood。　Answer　me　now。　Who　gave　you　and　your　brother

yonder　your　lives　within　that　wall　when　the　Makalanga　would　have　torn

you　limb　from　limb；　as　hyenas　tear　a　buck？　Was　it　I　or　another？〃



〃Inkosi…kaasChieftainess；〃　replied　the　great　Captain；　raising　his

broad　spear　in　salute。　〃It　was　you　and　no　other。〃



〃And　what　did　you　promise　me　then；　Prince　Maduna？〃



〃Maiden　of　high　birth；　I　promised　you　your　life　and　your　goods；　should

you　ever　fall　into　my　power。〃



〃Does　a　leader　of　the　Amandabele；　one　of　the　royal　blood；　lie　like　a

Mashona　or　a　Makalanga　slave？　Does　he　do　worsetell　half　the　truth

only；　like　a　cheat　who　buys　and　keeps　back　half　the　price？〃　she　asked

contemptuously。　〃Maduna；　you　promised　me　not　one　life；　but　two；　two

lives　and　the　goods　that　belong　to　both。　Ask　of　your　brother　there；

who　was　witness　of　the　words。〃



〃Great　Heavens！〃　muttered　Robert　Seymour　to　himself；　as　he　looked　at

Benita　standing　with　outstretched　hand　and　flashing　eyes。　〃Who　would

have　thought　that　a　starved　woman　could　play　such　a　part　with　death　on

the　hazard？〃



〃It　is　as　this　daughter　of　white　chiefs　says；〃　answered　the　man　to

whom　she　had　appealed。　〃When　she　freed　us　from　the　fangs　of　those

dogs；　you　promised　her　two　lives；　my　brother；　one　for　yours　and　one

for　mine。〃



〃Hear　him；〃　went　on　Benita。　〃He　promised　me　two　lives；　and　how　did

this　prince　of　the　royal　blood　keep　his　promise？　When　I　and　the　old

man；　my　father；　rode　hence　in　peace；　he　loosed　his　spears　upon　us；　he

hunted　us。　Yet　it　was　the　hunters　who　fell　into　the　trap；　not　the

hunted。〃



〃Maiden；〃　replied　Maduna；　in　a　shamed　voice；　〃that　was　your　fault；　not

mine。　If　you　had　appealed　to　me　I　would　have　let　you　go。　But　you

killed　my　sentry；　and　then　the　chase　began；　and　ere　I　knew　who　you

were　my　runners　were　out　of　call。〃



〃Little　time　had　I　to　ask　your　mercy；　but　so　be　it；〃　said　Benita。　〃I

accept　your　word；　and　I　forgive　you　that　offence。　Now　fulfil　your

oath。　Begone　and　leave　us　in　peace。〃



Still　Maduna　hesitated。



〃I　must　make　report　to　the　king；〃　he　said。　〃What　is　this　white　man　to

you　that　I　should　spare　him？　I　give　you　your　life　and　your　father's

life；　not　that　of　this　white　man　who　has　tricked　us。　If　he　were　your

father；　or　your　brother；　it　would　be　otherwise。　But　he　is　a　stranger；

and　belongs　to　me；　not　to　you。〃



〃Maduna；〃　she　asked；　〃do　women　such　as　I　am　share　the　waggon　of　a

stranger？　This　man　is　more　to　me　than　father　or　brother。　He　is　my

husband；　and　I　claim　his　life。〃



〃/Ow！/〃　said　the　spokesman　of　the　audience；　〃we　understand　now。　She　is

his　wife；　and　has　a　right　to　him。　If　she　were　not　his　wife　she　would

not　be　in　his　waggon。　It　is　plain　that　she　speaks　the　truth；　though

how　she　came　here　we　do　not　know；　unless；　as　we　think；　she　is　a

witch；〃　and　he　smiled　at　his　own　cleverness。



〃Inkosi…kaas；〃　said　Maduna；　〃you　have　persuaded　me。　I　give　you　the

life　of　that　white　fox；　your　husband；　and　I　hope　that　he　will　not

trick　you　as　he　has　tricked　us；　and　set　you　to　hoe　rock　instead　of

soil；〃　and　he　looked　at　Robert　wrathfully。　〃I　give　him　to　you　and　all

his　belongings。　Now；　is　there　anything　else　that　you　would　ask？〃



〃Yes；〃　replied　Benita　coolly；　〃you　have　many　oxen　there　which　you　took

from　the　other　Makalanga。　Mine　are　eaten　and　I　need　cattle　to　draw　my

waggon。　I　ask　a　present　of　twenty　of　them；　and；〃　she　added　by　an

afterthought；　〃two　cows　with　young　calves；　for　my　father　is　sick

yonder；　and　must　have　milk。〃



〃Oh！　give　them　to　her。　Give　them　to　her；〃　said　Maduna；　with　a　tragic

gesture　that　in　any　other　circumstances　would　have　made　Benita　laugh。

〃Give　them　to　her　and　see　that　they　are　good　ones；　before　she　asks　our

shields　and　spears　alsofor　after　all　she　saved　my　life。〃



So　men　departed　to　fetch　those　cows　and　oxen；　which　presently　were

driven　in。



While　this　talk　was　in　progress　the　great　impi　of　the　Matabele　was

massing　for　the　march；　on　the　flat　ground　a　little　to　the　right　of

them。　Now　they　began　to　come　past　in　companies；　preceded　by　the　lads

who　carried　the　mats　and　cooking…pots　and　drove　the　captured　sheep　and

cattle。　By　this　time　the　story　of　Benita；　the　witch…woman　whom　they

could　not　kill；　and　who　had　mysteriously　flown　from　the　top　of　the

peak　into　their　prisoner's　waggon；　had　spread　among　them。　They　knew

also　that　it　was　she　who　had　saved　their　general　from　the　Makalanga；

and　those　who　had　heard　her　admired　the　wit　and　courage　with　which　she

had　pleaded　and　won　her　cause。　Therefore；　as　they　marched　past　in

their　companies；　singing　a　song　of　abuse　and　defiance　of　the　Makalanga

who　peered　at　them　from　the　top　of　the　wall；　they　lifted　their　great

spears　in　salutation　to　Benita　standing　upon　the　waggon…box。



Indeed；　they　were　a　wondrous　and　imposing　spectacle；　such　a　one　as　few

white　women　have　ever　seen。



At　length　all　were　gone　except　Maduna　and　a　body…guard　of　two　hundred

men。　He　walked　to　the　front　of　the　waggon　and　addressed　Robert

Seymour。



〃Listen；　you　fox　who　set　us　to　hoe　granite；〃　he　said　indignantly。　〃You

have　outwitted　us　this　time；　but　if　ever　I　meet　you　again；　then　you

die。　Now　I　have　given　you　your　life；　but；〃　he　added；　almost

pleadingly；　〃if　you　are　really　brave　as　white　men　are　said　to　be；　will

you　not　come　down　and　fight　me　man　to　man　for　honour's　sake？〃



〃I　think　not；〃　answered　Robert；　when　he　understood　this　challenge；

〃for　what　chance　should　I　have　against　so　brave　a　warrior？　Also　this

ladymy　wifeneeds　my　help　on　her　journey　home。〃



Maduna　turned　from　him　contemptuously　to　Benita。



〃I　go；〃　he　said；　〃and　fear　not；　you　will　meet　no　Matabele　on　that

journey。　Have　you　more　words　for　me；　O　Beautiful　One；　with　a　tongue　of

oil　and　a　wit　that　cuts　like　steel？〃



〃Yes；〃　answered　Benita。　〃You　have　dealt　well　with　me；　and　in　reward　I

give　you　of　my　good　luck。　Bear　this　message　to　your　king　from　the

White　Witch　of　Bambatse；　for　I　am　she　and　no　other。　That　he　leave

these　Makalanga；　my　servants；　to　dwell　unharmed　in　their　ancient　home；

and　that　he　lift　no　spear　against　the　White　Men；　lest　that　evil　which

the　Molimo　foretold　to　you；　should　fall　upon　him。〃



〃Ah！〃　said　Maduna；　〃now　I　understand　how　you　flew　from　the　mountain

top　into　this　man's　waggon。　You　are　not　a　white　woman；　you　are　the

ancient　Witch　of　Bambatse　herself。　You　have　said　it；　and　with　such　it

is　not　well　to　war。　Great　lady　of　Magic；　Spirit　from　of　old；　I　salute

you；　and　I　thank　you　for　your　gifts　of　life　and　fortune。　Farewell。〃



Then　he；　too；　stalked　away　at　the　head　of　his　guard；　so　that

presently；　save　for　the　three　Zulu　servants　and　the　herd　of　cattle；

Robert　and　Benita　were　left　utterly　alone。



Now；　her　part　played　and　the　victory　won；　Benita　burst　into　tears　and

fell　upon　her　lover's　breast。



Presently　she　remembered；　and　freed　herself　from　his　arms。



〃I　am　a　selfish　wretch；〃　she　said。　〃How　dare　I　be　so　happy　when　my

father　is　dead　or　dying？　We　must　go　at　once。〃



〃Go　where？〃　asked　the　bewildered　Robert。



〃To　the　top　of　the　mountain；　of　course；　whence　I　came。　Oh！　please

don't　stop　to　question　me；　I'll　tell　you　as　we　walk。　Stay；〃　and　she

called　to　the　Zulu　driver；　who　with　an　air　of　utter　amazement　was

engaged　in　milking　one　of　the　gift　cows；　to　fill　two　bottles　with　the

milk。



〃Had　we　not　better　shout　to　the　Makalanga　to　let　us　in？〃　suggested

Robert；　while　this　was　being　done；　and　Benita　wrapped　some　cooked　meat

in　a　cloth。



〃No；　no。　They　will　think　I　am　what　I　said　I　wasthe　Witch　of

Bambatse；　whose　appearance　heralds　misfortune；　and　fear　a　trap。

Besides；　we　could　not　climb　the　top　wall。　You　must　follow　my　road；　and

if　you　can　trust　them；　bring　two　of　those　men　with　you　with　lanterns。

The　lad　can　stop　to　herd　the　cattle。〃



Three　minutes　later；　followed　by　the　two　Zulus；　they