benita-第7章

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cruel　creature　was　either　gorged　or　timid；　for　when　he　splashed　upon

the　water　and　shouted；　it　went　away；　to　return　no　more。



Now；　at　length；　Robert　entered　upon　the　deep　hill　and　valley　swell

which　preceded　the　field　of　the　rollers。　Suddenly　he　shot　down　a

smooth　slope；　and　without　effort　of　his　own　found　himself　borne　up　an

opposing　steep；　from　the　crest　of　which　he　had　a　view　of　white　lines

of　foam；　and　beyond　them　of　a　dim　and　rocky　shore。　At　one　spot；　a

little　to　his　right；　the　foam　seemed　thinner　and　the　line　of　cliff　to

be　broken；　as　though　here　there　was　a　cleft。　For　this　cleft；　then；　he

steered　his　plank；　taking　the　swell　obliquely；　which　by　good　fortune

the　set　of　the　tide　enabled　him　to　do　without　any　great　exertion。



The　valleys　grew　deeper；　and　the　tops　of　the　opposing　ridges　were

crested　with　foam。　He　had　entered　the　rollers；　and　the　struggle　for

life　began。　Before　him　they　rushed　solemn　and　mighty。　Viewed　from　some

safe　place　even　the　sight　of　these　combers　is　terrible；　as　any　who

have　watched　them　from　this　coast；　or　from　that　of　the　Island　of

Ascension；　can　bear　witness。　What　their　aspect　was　to　this　shipwrecked

man；　supported　by　a　single　plank；　may　therefore　be　imagined；　seen；　as

he　saw　them；　in　the　mysterious　moonlight　and　in　utter　loneliness。　Yet

his　spirit　rose　to　meet　the　dread　emergency；　if　he　were　to　die；　he

would　die　fighting。　He　had　grown　cold　and　tired；　but　now　the　chill　and

weariness　left　him；　he　felt　warm　and　strong。　From　the　crest　of　one　of

the　high　rollers　he　thought　he　saw　that　about　half　a　mile　away　from

him　a　little　river　ran　down　the　centre　of　the　gorge；　and　for　the　mouth

of　this　river　he　laid　his　course。



At　first　all　went　well。　He　was　borne　up　the　seas；　he　slid　down　the

seas　in　a　lather　of　white　foam。　Presently　the　rise　and　fall　grew

steeper；　and　the　foam　began　to　break　over　his　head。　Robert　could　no

longer　guide　himself；　he　must　go　as　he　was　carried。　Then　in　an　instant

he　was　carried　into　a　hell　of　waters　where；　had　it　not　been　for　his

lifebelt　and　the　plank；　he　must　have　been　beaten　down　and　have

perished。　As　it　was；　now　he　was　driven　into　the　depths；　and　now　he

emerged　upon　their　surface　to　hear　their　seething　hiss　around　him；　and

above　it　all　a　continuous　boom　as　of　great　gunsthe　boom　of　the

breaking　seas。



The　plank　was　almost　twisted　from　his　grasp；　but　he　clung　to　it

desperately；　although　its　edges　tore　his　arms。　When　the　rollers　broke

over　him　he　held　his　breath；　and　when　he　was　tossed　skywards　on　their

curves；　drew　it　again　in　quick；　sweet　gasps。　Now　he　sat　upon　the　very

brow　of　one　of　them　as　a　merman　might；　now　he　dived　like　a　dolphin；

and　now；　just　as　his　senses　were　leaving　him；　his　feet　touched　bottom。

Another　moment　and　Robert　was　being　rolled　along　that　bottom　with　a

weight　on　him　like　the　weight　of　mountains。　The　plank　was　rent　from

him；　but　his　cork　jacket　brought　him　up。　The　backwash　drew　him　with　it

into　deeper　water；　where　he　lay　helpless　and　despairing；　for　he　no

longer　had　any　strength　to　struggle　against　his　doom。



Then　it　was　that　there　came　a　mighty　roller；　bigger　than　any　that　he

had　seensuch　a　one　as　on　that　coast　the　Kaffirs　call　〃a　father　of

waves。〃　It　caught　him　in　the　embrace　of　its　vast　green　curve。　It　bore

him　forward　as　though　he　were　but　a　straw；　far　forward　over　the

stretch　of　cruel　rocks。　It　broke　in　thunder；　dashing　him　again　upon

the　stones　and　sand　of　the　little　river　bar；　rolling　him　along　with

its　resistless　might；　till　even　that　might　was　exhausted；　and　its　foam

began　to　return　seawards；　sucking　him　with　it。



Robert's　mind　was　almost　gone；　but　enough　of　it　remained　to　tell　him

that　if　once　more　he　was　dragged　into　the　deep　water　he　must　be　lost。

As　the　current　haled　him　along　he　gripped　at　the　bottom　with　his

hands；　and　by　the　mercy　of　Heaven　they　closed　on　something。　It　may

have　been　a　tree…stump　embedded　there；　or　a　rockhe　never　knew。　At

least；　it　was　firm；　and　to　it　he　hung　despairingly。　Would　that　rush

never　cease？　His　lungs　were　bursting；　he　must　let　go！　Oh！　the　foam　was

thinning；　his　head　was　above　it　now；　now　it　had　departed；　leaving　him

like　a　stranded　fish　upon　the　shingle。　For　half　a　minute　or　more　he

lay　there　gasping；　then　looked　behind　him　to　see　another　comber

approaching　through　the　gloom。　He　struggled　to　his　feet；　fell；　rose

again；　and　ran；　or　rather；　staggered　forward　with　that　tigerish　water

hissing　at　his　heels。　Forward；　still　forward；　till　he　was　beyond　its

reachyes；　on　dry　sand。　Then　his　vital　forces　failed　him；　one　of　his

legs　gave　way；　and；　bleeding　from　a　hundred　hurts；　he　fell　heavily

onto　his　face；　and　there　was　still。



The　boat　in　which　Benita　lay；　being　so　deep　in　the　water；　proved　very

hard　to　row　against　the　tide；　for　the　number　of　its　passengers

encumbered　the　oarsmen。　After　a　while　a　light　off　land　breeze　sprang

up；　as　here　it　often　does　towards　morning；　and　the　officer；　Thompson；

determined　to　risk　hoisting　the　sail。　Accordingly　this　was　donewith

some　difficulty；　for　the　mast　had　to　be　drawn　out　and　shipped

although　the　women　screamed　as　the　weight　of　the　air　bent　their　frail

craft　over　till　the　gunwale　was　almost　level　with　the　water。



〃Anyone　who　moves　shall　be　thrown　overboard！〃　said　the　officer；　who

steered；　after　which　they　were　quiet。



Now　they　made　good　progress　seawards；　but　the　anxieties　of　those　who

knew　were　very　great；　since　the　wind　showed　signs　of　rising；　and　if

any　swell　should　spring　up　that　crowded　cutter　could　scarcely　hope　to

live。　In　fact；　two　hours　later　they　were　forced　to　lower　the　sail

again　and　drift；　waiting　for　the　dawn。　Mr。　Thompson　strove　to　cheer

them；　saying　that　now　they　were　in　the　track　of　vessels；　and　if　they

could　see　none　when　the　light　came；　he　would　run　along　the　shore　in

the　hope　of　finding　a　place　free　of　breakers　where　they　might　land。　If

they　did　not　inspire　hope；　at　least　his　words　calmed　them；　and　they

sat　in　heavy　silence；　watching　the　sky。



At　length　it　grew　grey；　and　then；　with　a　sudden　glory　peculiar　to

South　Africa；　the　great　red　sun　arose　and　began　to　dispel　the　mist

from　the　surface　of　the　sea。　Half　an　hour　more　and　this　was　gone；　and

now　the　bright　rays　brought　life　back　into　their　chilled　frames　as

they　stared　at　each　other　to　see　which　of　their　company　were　still

left　alive。　They　even　asked　for　food；　and　biscuit　was　given　to　them

with　water。



All　this　while　Benita　remained　unconscious。　Indeed；　one　callous

fellow；　who　had　been　using　her　body　as　a　footstool；　said　that　she　must

be　dead；　and　had　better　be　thrown　overboard；　as　it　would　lighten　the

boat。



〃If　you　throw　that　lady　into　the　sea；　living　or　dead；〃　said　Mr。

Thompson；　with　an　ominous　lift　of　his　eye；　〃you　go　with　her；　Mr。

Batten。　Remember　who　brought　her　here　and　how　he　died。〃



Then　Mr。　Batten　held　his　peace；　while　Thompson　stood　up　and　scanned

the　wide　expanse　of　sea。　Presently　he　whispered　to　a　sailor　near　him；

who　also　stood　up；　looked；　and　nodded。



〃That　will　be　the　other　Line's　intermediate　boat；〃　he　said；　and　the

passengers；　craning　their　heads　round；　saw　far　away　to　the　right　a

streak　of　smoke　upon　the　horizon。　Orders　were　given；　a　little　corner

of　sail　was　hoisted；　with　a　white　cloth　of　some　sort　tied　above　it；

and　the　oars　were　got　out。　Once　more　the　cutter　moved　forward；　bearing

to　the　left　in　the　hope　of　intercepting　the　steamer。



She　came　on　with　terrible　swiftness；　and　they　who　had　miles　of　water

to　cover；　dared　hoist　no　more　sail　in　that　breeze。　In　half　an　hour　she

was　nearly　opposite　to　them；　and　they　were　still　far　away。　A　little

more　sail　was　let　out；　driving　them　through　the　water　at　as　quick　a

rate　as　they　could　venture　to　go。　The　steamer　was　passing　three　miles

or　so　away；　and　black　despair　took　hold　of　them。　Now　the　resourceful

Thompson；　without　apologies；　undressed；　and　removing　the　white　shirt

that　he　had　worn　at　the　dance；　bade　a　sailor　to　tie　it　to　an　oar　and

wave　it　to　and　fro。



St