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diff --git a/old/bnita10.txt b/old/bnita10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..53c8541 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/bnita10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,8674 @@ +***The Project Gutenberg Etext of Benita, by H. Rider Haggard*** +#18 in our series by H. Rider Haggard + + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world, be sure to check +the copyright laws for your country before posting these files!! + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. 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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END* + + + + + +Etext prepared by John Bickers, jbickers@ihug.co.nz +Dagny, dagnyj@hotmail.com +and Emma Dudding, emma_302@hotmail.com + + + + + +Etext prepared by John Bickers, jbickers@ihug.co.nz +Emma Dudding, emma_302@hotmail.com +and Dagny, dagnyj@hotmail.com + + + + + +BENITA +AN AFRICAN ROMANCE + +by H. RIDER HAGGARD + + + + +NOTES + + It may interest readers of this story to know that its author + believes it to have a certain foundation in fact. + + It was said about five-and-twenty or thirty years ago that an + adventurous trader, hearing from some natives in the territory + that lies at the back of Quilimane, the legend of a great treasure + buried in or about the sixteenth century by a party of Portuguese + who were afterwards massacred, as a last resource attempted its + discovery by the help of a mesmerist. According to this history + the child who was used as a subject in the experiment, when in a + state of trance, detailed the adventures and death of the unhappy + Portuguese men and women, two of whom leapt from the point of a + high rock into the Zambesi. Although he knew no tongue but + English, this clairvoyant child is declared to have repeated in + Portuguese the prayers these unfortunates offered up, and even to + have sung the very hymns they sang. Moreover, with much other + detail, he described the burial of the great treasure and its + exact situation so accurately that the white man and the mesmerist + were able to dig for and find the place where /it had been/--for + the bags were gone, swept out by the floods of the river. + + Some gold coins remained, however, one of them a ducat of Aloysius + Mocenigo, Doge of Venice. Afterwards the boy was again thrown into + a trance (in all he was mesmerized eight times), and revealed + where the sacks still lay; but before the white trader could renew + his search for them, the party was hunted out of the country by + natives whose superstitious fears were aroused, barely escaping + with their lives. + + It should be added that, as in the following tale, the chief who + was ruling there when the tragedy happened, declared the place to + be sacred, and that if it were entered evil would befall his + tribe. Thus it came about that for generations it was never + violated, until at length his descendants were driven farther from + the river by war, and from one of them the white man heard the + legend. + + + + +BENITA + +AN AFRICAN ROMANCE + + + +I + +CONFIDENCES + +Beautiful, beautiful was that night! No air that stirred; the black +smoke from the funnels of the mail steamer /Zanzibar/ lay low over the +surface of the sea like vast, floating ostrich plumes that vanished +one by one in the starlight. Benita Beatrix Clifford, for that was her +full name, who had been christened Benita after her mother and Beatrix +after her father's only sister, leaning idly over the bulwark rail, +thought to herself that a child might have sailed that sea in a boat +of bark and come safely into port. + +Then a tall man of about thirty years of age, who was smoking a cigar, +strolled up to her. At his coming she moved a little as though to make +room for him beside her, and there was something in the motion which, +had anyone been there to observe it, might have suggested that these +two were upon terms of friendship, or still greater intimacy. For a +moment he hesitated, and while he did so an expression of doubt, of +distress even, gathered on his face. It was as though he understood +that a great deal depended on whether he accepted or declined that +gentle invitation, and knew not which to do. + +Indeed, much did depend upon it, no less than the destinies of both of +them. If Robert Seymour had gone by to finish his cigar in solitude, +why then this story would have had a very different ending; or, +rather, who can say how it might have ended? The dread, foredoomed +event with which that night was big would have come to its awful birth +leaving certain words unspoken. Violent separation must have ensued, +and even if both of them had survived the terror, what prospect was +there that their lives would again have crossed each other in that +wide Africa? + +But it was not so fated, for just as he put his foot forward to +continue his march Benita spoke in her low and pleasant voice. + +"Are you going to the smoking-room or to the saloon to dance, Mr. +Seymour? One of the officers just told me that there is to be a +dance," she added, in explanation, "because it is so calm that we +might fancy ourselves ashore." + +"Neither," he answered. "The smoking-room is stuffy, and my dancing +days are over. No; I proposed to take exercise after that big dinner, +and then to sit in a chair and fall asleep. But," he added, and his +voice grew interested, "how did you know that it was I? You never +turned your head." + +"I have ears in my head as well as eyes," she answered with a little +laugh, "and after we have been nearly a month together on this ship I +ought to know your step." + +"I never remember that anyone ever recognized it before," he said, +more to himself than to her, then came and leaned over the rail at her +side. His doubts were gone. Fate had spoken. + +For a while there was silence between them, then he asked her if she +were not going to the dance. + +Benita shook her head. + +"Why not? You are fond of dancing, and you dance very well. Also there +are plenty of officers for partners, especially Captain----" and he +checked himself. + +"I know," she said; "it would be pleasant, but--Mr. Seymour, will you +think me foolish if I tell you something?" + +"I have never thought you foolish yet, Miss Clifford, so I don't know +why I should begin now. What is it?" + +"I am not going to the dance because I am afraid, yes, horribly +afraid." + +"Afraid! Afraid of what?" + +"I don't quite know, but, Mr. Seymour, I feel as though we were all of +us upon the edge of some dreadful catastrophe--as though there were +about to be a mighty change, and beyond it another life, something new +and unfamiliar. It came over me at dinner--that was why I left the +table. Quite suddenly I looked, and all the people were different, +yes, all except a few." + +"Was I different?" he asked curiously. + +"No, you were not," and he thought he heard her add "Thank God!" +beneath her breath. + +"And were you different?" + +"I don't know. I never looked at myself; I was the seer, not the seen. +I have always been like that." + +"Indigestion," he said reflectively. "We eat too much on board ship, +and the dinner was very long and heavy. I told you so, that's why I'm +taking--I mean why I wanted to take exercise." + +"And to go to sleep afterwards." + +"Yes, first the exercise, then the sleep. Miss Clifford, that is the +rule of life--and death. With sleep thought ends, therefore for some +of us your catastrophe is much to be desired, for it would mean long +sleep and no thought." + +"I said that they were changed, not that they had ceased to think. +Perhaps they thought the more." + +"Then let us pray that your catastrophe may be averted. I prescribe +for you bismuth and carbonate of soda. Also in this weather it seems +difficult to imagine such a thing. Look now, Miss Clifford," he added, +with a note of enthusiasm in his voice, pointing towards the east, +"look." + +Her eyes followed his outstretched hand, and there, above the level +ocean, rose the great orb of the African moon. Lo! of a sudden all +that ocean turned to silver, a wide path of rippling silver stretched +from it to them. It might have been the road of angels. The sweet soft +light beat upon their ship, showing its tapering masts and every +detail of the rigging. It passed on beyond them, and revealed the low, +foam-fringed coast-line rising here and there, dotted with kloofs and +their clinging bush. Even the round huts of Kaffir kraals became +faintly visible in that radiance. Other things became visible also-- +for instance, the features of this pair. + +The man was light in his colouring, fair-skinned, with fair hair which +already showed a tendency towards greyness, especially in the +moustache, for he wore no beard. His face was clean cut, not +particularly handsome, since, their fineness notwithstanding, his +features lacked regularity; the cheekbones were too high and the chin +was too small, small faults redeemed to some extent by the steady and +cheerful grey eyes. For the rest, he was broad-shouldered and well- +set-up, sealed with the indescribable stamp of the English gentleman. +Such was the appearance of Robert Seymour. + +In that light the girl at his side looked lovely, though, in fact, she +had no real claims to loveliness, except perhaps as regards her +figure, which was agile, rounded, and peculiarly graceful. Her +foreign-looking face was unusual, dark-eyed, a somewhat large and very +mobile mouth, fair and waving hair, a broad forehead, a sweet and at +times wistful face, thoughtful for the most part, but apt to be +irradiated by sudden smiles. Not a beautiful woman at all, but +exceedingly attractive, one possessing magnetism. + +She gazed, first at the moon and the silver road beneath it, then, +turning, at the land beyond. + +"We are very near to Africa, at last," she said. + +"Too near, I think," he answered. "If I were the captain I should +stand out a point or two. It is a strange country, full of surprises. +Miss Clifford, will you think me rude if I ask you why you are going +there? You have never told me--quite." + +"No, because the story is rather a sad one; but you shall hear it if +you wish. Do you?" + +He nodded, and drew up two deck chairs, in which they settled +themselves in a corner made by one of the inboard boats, their faces +still towards the sea. + +"You know I was born in Africa," she said, "and lived there till I was +thirteen years old--why, I find I can still speak Zulu; I did so this +afternoon. My father was one of the early settlers in Natal. His +father was a clergyman, a younger son of the Lincolnshire Cliffords. +They are great people there still, though I don't suppose that they +are aware of my existence." + +"I know them," answered Robert Seymour. "Indeed, I was shooting at +their place last November--when the smash came," and he sighed; "but +go on." + +"Well, my father quarrelled with his father, I don't know what about, +and emigrated. In Natal he married my mother, a Miss Ferreira, whose +name--like mine and her mother's--was Benita. She was one of two +sisters, and her father, Andreas Ferreira, who married an English +lady, was half Dutch and half Portuguese. I remember him well, a fine +old man with dark eyes and an iron-grey beard. He was wealthy as +things went in those days--that is to say, he had lots of land in +Natal and the Transvaal, and great herds of stock. So you see I am +half English, some Dutch, and more than a quarter Portuguese--quite a +mixture of races. My father and mother did not get on well together. +Mr. Seymour, I may as well tell you all the truth: he drank, and +although he was passionately fond of her, she was jealous of him. Also +he gambled away most of her patrimony, and after old Andreas +Ferreira's death they grew poor. One night there was a dreadful scene +between them, and in his madness he struck her. + +"Well, she was a very proud woman, determined, too, and she turned on +him and said--for I heard her--'I will never forgive you; we have done +with each other.' Next morning, when my father was sober, he begged +her pardon, but she made no answer, although he was starting somewhere +on a fortnight's trek. When he had gone my mother ordered the Cape +cart, packed up her clothes, took some money that she had put away, +drove to Durban, and after making arrangements at the bank about a +small private income of her own, sailed with me for England, leaving a +letter for my father in which she said that she would never see him +again, and if he tried to interfere with me she would put me under the +protection of the English court, which would not allow me to be taken +to the home of a drunkard. + +"In England we went to live in London with my aunt, who had married a +Major King, but was a widow with five children. My father often wrote +to persuade my mother to go back to him, but she never would, which I +think was wrong of her. So things went on for twelve years or more, +till one day my mother suddenly died, and I came into her little +fortune of between £200 and £300 a year, which she had tied up so that +nobody can touch it. That was about a year ago. I wrote to tell my +father of her death, and received a pitiful letter; indeed, I have had +several of them. He implored me to come out to him and not to leave +him to die in his loneliness, as he soon would do of a broken heart, +if I did not. He said that he had long ago given up drinking, which +was the cause of the ruin of his life, and sent a certificate signed +by a magistrate and a doctor to that effect. Well, in the end, +although all my cousins and their mother advised me against it, I +consented, and here I am. He is to meet me at Durban, but how we shall +get on together is more than I can say, though I long to see him, for +after all he is my father." + +"It was good of you to come, under all the circumstances. You must +have a brave heart," said Robert reflectively. + +"It is my duty," she answered. "And for the rest, I am not afraid who +was born to Africa. Indeed, often and often have I wished to be back +there again, out on the veld, far away from the London streets and +fog. I am young and strong, and I want to see things, natural things-- +not those made by man, you know--the things I remember as a child. One +can always go back to London." + +"Yes, or at least some people can. It is a curious thing, Miss +Clifford, but as it happens I have met your father. You always +reminded me of the man, but I had forgotten his name. Now it comes +back to me; it /was/ Clifford." + +"Where on earth?" she asked, astonished. + +"In a queer place. As I told you, I have visited South Africa before, +under different circumstances. Four years ago I was out here big-game +shooting. Going in from the East coast my brother and I--he is dead +now, poor fellow--got up somewhere in the Matabele country, on the +banks of the Zambesi. As we didn't find much game there we were going +to strike south, when some natives told us of a wonderful ruin that +stood on a hill overhanging the river a few miles farther on. So, +leaving the waggon on the hither side of the steep nek, over which it +would have been difficult to drag it, my brother and I took our rifles +and a bag of food and started. The place was farther off than we +thought, although from the top of the nek we could see it clearly +enough, and before we reached it dark had fallen. + +"Now we had observed a waggon and a tent outside the wall which we +thought must belong to white men, and headed for them. There was a +light in the tent, and the flap was open, the night being very hot. +Inside two men were seated, one old, with a grey beard, and the other, +a good-looking fellow--under forty, I should say--with a Jewish face, +dark, piercing eyes, and a black, pointed beard. They were engaged in +examining a heap of gold beads and bangles, which lay on the table +between them. As I was about to speak, the black-bearded man heard or +caught sight of us, and seizing a rifle that leaned against the table, +swung round and covered me. + +"'For God's sake don't shoot, Jacob,' said the old man; 'they are +English.' + +"'Best dead, any way,' answered the other, in a soft voice, with a +slight foreign accent, 'we don't want spies or thieves here.' + +"'We are neither, but I can shoot as well as you, friend,' I remarked, +for by this time my rifle was on him. + +"Then he thought better of it, and dropped his gun, and we explained +that we were merely on an archæological expedition. The end of it was +that we became capital friends, though neither of us could cotton much +to Mr. Jacob--I forget his other name. He struck me as too handy with +his rifle, and was, I gathered, an individual with a mysterious and +rather lurid past. To cut a long story short, when he found out that +we had no intention of poaching, your father, for it was he, told us +frankly that they were treasure-hunting, having got hold of some story +about a vast store of gold which had been hidden away there by +Portuguese two or three centuries before. Their trouble was, however, +that the Makalanga, who lived in the fortress, which was called +Bambatse, would not allow them to dig, because they said the place was +haunted, and if they did so it would bring bad luck to their tribe." + +"And did they ever get in?" asked Benita. + +"I am sure I don't know, for we went next day, though before we left +we called on the Makalanga, who admitted us all readily enough so long +as we brought no spades with us. By the way, the gold we saw your +father and his friend examining was found in some ancient graves +outside the walls, but had nothing to do with the big and mythical +treasure." + +"What was the place like? I love old ruins," broke in Benita again. + +"Oh! wonderful. A gigantic, circular wall built by heaven knows who, +then half-way up the hill another wall, and near the top a third wall +which, I understood, surrounded a sort of holy of holies, and above +everything, on the brink of the precipice, a great cone of granite." + +"Artificial or natural?" + +"I don't know. They would not let us up there, but we were introduced +to their chief and high priest, Church and State in one, and a +wonderful old man he was, very wise and very gentle. I remember he +told me he believed we should meet again, which seemed an odd thing +for him to say. I asked him about the treasure and why he would not +let the other white men look for it. He answered that it would never +be found by any man, white or black, that only a woman would find it +at the appointed time, when it pleased the Spirit of Bambatse, under +whose guardianship it was." + +"Who was the Spirit of Bambatse, Mr. Seymour?" + +"I can't tell you, couldn't make out anything definite about her, +except that she was said to be white, and to appear sometimes at +sunrise, or in the moonlight, standing upon the tall point of rock of +which I told you. I remember that I got up before the dawn to look for +her--like an idiot, for of course I saw nothing--and that's all I know +about the matter." + +"Did you have any talk with my father, Mr. Seymour--alone, I mean?" + +"Yes, a little. The next day he walked back to our waggon with us, +being glad, I fancy, of a change from the perpetual society of his +partner Jacob. That wasn't wonderful in a man who had been brought up +at Eton and Oxford, as I found out he had, like myself, and whatever +his failings may have been--although we saw no sign of them, for he +would not touch a drop of spirits--was a gentleman, which Jacob +wasn't. Still, he--Jacob--had read a lot, especially on out-of-the-way +subjects, and could talk every language under the sun--a clever and +agreeable scoundrel in short." + +"Did my father say anything about himself?" + +"Yes; he told me that he had been an unsuccessful man all his life, +and had much to reproach himself with, for we got quite confidential +at last. He added that he had a family in England--what family he +didn't say--whom he was anxious to make wealthy by way of reparation +for past misdeeds, and that was why he was treasure-hunting. However, +from what you tell me, I fear he never found anything." + +"No, Mr. Seymour, he never found it and never will, but all the same I +am glad to hear that he was thinking of us. Also I should like to +explore that place, Bambatse." + +"So should I, Miss Clifford, in your company, and your father's, but +not in that of Jacob. If ever you should go there with him, I say:-- +'Beware of Jacob.'" + +"Oh! I am not afraid of Jacob," she answered with a laugh, "although I +believe that my father still has something to do with him--at least in +one of his letters he mentioned his partner, who was a German." + +"A German! I think that he must have meant a German Jew." + +After this there was silence between them for a time, then he said +suddenly, "You have told me your story, would you like to hear mine?" + +"Yes," she answered. + +"Well, it won't take you long to listen to it, for, Miss Clifford, +like Canning's needy knife-grinder, I have really none to tell. You +see before you one of the most useless persons in the world, an +undistinguished member of what is called in England the 'leisured +class,' who can do absolutely nothing that is worth doing, except +shoot straight." + +"Indeed," said Benita. + +"You do not seem impressed with that accomplishment," he went on, "yet +it is an honest fact that for the last fifteen years--I was thirty-two +this month--practically my whole time has been given up to it, with a +little fishing thrown in in the spring. As I want to make the most of +myself, I will add that I am supposed to be among the six best shots +in England, and that my ambition--yes, great Heavens! my ambition--was +to become better than the other five. By that sin fell the poor man +who speaks to you. I was supposed to have abilities, but I neglected +them all to pursue this form of idleness. I entered no profession, I +did no work, with the result that at thirty-two I am ruined and almost +hopeless." + +"Why ruined and hopeless?" she asked anxiously, for the way in which +they were spoken grieved her more than the words themselves. + +"Ruined because my old uncle, the Honourable John Seymour Seymour, +whose heir I was, committed the indiscretion of marrying a young lady +who has presented him with thriving twins. With the appearance of +those twins my prospects disappeared, as did the allowance of £1,500 a +year that he was good enough to make me on which to keep up a position +as his next-of-kin. I had something of my own, but also I had debts, +and at the present moment a draft in my pocket for £2,163 14s. 5d., +and a little loose cash, represents the total of my worldly goods, +just about the sum I have been accustomed to spend per annum." + +"I don't call that ruin, I call that riches," said Benita, relieved. +"With £2,000 to begin on you may make a fortune in Africa. But how +about the hopelessness?" + +"I am hopeless because I have absolutely nothing to which to look +forward. Really, when that £2,000 is gone I do not know how to earn a +sixpence. In this dilemma it occurred to me that the only thing I +could do was to turn my shooting to practical account, and become a +hunter of big game. Therefore I propose to kill elephants until an +elephant kills me. At least," he added in a changed voice, "I did so +propose until half an hour ago." + + + +II + +THE END OF THE "ZANZIBAR." + +"Until half an hour ago? Then why----" and Benita stopped. + +"Have I changed my very modest scheme of life? Miss Clifford, as you +are so good as to be sufficiently interested, I will tell you. It is +because a temptation which hitherto I have been able to resist, has +during the last thirty minutes become too strong for me. You know +everything has its breaking strain." He puffed nervously at his cigar, +threw it into the sea, paused, then went on: "Miss Clifford, I have +dared to fall in love with you. No; hear me out. When I have done it +will be quite time enough to give me the answer that I expect. +Meanwhile, for the first time in my life, allow me the luxury of being +in earnest. To me it is a new sensation, and therefore very priceless. +May I go on?" + +Benita made no answer. He rose with a certain deliberateness which +characterized all his movements--for Robert Seymour never seemed to be +in a hurry--and stood in front of her so that the moonlight shone upon +her face, while his own remained in shadow. + +"Beyond that £2,000 of which I have spoken, and incidentally its +owner, I have nothing whatsoever to offer to you. I am an indigent and +worthless person. Even in my prosperous days, when I could look +forward to a large estate, although it was often suggested to me, I +never considered myself justified in asking any lady to share--the +prospective estate. I think now that the real reason was that I never +cared sufficiently for any lady, since otherwise my selfishness would +probably have overcome my scruples, as it does to-night. Benita, for I +will call you so, if for the first and last time, I--I--love you. + +"Listen now," he went on, dropping his measured manner, and speaking +hurriedly, like a man with an earnest message and little time in which +to deliver it, "it is an odd thing, an incomprehensible thing, but +true, true--I fell in love with you the first time I saw your face. +You remember, you stood there leaning over the bulwark when I came on +board at Southampton, and as I walked up the gangway, I looked and my +eyes met yours. Then I stopped, and that stout old lady who got off at +Madeira bumped into me, and asked me to be good enough to make up my +mind if I were going backward or forward. Do you remember?" + +"Yes," she answered in a low voice. + +"Which things are an allegory," he continued. "I felt it so at the +time. Yes, I had half a mind to answer 'Backward' and give up my berth +in this ship. Then I looked at you again, and something inside of me +said 'Forward.' So I came up the rest of the gangway and took off my +hat to you, a salutation I had no right to make, but which, I recall, +you acknowledged." + +He paused, then continued: "As it began, so it has gone on. It is +always like that, is it not? The beginning is everything, the end must +follow. And now it has come out, as I was fully determined that it +should not do half an hour ago, when suddenly you developed eyes in +the back of your head, and--oh! dearest, I love you. No, please be +quiet; I have not done. I have told you what I am, and really there +isn't much more to say about me, for I have no particular vices except +the worst of them all, idleness, and not the slightest trace of any +virtue that I can discover. But I have a certain knowledge of the +world acquired in a long course of shooting parties, and as a man of +the world I will venture to give you a bit of advice. It is possible +that to you my life and death affair is a mere matter of board-ship +amusement. Yet it is possible also that you might take another view of +the matter. In that case, as a friend and a man of the world, I +entreat you--don't. Have nothing to do with me. Send me about my +business; you will never regret it." + +"Are you making fun, or is all this meant, Mr. Seymour?" asked Benita, +still speaking beneath her breath, and looking straight before her. + +"Meant? Of course it is meant. How can you ask?" + +"Because I have always understood that on such occasions people wish +to make the best of themselves." + +"Quite so, but I never do what I ought, a fact for which I am grateful +now come to think of it, since otherwise I should not be here +to-night. I wish to make the worst of myself, the very worst, for +whatever I am not, at least I am honest. Now having told you that I +am, or was half an hour ago, an idler, a good-for-nothing, +prospectless failure, I ask you--if you care to hear any more?" + +She half rose, and, glancing at him for the first time, saw his face +contract itself and turn pale in the moonlight. It may be that the +sight of it affected her, even to the extent of removing some adverse +impression left by the bitter mocking of his self-blame. At any rate, +Benita seemed to change her mind, and sat down again, saying: + +"Go on, if you wish." + +He bowed slightly, and said: + +"I thank you. I have told you what I /was/ half an hour ago; now, +hoping that you will believe me, I will tell you what I /am/. I am a +truly repentant man, one upon whom a new light has risen. I am not +very old, and I think that underneath it all I have some ability. +Opportunity may still come my way; if it does not, for your sake I +will make the opportunity. I do not believe that you can ever find +anyone who would love you better or care for you more tenderly. I +desire to live for you in the future, more completely even than in the +past I have lived for myself. I do not wish to influence you by +personal appeals, but in fact I stand at the parting of the ways. If +you will give yourself to me I feel as though I might still become a +husband of whom you could be proud--if not, I write 'Finis' upon the +tombstone of the possibilities of Robert Seymour. I adore you. You are +the one woman with whom I desire to pass my days; it is you who have +always been lacking to my life. I ask you to be brave, to take the +risk of marrying me, although I can see nothing but poverty ahead of +us, for I am an adventurer." + +"Don't speak like that," she said quickly. "We are all of us +adventurers in this world, and I more than you. We have just to +consider ourselves, not what we have or have not." + +"So be it, Miss Clifford. Then I have nothing more to say; now it is +for you to answer." + +Just then the sound of the piano and the fiddle in the saloon ceased. +One of the waltzes was over, and some of the dancers came upon deck to +flirt or to cool themselves. One pair, engaged very obviously in the +former occupation, stationed themselves so near to Robert and Benita +that further conversation between them was impossible, and there +proceeded to interchange the remarks common to such occasions. + +For a good ten minutes did they stand thus, carrying on a mock quarrel +as to a dance of which one of them was supposed to have been +defrauded, until Robert Seymour, generally a very philosophical +person, could have slain those innocent lovers. He felt, he knew not +why, that his chances were slipping away from him; that sensation of +something bad about to happen, of which Benita had spoken, spread from +her to him. The suspense grew exasperating, terrible even, nor could +it be ended. To ask her to come elsewhere was under the circumstances +not feasible, especially as he would also have been obliged to request +the other pair to make way for them, and all this time, with a sinking +of the heart, he felt that probably Benita was beating down any +tenderness which she might feel towards him; that when her long- +delayed answer did come the chances were it would be "No." + +The piano began to play again in the saloon, and the young people, +still squabbling archly, at length prepared to depart. Suddenly there +was a stir upon the bridge, and against the tender sky Robert saw a +man dash forward. Next instant the engine-room bell rang fiercely. He +knew the signal--it was "Stop," followed at once by other ringings +that meant "Full speed astern." + +"I wonder what is up?" said the young man to the young woman. + +Before the words had left his lips they knew. There was a sensation as +though all the hull of the great ship had come to a complete +standstill, while the top part of her continued to travel forward; +followed by another sensation still more terrible and sickening in its +nature--that of slipping over something, helplessly, heavily, as a man +slips upon ice or a polished floor. Spars cracked, ropes flew in two +with a noise as of pistol shots. Heavy objects rushed about the deck, +travelling forwards all of them. Benita was hurled from her chair +against Robert so that the two of them rolled into the scuppers. He +was unhurt and picked himself up, but she lay still, and he saw that +something had struck her upon the head, for blood was running down her +cheek. He lifted her, and, filled with black horror and despair--for +he thought her gone--pressed his hand upon her heart. Thank God! it +began to beat again--she still lived. + +The music in the saloon had stopped, and for a little while there was +silence. Then of an instant there arose the horrible clamour of +shipwreck; wild-eyed people rushed to and fro aimlessly; here and +there women and children shrieked; a clergyman fell upon his knees and +began to pray. + +This went on for a space, till presently the second officer appeared +and, affecting an unconcerned air, called out that it was all right, +the captain said no one was to be afraid. He added that they were not +more than six miles from the shore, and that the ship would be beached +in half an hour. Indeed, as he spoke the engines, which had been +stopped, commenced to work again, and her head swung round in a wide +circle, pointing to the land. Evidently they had passed over the rock +and were once more in deep water, through which they travelled at a +good speed but with a heavy list to starboard. The pumps got to work +also with a monotonous, clanging beat, throwing out great columns of +foaming water on to the oily sea. Men began to cut the covers off the +boats, and to swing some of them outboard. Such were the things that +went on about them. + +With the senseless Benita clasped to his breast, the blood from her +cut head running down his shoulder, Robert stood still awhile, +thinking. Then he made up his mind. As it chanced, she had a deck +cabin, and thither he forced his way, carrying her tenderly and with +patience through the distracted throng of passengers, for there were +five hundred souls on board that ship. He reached the place to find +that it was quite empty, her cabinmate having fled. Laying Benita upon +the lower bunk, he lit the swinging candle. As soon as it burned up he +searched for the lifebelts and by good fortune found two of them, one +of which, not without great difficulty, he succeeded in fastening +round her. Then he took a sponge and bathed her head with water. There +was a great bruise upon her temple where the block or whatever it was +had struck her, and the blood still flowed; but the wound was not very +deep or extensive, nor, so far as he could discover, did the bone +appear to be broken or driven in. He had good hope that she was only +stunned, and would revive presently. Unable to do more for her, a +thought struck him. On the floor of the cabin, thrown by the shock +from the rack, lay her writing case. He opened it, and taking a piece +of paper wrote these words hurriedly in pencil: + + "You gave me no answer, and it is more than probable that I shall + receive none in this world which one or both of us may be upon + the verge of leaving. In the latter case we can settle the matter + elsewhere--perhaps. In the former, should it be my lot to go and + yours to stay, I hope that you will think kindly of me at times + as of one who loved you truly. Should it be yours to go, then + you will never read these words. Yet if to the dead is given + knowledge, be assured that as you left me so you shall find me, + yours and yours alone. Or perhaps we both may live; I pray + so.--S. R. S." + +Folding up the paper, he undid a button of Benita's blouse and thrust +it away there, knowing that thus she would certainly find it should +she survive. Then he stepped out on to the deck to see what was +happening. The vessel still steamed, but made slow progress; moreover, +the list to starboard was now so pronounced that it was difficult to +stand upright. On account of it nearly all the passengers were huddled +together upon the port side, having instinctively taken refuge as far +as possible above the water. A man with a white, distraught face +staggered towards him, supporting himself by the bulwarks. It was the +captain. For a moment he paused as though to think, holding to a +stanchion. Robert Seymour saw his opportunity and addressed him. + +"Forgive me," he said; "I do not like interfering with other people's +business, but for reasons unconnected with myself I suggest to you +that it would be wise to stop this ship and get out the boats. The sea +is calm; if it is not left till too late there should be no difficulty +in launching them." + +The man stared at him absently, then said: + +"They won't hold everybody, Mr. Seymour. I hope to beach her." + +"At least they will hold some," he answered, "whereas----" And he +pointed to the water, which by now was almost level with the deck. + +"Perhaps you are right, Mr. Seymour. It doesn't matter to me, anyway. +I am a ruined man; but the poor passengers--the poor passengers!" And +he scrambled away fiercely towards the bridge like a wounded cat along +the bough of a tree, whence in a few seconds Robert heard him shouting +orders. + +A minute or so afterwards the steamer stopped. Too late the captain +had decided to sacrifice his ship and save those she carried. They +were beginning to get out the boats. Now Robert returned to the cabin +where Benita was lying senseless, and wrapped her up in a cloak and +some blankets. Then, seeing the second lifebelt on the floor, by an +afterthought he put it on, knowing that there was time to spare. Next +he lifted Benita, and feeling sure that the rush would be for the +starboard side, on which the boats were quite near the water, carried +her, with difficulty, for the slope was steep, to the port-cutter, +which he knew would be in the charge of a good man, the second +officer, whom he had seen in command there at Sunday boat-drills. + +Here, as he had anticipated, the crowd was small, since most people +thought that it would not be possible to get this boat down safely to +the water; or if their powers of reflection were gone, instinct told +them so. That skilful seaman, the second officer, and his appointed +crew, were already at work lowering the cutter from the davits. + +"Now," he said, "women and children first." + +A number rushed in, and Robert saw that the boat would soon be full. + +"I am afraid," he said, "that I must count myself a woman as I carry +one," and by a great effort, holding Benita with one arm, with the +other he let himself down the falls and, assisted by a quartermaster, +gained the boat in safety. + +One or two other men scrambled after him. + +"Push her off," said the officer; "she can hold no more," and the +ropes were let go. + +When they were about twelve feet from the ship's side, from which they +thrust themselves clear with oars, there came a rush of people, +disappointed of places in the starboard boats. A few of the boldest of +these swarmed down the falls, others jumped and fell among them, or +missed and dropped into the sea, or struck upon the sides of the boat +and were killed. Still she reached the water upon an even keel, though +now much overladen. The oars were got out, and they rowed round the +bow of the great ship wallowing in her death-throes, their first idea +being to make for the shore, which was not three miles away. + +This brought them to the starboard side, where they saw a hideous +scene. Hundreds of people seemed to be fighting for room, with the +result that some of the boats were overturned, precipitating their +occupants into the water. Others hung by the prow or the stern, the +ropes having jammed in the davits in the frantic haste and confusion, +while from them human beings dropped one by one. Round others not yet +launched a hellish struggle was in progress, the struggle of men, +women, and children battling for their lives, in which the strong, mad +with terror, showed no mercy to the weak. + +From that mass of humanity, most of them about to perish, went up a +babel of sounds which in its sum shaped itself to one prolonged +scream, such as might proceed from a Titan in his agony. All this +beneath a brooding, moonlit sky, and on a sea as smooth as glass. Upon +the ship, which now lay upon her side, the siren still sent up its +yells for succour, and some brave man continued to fire rockets, which +rushed heavenwards and burst in showers of stars. + +Robert remembered that the last rocket he had seen was fired at an +evening /fête/ for the amusement of the audience. The contrast struck +him as dreadful. He wondered whether there were any power or infernal +population that could be amused by a tragedy such as enacted itself +before his eyes; how it came about also that such a tragedy was +permitted by the merciful Strength in which mankind put their faith. + +The vessel was turning over, compressed air or steam burst up the +decks with loud reports; fragments of wreckage flew into the air. +There the poor captain still clung to the rail of the bridge. Seymour +could see his white face--the moonlight seemed to paint it with a +ghastly smile. The officer in command of their boat shouted to the +crew to give way lest they should be sucked down with the steamer. + +Look! Now she wallowed like a dying whale, the moonrays shone white +upon her bottom, showing the jagged rent made in it by the rock on +which she had struck, and now she was gone. Only a little cloud of +smoke and steam remained to mark where the /Zanzibar/ had been. + + + +III + +HOW ROBERT CAME ASHORE + +In place of the /Zanzibar/ a great pit on the face of the ocean, in +which the waters boiled and black objects appeared and disappeared. + +"Sit still, for your lives' sake," said the officer in a quiet voice; +"the suck is coming." + +In another minute it came, dragging them downward till the water +trickled over the sides of the boat, and backward towards the pit. But +before ever they reached it the deep had digested its prey, and, save +for the great air-bubbles which burst about them and a mixed, +unnatural swell, was calm again. For the moment they were safe. + +"Passengers," said the officer, "I am going to put out to sea--at any +rate, till daylight. We may meet a vessel there, and if we try to row +ashore we shall certainly be swamped in the breakers." + +No one objected; they seemed too stunned to speak, but Robert thought +to himself that the man was wise. They began to move, but before they +had gone a dozen yards something dark rose beside them. It was a piece +of wreckage, and clinging to it a woman, who clasped a bundle to her +breast. More, she was alive, for she began to cry to them to take her +in. + +"Save me and my child!" she cried. "For God's sake save me!" + +Robert recognized the choking voice; it was that of a young married +lady with whom he had been very friendly, who was going out with her +baby to join her husband in Natal. He stretched out his hand and +caught hold of her, whereon the officer said, heavily: + +"The boat is already overladen. I must warn you that to take more +aboard is not safe." + +Thereon the passengers awoke from their stupor. + +"Push her off," cried a voice; "she must take her chance." And there +was a murmur of approval at the dreadful words. + +"For Christ's sake--for Christ's sake!" wailed the drowning woman, who +clung desperately to Robert's hand. + +"If you try to pull her in, we will throw you overboard," said the +voice again, and a knife was lifted as though to hack at his arm. Then +the officer spoke once more. + +"This lady cannot come into the boat unless someone goes out of it. I +would myself, but it is my duty to stay. Is there any man here who +will make place for her?" + +But all the men there--seven of them, besides the crew--hung their +heads and were silent. + +"Give way," said the officer in the same heavy voice; "she will drop +off presently." + +While the words passed his lips Robert seemed to live a year. Here was +an opportunity of atonement for his idle and luxurious life. An hour +ago he would have taken it gladly, but now--now, with Benita senseless +on his breast, and that answer still locked in her sleeping heart? Yet +Benita would approve of such a death as this, and even if she loved +him not in life, would learn to love his memory. In an instant his +mind was made up, and he was speaking rapidly. + +"Thompson," he said to the officer, "if I go, will you swear to take +her in and her child?" + +"Certainly, Mr. Seymour." + +"Then lay to; I am going. If any of you live, tell this lady how I +died," and he pointed to Benita, "and say I thought that she would +wish it." + +"She shall be told," said the officer again, "and saved, too, if I can +do it." + +"Hold Mrs. Jeffreys, then, till I am out of this. I'll leave my coat +to cover her." + +A sailor obeyed, and with difficulty Robert wrenched free his hand. + +Very deliberately he pressed Benita to his breast and kissed her on +the forehead, then let her gently slide on to the bottom of the boat. +Next he slipped off his overcoat and slowly rolled himself over the +gunwale into the sea. + +"Now," he said, "pull Mrs. Jeffreys in." + +"God bless you; you are a brave man," said Thompson. "I shall remember +you if I live a hundred years." + +But no one else said anything; perhaps they were all too much ashamed, +even then. + +"I have only done my duty," Seymour answered from the water. "How far +is it to the shore?" + +"About three miles," shouted Thompson. "But keep on that plank, or you +will never live through the rollers. Good-bye." + +"Good-bye," answered Robert. + +Then the boat passed away from him and soon vanished in the misty face +of the deep. + +Resting on the plank which had saved the life of Mrs. Jeffreys, Robert +Seymour looked about him and listened. Now and again he heard a faint, +choking scream uttered by some drowning wretch, and a few hundred +yards away caught sight of a black object which he thought might be a +boat. If so, he reflected that it must be full. Moreover, he could not +overtake it. No; his only chance was to make for the shore. He was a +strong swimmer, and happily the water was almost as warm as milk. +There seemed to be no reason why he should not reach it, supported as +he was by a lifebelt, if the sharks would leave him alone, which they +might, as there was plenty for them to feed on. The direction he knew +well enough, for now in the great silence of the sea he could hear the +boom of the mighty rollers breaking on the beach. + +Ah, those rollers! He remembered how that very afternoon Benita and he +had watched them through his field glass sprouting up against the +cruel walls of rock, and wondered that when the ocean was so calm they +had still such power. Now, should he live to reach them, he was doomed +to match himself against that power. Well, the sooner he did so the +sooner it would be over, one way or the other. This was in his favour: +the tide had turned, and was flowing shorewards. Indeed, he had little +to do but to rest upon his plank, which he placed crosswise beneath +his breast, and steered himself with his feet. Even thus he made good +progress, nearly a mile an hour perhaps. He could have gone faster had +he swum, but he was saving his strength. + +It was a strange journey upon that silent sea beneath those silent +stars, and strange thoughts came into Robert's soul. He wondered +whether Benita would live and what she would say. Perhaps, however, +she was already dead, and he would meet her presently. He wondered if +he were doomed to die, and whether this sacrifice of his would be +allowed to atone for his past errors. He hoped so, and put up a +petition to that effect, for himself and for Benita, and for all the +poor people who had gone before, hurled from their pleasure into the +halls of Death. + +So he floated on while the boom of the breakers grew ever nearer, +companioned by his wild, fretful thoughts, till at length what he took +to be a shark appeared quite close to him, and in the urgency of the +moment he gave up wondering. It proved to be only a piece of wood, but +later on a real shark did come, for he saw its back fin. However, this +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 guns--the 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 seen--such 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 rock--he 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 +reach--yes, 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 done--with +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. + +Still the steamer went on, until presently they heard her siren going, +and saw that she was putting about. + +"She has seen us," said Thompson. "Thank God, all of you, for there is +wind coming up. Pull down that sail; we shan't need it any more." + +Half an hour later, with many precautions, for the wind he prophesied +was already troubling the sea and sending little splashes of water +over the stern of their deeply laden boat, they were fast to a line +thrown from the deck of the three thousand ton steamer /Castle/, bound +for Natal. Then, with a rattle, down came the accommodation ladder, +and strong-armed men, standing on its grating, dragged them one by one +from the death to which they had been so near. The last to be lifted +up, except Thompson, was Benita, round whom it was necessary to reeve +a rope. + +"Any use?" asked the officer on the grating as he glanced at her quiet +form. + +"Can't say; I hope so," answered Thompson. "Call your doctor." And +gently enough she was borne up the ship's side. + +They wanted to cast off the boat, but Thompson remonstrated, and in +the end that also was dragged to deck. Meanwhile the news had spread, +and the awakened passengers of the /Castle/, clad in pyjamas, +dressing-gowns, and even blankets, were crowding round the poor +castaways or helping them to their cabins. + +"I am a teetotaller," said second officer Thompson when he had made a +brief report to the captain of the /Castle/, "but if anyone will stand +me a whiskey and soda I shall be obliged to him." + + + +IV + +MR. CLIFFORD + +Although the shock of the blow she had received upon her head was +sufficient to make her insensible for so many hours, Benita's injuries +were not of a really serious nature, for as it happened the falling +block, or whatever it may have been, had hit her forehead slantwise, +and not full, to which accident she owed it that, although the skin +was torn and the scalp bruised, her skull had escaped fracture. Under +proper medical care her senses soon came back to her, but as she was +quite dazed and thought herself still on board the /Zanzibar/, the +doctor considered it wise to preserve her in that illusion for a +while. So after she had swallowed some broth he gave her a sleeping +draught, the effects of which she did not shake off till the following +morning. + +Then she came to herself completely, and was astonished to feel the +pain in her head, which had been bandaged, and to see a strange +stewardess sitting by her with a cup of beef-tea in her hand. + +"Where am I? Is it a dream?" she asked. + +"Drink this and I will tell you," answered the stewardess. + +Benita obeyed, for she felt hungry, then repeated her question. + +"Your steamer was shipwrecked," said the stewardess, "and a great many +poor people were drowned, but you were saved in a boat. Look, there +are your clothes; they were never in the water." + +"Who carried me into the boat?" asked Benita in a low voice. + +"A gentleman, they say, Miss, who had wrapped you in a blanket and put +a lifebelt on you." + +Now Benita remembered everything that happened before the darkness +fell--the question to which she had given no answer, the young couple +who stood flirting by her--all came back to her. + +"Was Mr. Seymour saved?" she whispered, her face grey with dread. + +"I dare say, Miss," answered the stewardess evasively. "But there is +no gentleman of that name aboard this ship." + +At that moment the doctor came in, and him, too, she plied with +questions. But having learned the story of Robert's self-sacrifice +from Mr. Thompson and the others, he would give her no answer, for he +guessed how matters had stood between them, and feared the effects of +the shock. All he could say was that he hoped Mr. Seymour had escaped +in some other boat. + +It was not until the third morning that Benita was allowed to learn +the truth, which indeed it was impossible to conceal any longer. Mr. +Thompson came to her cabin and told her everything, while she listened +silently, horrified, amazed. + +"Miss Clifford," he said, "I think it was one of the bravest things +that a man ever did. On the ship I always thought him rather a head- +in-air kind of swell, but he was a splendid fellow, and I pray God +that he has lived, as the lady and child for whom he offered himself +up have done, for they are both well again." + +"Yes," she repeated after him mechanically, "splendid fellow indeed, +and," she added, with a strange flash of conviction, "I believe that +he /is/ still alive. If he were dead I should know it." + +"I am glad to hear you say so," said Mr. Thompson, who believed the +exact contrary. + +"Listen," she went on. "I will tell you something. When that dreadful +accident occurred Mr. Seymour had just asked me to marry him, and I +was going to answer that I would--because I love him. I believe that I +shall still give him that answer." + +Mr. Thompson replied again that he hoped so, which, being as honest +and tender-hearted as he was brave and capable, he did most earnestly; +but in his heart he reflected that her answer would not be given this +side of the grave. Then, as he had been deputed to do, he handed her +the note which had been found in the bosom of her dress, and, able to +bear no more of this painful scene, hurried from the cabin. She read +it greedily twice, and pressed it to her lips, murmuring: + +"Yes, I will think kindly of you, Robert Seymour, kindly as woman can +of man, and now or afterwards you shall have your answer, if you still +wish for it. Whenever you come or wherever I go, it shall be ready for +you." + +That afternoon, when she was more composed, Mrs. Jeffreys came to see +Benita, bringing her baby with her. The poor woman was still pale and +shaken, but the child had taken no hurt at all from its immersion in +that warm water. + +"What can you think of me?" she said, falling on her knees by Benita. +"But oh! I did not know what I was doing. It was terror and my child," +and she kissed the sleeping infant passionately. "Also I did not +understand at the time--I was too dazed. And--that hero--he gave his +life for me when the others wished to beat me off with oars. Yes, his +blood is upon my hands--he who died that I and my child might live." + +Benita looked at her and answered, very gently: + +"Perhaps he did not die after all. Do not grieve, for if he did it was +a very glorious death, and I am prouder of him than I could have been +had he lived on like the others--who wished to beat you off with oars. +Whatever is, is by God's Will, and doubtless for the best. At the +least, you and your child will be restored to your husband, though it +cost me one who would have been--my husband." + +That evening Benita came upon the deck and spoke with the other ladies +who were saved, learning every detail that she could gather. But to +none of the men, except to Mr. Thompson, would she say a single word, +and soon, seeing how the matter stood, they hid themselves away from +her as they had already done from Mrs. Jeffreys. + +The /Castle/ had hung about the scene of the shipwreck for thirty +hours, and rescued one other boatload of survivors, also a stoker +clinging to a piece of wreckage. But with the shore she had been +unable to communicate, for the dreaded wind had risen, and the +breakers were quite impassable to any boat. To a passing steamer bound +for Port Elizabeth, however, she had reported the terrible disaster, +which by now was known all over the world, together with the names of +those whom she had picked up in the boats. + +On the night of the day of Benita's interview with Mrs. Jeffreys, the +/Castle/ arrived off Durban and anchored, since she was too big a +vessel to cross the bar as it was in those days. At dawn the +stewardess awoke Benita from the uneasy sleep in which she lay, to +tell her that an old gentleman had come off in the tug and wished to +see her; for fear of exciting false hopes she was very careful to add +that word "old." With her help Benita dressed herself, and as the sun +rose, flooding the Berea, the Point, the white town and fair Natal +beyond with light, she went on to the deck, and there, leaning over +the bulwark, saw a thin, grey-bearded man of whom after all these +years the aspect was still familiar. + +A curious thrill went through her as she looked at him leaning there +lost in thought. After all, he was her father, the man to whom she +owed her presence upon this bitter earth, this place of terrors and +delights, of devastation and hope supernal. Perhaps, too, he had been +as much sinned against as sinning. She stepped up to him and touched +him on the shoulder. + +"Father," she said. + +He turned round with all the quickness of a young man, for about him +there was a peculiar agility which his daughter had inherited. Like +his mind, his body was still nimble. + +"My darling," he said, "I should have known your voice anywhere. It +has haunted my sleep for years. My darling, thank you for coming back +to me, and thank God for preserving you when so many were lost." Then +he threw his arms about her and kissed her. + +She shrank from him a little, for by inadvertence he had pressed upon +the wound in her forehead. + +"Forgive me," she said; "it is my head. It was injured, you know." + +Then he saw the bandage about her brow, and was very penitent. + +"They did not tell me that you had been hurt, Benita," he exclaimed in +his light, refined voice, one of the stamps of that gentility of blood +and breeding whereof all his rough years and errors had been unable to +deprive him. "They only told me that you were saved. It is part of my +ill-fortune that at our first moment of greeting I should give you +pain, who have caused you so much already." + +Benita felt that the words were an apology for the past, and her heart +was touched. + +"It is nothing," she answered. "You did not know or mean it." + +"No, dear, I never knew or meant it. Believe me, I was not a willing +sinner, only a weak one. You are beautiful, Benita--far more so than I +expected." + +"What," she answered smiling, "with this bandage round my head? Well, +in your eyes, perhaps." But inwardly she thought to herself that the +description would be more applicable to her father, who in truth, +notwithstanding his years, was wonderfully handsome, with his quick +blue eyes, mobile face, gentle mouth with the wistful droop at the +corners so like her own, and grey beard. How, she wondered, could this +be the man who had struck her mother. Then she remembered him as he +had been years before when he was a slave to liquor, and knew that the +answer was simple. + +"Tell me about your escape, love," he said, patting her hand with his +thin fingers. "You don't know what I've suffered. I was waiting at the +Royal Hotel here, when the cable came announcing the loss of the +/Zanzibar/ and all on board. For the first time for many a year I +drank spirits to drown my grief--don't be afraid, dear--for the first +time and the last. Then afterwards came another cable giving the names +of those who were known to be saved, and--thank God, oh! thank God-- +yours among them," and he gasped at the recollection of that relief. + +"Yes," she said; "I suppose I should thank--Him--and another. Have you +heard the story about--how Mr. Seymour saved me, I mean?" + +"Some of it. While you were dressing yourself, I have been talking to +the officer who was in command of your boat. He was a brave man, +Benita, and I am sorry to tell you he is gone." + +She grasped a stanchion and clung there, staring at him with a wild, +white face. + +"How do you know that, Father?" + +Mr. Clifford drew a copy of the /Natal Mercury/ of the previous day +from the pocket of his ulster, and while she waited in an agony he +hunted through the long columns descriptive of the loss of the +/Zanzibar/. Presently he came to the paragraph he sought, and read it +aloud to her. It ran: + + "The searchers on the coast opposite the scene of the shipwreck + report that they met a Kaffir who was travelling along the + seashore, who produced a gold watch which he said he had taken + from the body of a white man that he found lying on the sand at + the mouth of the Umvoli River. Inside the watch is engraved, 'To + Seymour Robert Seymour, from his uncle, on his twenty-first + birthday.' The name of Mr. Seymour appears as a first-class + passenger to Durban by the /Zanzibar/. He was a member of an old + English family in Lincolnshire. This was his second journey to + South Africa, which he visited some years ago with his brother on + a big-game shooting expedition. All who knew him then will join + with us in deploring his loss. Mr. Seymour was a noted shot and an + English gentleman of the best stamp. He was last seen by one of + the survivors of the catastrophe, carrying Miss Clifford, the + daughter of the well-known Natal pioneer of that name, into a + boat, but as this young lady is reported to have been saved, and + as he entered the boat with her, no explanation is yet forthcoming + as to how he came to his sad end." + +"I fear that is clear enough," said Mr. Clifford, as he folded up his +paper. + +"Yes, clear enough," she repeated in a strained voice. "And yet--yet-- +oh! Father, he had just asked me to marry him, and I can't believe +that he is dead before I had time to answer." + +"Good Heavens!" said the old man, "they never told me that. It is +dreadfully sad. God help you, my poor child! There is nothing more to +say except that he was only one among three hundred who have gone with +him. Be brave now, before all these people. Look--here comes the tug." + + + +The following week was very much of a blank to Benita. When they +reached shore some old friends of her father's took her and him to +their house, a quiet place upon the Berea. Here, now that the first +excitement of rescue and grief was over, the inevitable reaction set +in, bringing with it weakness so distressing that the doctor insisted +upon her going to bed, where she remained for the next five days. With +the healing up of the wound in her head her strength came back to her +at last, but it was a very sad Benita who crept from her room one +afternoon on to the verandah and looked out at the cruel sea, peaceful +now as the sky above. + +Her father, who had nursed her tenderly during these dark days, came +and sat by her, taking her hand in his. + +"This is capital," he said, glancing at her anxiously. "You are +getting quite yourself again." + +"I shall never be myself again," she answered. "My old self is dead, +although the outside of me has recovered. Father, I suppose that it is +wrong, but I wish that I were dead too. I wish that he had taken me +with him when he jumped into the sea to lighten the boat." + +"Don't speak like that," he broke in hastily. "Of course I know that I +am not much to you--how can I be after all that is past? But I love +you, dear, and if I were left quite alone again----" And he broke off. + +"You shall not be left alone if I can help it," she replied, looking +at the old man with her dark and tender eyes. "We have only each other +in the world now, have we? The rest have gone, never to return." + +He threw his arms about her, and, drawing her to him, kissed her +passionately. + +"If only you could learn to love me!" he said. + +"I do love you," she answered, "who now shall never love any other man +upon the earth." + +This was the beginning of a deep affection which sprang up between Mr. +Clifford and his daughter, and continued to the end. + +"Is there any news?" she asked a little later. + +"None--none about him. The tide took his body away, no doubt, after +the Kaffir had gone. I remember him well now. He was a fine young man, +and it comes into my mind that when I said good-bye to him above those +old ruins, I wished that I had a son like that. And to think that he +went so near to becoming a son to me! Well, the grass must bend when +the wind blows, as the natives say." + +"I am glad that you knew him," she answered simply. + +Then they began talking about other matters. He told her that all the +story had become known, and that people spoke of Robert Seymour as +"the hero"; also that there was a great deal of curiosity about her. + +"Then let us get away as soon as we can," she said nervously. "But, +Father, where are we going?" + +"That will be for you to decide, love. Listen, now; this is my +position. I have been quite steady for years, and worked hard, with +the result that I and my partner have a fine farm in the Transvaal, on +the high land near Lake Chrissie, out Wakkerstroom way. We breed +horses there, and have done very well with them. I have £1,500 saved, +and the farm brings us in quite £600 a year beyond the expenses. But +it is a lonely place, with only a few Boers about, although they are +good fellows enough. You might not care to live there with no +company." + +"I don't think that I should mind," she answered, smiling. + +"Not now, but by-and-by you would when you know what it is like. Now I +might sell my share in the farm to my partner, who, I think, would buy +it, or I might trust to him to send me a part of the profits, which +perhaps he would not. Then, if you wish it, we could live in or near +one of the towns, or even, as you have an income of your own, go home +to England, if that is your will." + +"Is it your will?" she asked. + +He shook his head. "No; all my life is here. Also, I have something to +find before I die--for your sake, dear." + +"Do you mean up among those ruins?" she asked, looking at him +curiously. + +"Yes. So you know about it?" he answered, with a flash of his blue +eyes. "Oh! of course, Seymour told you. Yes, I mean among the ruins-- +but I will tell you that story another time--not here, not here. What +do you wish to do, Benita? Remember, I am in your hands; I will obey +you in all things." + +"Not to stop in a town and not to go to England," she replied, while +he hung eagerly upon her words, "for this has become my holy land. +Father, I will go with you to your farm; there I can be quiet, you and +I together." + +"Yes," he answered rather uneasily; "but, you see, Benita, we shall +not be quite alone there. My partner, Jacob Meyer, lives with me." + +"Jacob Meyer? Ah! I remember," and she winced. "He is a German, is he +not--and odd?" + +"German Jew, I imagine, and very odd. Should have made his fortune a +dozen times over, and yet has never done anything. Too unpractical, +too visionary, with all his brains and scheming. Not a good man, +Benita, although he suits me, and, for the matter of that, under our +agreement I cannot get rid of him." + +"How did he become your partner?" she asked. + +"Oh! a good many years ago he turned up at the place with a doleful +story. Said that he had been trading among the Zulus; he was what we +call a 'smouse' out here, and got into a row with them, I don't know +how. The end of it was that they burned his waggon, looted his trade- +goods and oxen, and killed his servants. They would have killed him +too, only, according to his own account, he escaped in a very queer +fashion." + +"How?" + +"Well, he says by mesmerising the chief and making the man lead him +through his followers. An odd story enough, but I can quite believe it +of Jacob. He worked for me for six months, and showed himself very +clever. Then one night, I remember it was a few days after I had told +him of the story of the Portuguese treasure in Matabeleland, he +produced £500 in Bank of England notes out of the lining of his +waistcoat, and offered to buy a half interest in the farm. Yes, £500! +Although for all those months I had believed him to be a beggar. Well, +as he was so /slim/, and better than no company in that lonely place, +in the end I accepted. We have done well since, except for the +expedition after the treasure which we did not get, although we more +than paid our expenses out of the ivory we bought. But next time we +shall succeed, I am sure," he added with enthusiasm, "that is, if we +can persuade those Makalanga to let us search on the mountain." + +Benita smiled. + +"I think you had better stick to the horsebreeding," she said. + +"You shall judge when you hear the story. But you have been brought up +in England; will you not be afraid to go to Lake Chrissie?" + +"Afraid of what?" she asked. + +"Oh! of the loneliness, and of Jacob Meyer." + +"I was born on the veld, Father, and I have always hated London. As +for your odd friend, Mr. Meyer, I am not afraid of any man on earth. I +have done with men. At the least I will try the place and see how I +get on." + +"Very well," answered her father with a sigh of relief. "You can +always come back, can't you?" + +"Yes," she said indifferently. "I suppose that I can always come +back." + + + +V + +JACOB MEYER + +More than three weeks had gone by when one morning Benita, who slept +upon the cartel or hide-strung bed in the waggon, having dressed +herself as best she could in that confined place, thrust aside the +curtain and seated herself upon the voorkisse, or driving-box. The sun +was not yet up, and the air was cold with frost, for they were on the +Transvaal high-veld at the end of winter. Even through her thick cloak +Benita shivered and called to the driver of the waggon, who also acted +as cook, and whose blanket-draped form she could see bending over a +fire into which he was blowing life, to make haste with the coffee. + +"By and by, Missie--by and by," he answered, coughing the rank smoke +from his lungs. "Kettle no sing yet, and fire black as hell." + +Benita reflected that popular report painted this locality red, but +without entering into argument sat still upon the chest waiting till +the water boiled and her father appeared. + +Presently he emerged from under the side flap of the waggon where he +slept, and remarking that it was really too cold to think of washing, +climbed to her side by help of the disselboom, and kissed her. + +"How far are we now from Rooi Krantz, Father?" she asked, for that was +the name of Mr. Clifford's farm. + +"About forty miles, dear. The waggon cannot make it to-night with +these two sick oxen, but after the midday outspan we will ride on, and +be there by sundown. I am afraid you are tired of this trekking." + +"No," she answered. "I like it very much; it is so restful, and I +sleep sound upon that cartel. I feel as though I should like to trek +on for the rest of my life." + +"So you shall if you wish, dear, for whole months. South Africa is +big, and when the grass grows, if you still wish it, we will take a +long journey." + +She smiled, but made no answer, knowing that he was thinking of the +place so far away where he believed that once the Portuguese had +buried gold. + +The kettle was singing now merrily enough, and Hans, the cook, lifting +it from the fire in triumph--for his blowing exertions had been +severe--poured into it a quantity of ground coffee from an old mustard +tin. Then, having stirred the mixture with a stick, he took a red +ember from the fire and dropped it into the kettle, a process which, +as travellers in the veld know well, has a clearing effect upon the +coffee. Next he produced pannikins, and handed them up with a pickle +jar full of sugar to Mr. Clifford, upon the waggon chest. Milk they +had none, yet that coffee tasted a great deal better than it looked; +indeed, Benita drank two cups of it to warm herself and wash down the +hard biscuit. Before the day was over glad enough was she that she had +done so. + +The sun was rising; huge and red it looked seen through the clinging +mist, and, their breakfast finished, Mr. Clifford gave orders that the +oxen, which were filling themselves with the dry grass near at hand, +should be got up and inspanned. The voorlooper, a Zulu boy, who had +left them for a little while to share the rest of the coffee with +Hans, rose from his haunches with a grunt, and departed to fetch them. +A minute or two later Hans ceased from his occupation of packing up +the things, and said in a low voice: + +"/Kek!/ Baas"--that is "Look!" + +Following the line of his outstretched hand, Benita and her father +perceived, not more than a hundred yards away from them, a great troop +of wilderbeeste, or gnu, travelling along a ridge, and pausing now and +again to indulge in those extraordinary gambols which cause the Boers +to declare that these brutes have a worm in their brains. + +"Give me my rifle, Hans," said Mr. Clifford. "We want meat." + +By the time that the Westley-Richards was drawn from its case and +loaded, only one buck remained, for, having caught sight of the +waggon, it turned to stare at it suspiciously. Mr. Clifford aimed and +fired. Down went the buck, then springing to its feet again, vanished +behind the ridge. Mr. Clifford shook his head sadly. + +"I don't often do that sort of thing, my dear, but the light is still +very bad. Still, he's hit. What do you say? Shall we get on the horses +and catch him? A canter would warm you." + +Benita, who was tender-hearted, reflected that it would be kinder to +put the poor creature out of its pain, and nodded her head. Five +minutes later they were cantering together up the rise, Mr. Clifford +having first ordered the waggon to trek on till they rejoined it, and +slipped a packet of cartridges into his pocket. Beyond the rise lay a +wide stretch of marshy ground, bordered by another rise half a mile or +more away, from the crest of which--for now the air was clear enough-- +they saw the wounded bull standing. On they went after him, but before +they could come within shot, he had moved forward once more, for he +was only lightly hurt in the flank, and guessed whence his trouble +came. + +Again and again did he retreat as they drew near, until at length, +just as Mr. Clifford was about to dismount to risk a long shot, the +beast took to its heels in earnest. + +"Come on," he said; "don't let's be beat," for by this time the hunter +was alive in him. + +So off they went at a gallop, up slopes and down slopes that reminded +Benita of the Bay of Biscay in a storm, across half-dried vleis that +in the wet season were ponds, through stony ground and patches of ant- +bear holes in which they nearly came to grief. For five miles at least +the chase went on, since at the end of winter the wilderbeeste was +thin and could gallop well, notwithstanding its injury, faster even +than their good horses. At last, rising a ridge, they found whither it +was going, for suddenly they were in the midst of vast herds of game, +thousands and tens of thousands of them stretching as far as the eye +could reach. + +It was a wondrous sight that now, alas! will be seen no more--at any +rate upon the Transvaal veld; wilderbeeste, blesbok, springbok, in +countless multitudes, and amongst them a few quagga and hartebeeste. +With a sound like that of thunder, their flashing myriad hoofs casting +up clouds of dust from the fire-blackened veld, the great herds +separated at the appearance of their enemy, man. This way and that +they went in groups and long brown lines, leaving the wounded and +exhausted wilderbeeste behind them, so that presently he was the sole +tenant of that great cup of land. + +At him they rode till Mr. Clifford, who was a little ahead of his +daughter, drew almost alongside. Then the poor maddened brute tried +its last shift. Stopping suddenly, it wheeled round and charged head +down. Mr. Clifford, as it came, held out his rifle in his right hand +and fired at a hazard. The bullet passed through the bull, but could +not stop its charge. Its horns, held low, struck the forelegs of the +horse, and next instant horse, man, and wilderbeeste rolled on the +veld together. + +Benita, who was fifty yards behind, uttered a little cry of fear, but +before ever she reached him, her father had risen laughing, for he was +quite unhurt. The horse, too, was getting up, but the bull could rise +no more. It struggled to its forefeet, uttered a kind of sobbing +groan, stared round wildly, and rolled over, dead. + +"I never knew a wilderbeeste charge like that before," said Mr. +Clifford. "Confound it! I believe my horse is lamed." + +Lamed it was, indeed, where the bull had struck the foreleg, though, +as it chanced, not badly. Having tied a handkerchief to the horn of +the buck in order to scare away the vultures, and thrown some tufts of +dry grass upon its body, which he proposed, if possible, to fetch or +send for, Mr. Clifford mounted his lame horse and headed for the +waggon. But they had galloped farther than they thought, and it was +midday before they came to what they took to be the road. As there was +no spoor upon it, they followed this track backwards, expecting to +find the waggon outspanned, but although they rode for mile upon mile, +no waggon could they see. Then, realizing their mistake, they retraced +their steps, and leaving this path at the spot where they had found +it, struck off again to the right. + +Meanwhile, the sky was darkening, and at about three o'clock in the +afternoon a thunderstorm broke over them accompanied by torrents of +icy rain, the first fall of the spring, and a bitter wind which +chilled them through. More, after the heavy rain came drizzle and a +thick mist that deepened as evening approached. + +Now their plight was very wretched. Lost, starved, soaked to the skin, +with tired horses one of which was lame, they wandered about on the +lonely veld. Only one stroke of fortune came to them. As the sun set, +for a few moments its rays pierced the mist, telling them in what +direction they should go. Turning their horses, they headed for it, +and so rode on until the darkness fell. Then they halted a while, but +feeling that if they stood still in that horrible cold they would +certainly perish before morning, once more pushed on again. By now Mr. +Clifford's horse was almost too lame to ride, so he led it, walking at +his daughter's side, and reproaching himself bitterly for his +foolishness in having brought her into this trouble. + +"It doesn't matter, Father," she answered wearily, for she was very +tired. "Nothing matters; one may as well die upon the veld as in the +sea or anywhere else." + +On they plodded, they knew not whither. Benita fell asleep upon her +saddle, and was awakened once by a hyena howling quite close to them, +and once by her horse falling to its knees. + +"What is the time?" she said at last. + +Her father struck a match and looked at his watch. It was ten o'clock; +they had been fifteen hours away from the waggon and without food. At +intervals Mr. Clifford, who had remounted, fired his rifle. Now there +was but one cartridge left, and having caught sight of his daughter's +exhausted face by the light of the match, he fired this also, though +in that desperate wilderness there was little hope of its bringing +succour. + +"Shall we stop or go on?" he asked. + +"I do not care," she answered. "Only if I stop I think it will be for +ever. Let us go on." + +Now the rain had ceased, but the mist was as dense as before. Also +they seemed to have got among bush, for wet leaves brushed their +faces. Utterly exhausted they stumbled forward, till suddenly Benita +felt her horse stop as though a hand had seized its bridle, and heard +a man's voice, speaking with a foreign accent, say: + +"Mein Gott! Where are you going?" + +"I wish I knew," she answered, like one in a dream. + +At this instant the moon rose above the mists, and Benita saw Jacob +Meyer for the first time. + +In that light his appearance was not unpleasing. A man of about forty +years of age, not over tall, slight and active in build, with a +pointed black beard, regular, Semitic features, a complexion of an +ivory pallor which even the African sun did not seem to tan, and dark, +lustrous eyes that appeared, now to sleep, and now to catch the fire +of the thoughts within. Yet, weary though she was, there was something +in the man's personality which repelled and alarmed Benita, something +wild and cruel. She felt that he was filled with unsatisfied ambitions +and desires, and that to attain to them he would shrink at nothing. In +a moment he was speaking again in tones that compelled her attention. + +"It was a good thought that brought me here to look for you. No; not a +thought--what do you call it?--an instinct. I think your mind must +have spoken to my mind, and called me to save you. See now, Clifford, +my friend, where you have led your daughter. See, see!" And he pointed +downwards. + +They leaned forward and stared. There, immediately beneath them, was a +mighty gulf whereof the moonlight did not reveal the bottom. + +"You are no good veld traveller, Clifford, my friend; one more step of +those silly beasts, and down below there would have been two red heaps +with bits of bones sticking out of them--yes, there on the rocks five +hundred feet beneath. Ah! you would have slept soundly to-night, both +of you." + +"Where is the place?" asked Mr. Clifford in a dazed fashion. +"Leopard's Kloof?" + +"Yes; Leopard's Kloof, no other. You have travelled along the top of +the hill, not at the bottom. Certainly that was a good thought which +came to me from the lady your daughter, for she is one of the thought +senders, I am sure. Ah! it came to me suddenly; it hit me like a stick +whilst I was searching for you, having found that you had lost the +waggon. It said to me, 'Ride to the top of Leopard's Kloof. Ride +hard.' I rode hard through the rocks and the darkness, through the +mist and the rain, and not one minute had I been here when you came +and I caught the lady's bridle." + +"I am sure we are very grateful to you," murmured Benita. + +"Then I am paid back ten thousand times. No; it is I who am grateful-- +I who have saved your life through the thought you sent me." + +"Thought or no thought, all's well that ends well," broke in Mr. +Clifford impatiently. "And thank Heaven we are not more than three +miles away from home. Will you lead the way, Jacob? You always could +see in the dark?" + +"Yes, yes," and he took hold of Benita's bridle with his firm, white +hand. "Oh! my horse will follow, or put your arm through his rein--so. +Now come on, Miss Clifford, and be afraid no more. With Jacob Meyer +you are safe." + +So they began their descent of the hill. Meyer did not speak again; +all his attention seemed to be concentrated upon finding a safe path +on which the horses would not stumble. Nor did Benita speak; she was +too utterly exhausted--so exhausted, indeed, that she could no longer +control her mind and imagination. These seemed to loose themselves +from her and to acquire new powers, notably that of entering into the +secret thoughts of the man at her side. She saw them pass before her +like living things, and yet she could not read them. Still, something +she did understand--that she had suddenly grown important to this man, +not in the way in which women are generally important to men, but +otherwise. She felt as though she had become interwoven with the +objects of his life, and was henceforth necessary to their fulfilment, +as though she were someone whom he had been seeking for years on +years, the one person who could give him light in his darkness. + +These imaginings troubled her, so that she was very thankful when they +passed away as swiftly as they had arisen, and she knew only that she +was half dead with weariness and cold; that her limbs ached and that +the steep path seemed endless. + +At length they reached level ground, and after travelling along it for +a while and crossing the bed of a stream, passed through a gate, and +stopped suddenly at the door of a house with lighted windows. + +"Here is your home at last, Miss Clifford," said the musical voice of +Jacob Meyer, "and I thank the Fate which rules us that it has taught +me to bring you to it safely." + +Making no answer she slid from the saddle, only to find that she could +not stand, for she sank into a heap upon the ground. With a gentle +exclamation he lifted her, and calling to two Kaffirs who had appeared +to take the horses, led her into the house. + +"You must go to bed at once," he said, conducting her to a door which +opened out of the sitting-room. "I have had a fire lit in your chamber +in case you should come, and old Tante Sally will bring you soup with +brandy in it, and hot water for your feet. Ah! there you are, old +vrouw. Come now; help the lady, your mistress. Is all ready?" + +"All, Baas," answered the woman, a stout half-breed with a kindly +face. "Come now, my little one, and I will undress you." + +Half an hour later Benita, having drunk more brandy than ever she had +done in her life before, was wrapped up and fast asleep. + +When she awoke the sun was streaming through the curtained window of +her room, and by the light of it she saw that the clock which stood +upon the mantelpiece pointed to half-past eleven. She had slept for +nearly twelve hours, and felt that, notwithstanding the cold and +exposure, save for stiffness and a certain numb feeling in her head-- +the result, perhaps, of the unaccustomed brandy--she was well and, +what was more, quite hungry. + +Outside on the verandah she heard the voice of Jacob Meyer, with which +she seemed already to have become familiar, telling some natives to +stop singing, as they would wake the chieftainess inside. He used the +Zulu word Inkosi-kaas, which, she remembered, meant head-lady or +chieftainess. He was very thoughtful for her, she reflected, and was +grateful, till suddenly she remembered the dislike she had taken to +the man. + +Then she looked round her room and saw that it was very pretty, well +furnished and papered, with water-colour pictures on the walls of no +mean merit, things that she had not expected in this far-off place. +Also on a table stood a great bowl of arum lilies. She wondered who +had put them there; whether it were the old half-breed, Sally, or +Jacob Meyer. Also she wondered who had painted the pictures, which +were all of African scenery, and something told her that both the +flowers and the pictures came from Jacob Meyer. + +On the little table by her bed was a handbell, which presently she +rang. Instantly she heard the voice of Sally calling for the coffee +"quick," and next minute the woman entered, bringing a tray with it, +and bread and butter--yes, and toast and eggs, which had evidently +been made ready for her. Speaking in English mixed with Dutch words, +she told Benita that her father was still in bed, but sent her his +love, and wished to know how she did. Then, while she ate her +breakfast with appetite, Sally set her a bath, and subsequently +appeared carrying the contents of the box she had used upon the +waggon, which had now arrived safely at the farm. Benita asked who had +ordered the box to be unpacked, and Sally answered that the Heer Meyer +had ordered it so that she might not be disturbed in her sleep, and +that her things should be ready for her when she woke. + +"The Heer Meyer thinks a great deal about other people," said Benita. + +"Ja, ja!" answered the old half-breed. "He tink much about people when +he want to tink about them, but he tink most about himself. Baas +Meyer, he a very clever man--oh! a very clever man, who want to be a +great man too. And one day, Missee, he be a great man, great and rich +--if the Heer God Almighty let him." + + + +VI + +THE GOLD COIN + +Six weeks had gone by since the eventful evening of Benita's arrival +at Rooi Krantz. Now the spring had fully come, the veld was emerald +with grass and bright with flowers. In the kloof behind the house +trees had put out their leaves, and the mimosas were in bloom, making +the air heavy with their scent. Amongst them the ringdoves nested in +hundreds, and on the steep rocks of the precipice the red-necked +vultures fed their young. Along the banks of the stream and round the +borders of the lake the pig-lilies bloomed, a sheet of white. All the +place was beautiful and full of life and hope. Nothing seemed dead and +hopeless except Benita's heart. + +Her health had quite come back to her; indeed, never before had she +felt so strong and well. But the very soul had withered in her breast. +All day she thought, and all night she dreamed of the man who, in cold +blood, had offered up his life to save a helpless woman and her child. +She wondered whether he would have done this if he had heard the +answer that was upon her lips. Perhaps that was why she had not been +given time to speak that answer, which might have made a coward of +him. For nothing more had been heard of Robert Seymour; indeed, +already the tragedy of the ship /Zanzibar/ was forgotten. The dead had +buried their dead, and since then worse disasters had happened in the +world. + +But Benita could not bury her dead. She rode about the veld, she sat +by the lake and watched the wild fowl, or at night heard them +flighting over her in flocks. She listened to the cooing of the doves, +the booming of the bitterns in the reeds, and the drumming of the +snipe high in air. She counted the game trekking along the ridge till +her mind grew weary. She sought consolation from the breast of Nature +and found none; she sought it in the starlit skies, and oh! they were +very far away. Death reigned within her who outwardly was so fair to +see. + +In the society of her father, indeed, she took pleasure, for he loved +her, and love comforted her wounded heart. In that of Jacob Meyer also +she found interest, for now her first fear of the man had died away, +and undoubtedly he was very interesting; well-bred also after a +fashion, although a Jew who had lost his own faith and rejected that +of the Christians. + +He told her that he was a German by birth, that he had been sent to +England as a boy, to avoid the conscription, which Jews dislike, since +in soldiering there is little profit. Here he had become a clerk in a +house of South African merchants, and, as a consequence--having shown +all the ability of his race--was despatched to take charge of a branch +business in Cape Colony. What happened to him there Benita never +discovered, but probably he had shown too much ability of an oblique +nature. At any rate, his connection with the firm terminated, and for +years he became a wandering "smouse," or trader, until at length he +drifted into partnership with her father. + +Whatever might have been his past, however, soon she found that he was +an extremely able and agreeable man. It was he and no other who had +painted the water-colours that adorned her room, and he could play and +sing as well as he painted. Also, as Robert had told her, Mr. Meyer +was very well-read in subjects that are not usually studied on the +veld of South Africa; indeed, he had quite a library of books, most of +them histories or philosophical and scientific works, of which he +would lend her volumes. Fiction, however, he never read, for the +reason, he told her, that he found life itself and the mysteries and +problems which surround it so much more interesting. + +One evening, when they were walking together by the lake, watching the +long lights of sunset break and quiver upon its surface, Benita's +curiosity overcame her, and she asked him boldly how it happened that +such a man as he was content to live the life he did. + +"In order that I may reach a better," he answered. "Oh! no, not in the +skies, Miss Clifford, for of them I know nothing, nor, as I believe, +is there anything to know. But here--here." + +"What do you mean by a better life, Mr. Meyer?" + +"I mean," he answered, with a flash of his dark eyes, "great wealth, +and the power that wealth brings. Ah! I see you think me very sordid +and materialistic, but money is God in this world, Miss Clifford-- +money is God." + +She smiled and answered: "I fear, then, that he is likely to prove an +invisible god on the high veld, Mr. Meyer. You will scarcely make a +great fortune out of horse-breeding, and here there is no one to +rule." + +"Do you suppose, then, that is why I stop at Rooi Krantz, just to +breed horses? Has not your father told you about the great treasure +hidden away up there among the Makalanga?" + +"I have heard something of it," she answered with a sigh. "Also that +both of you went to look for it and were disappointed." + +"Ah! The Englishman who was drowned--Mr. Seymour--he spoke of it, did +he not? He found us there." + +"Yes; and you wished to shoot him--do you remember?" + +"God in Heaven! Yes, because I thought he had come to rob us. Well, I +did not shoot, and afterwards we were hunted out of the place, which +does not much matter, as those fools of natives refused to let us dig +in the fortress." + +"Then why do you still think about this treasure which probably does +not exist?" + +"Why, Miss Clifford, do you think about various things that probably +do not exist? Perhaps because you feel that here or elsewhere they +/do/ exist. Well, that is what I feel about the treasure, and what I +have always felt. It exists, and I shall find it--now. I shall live to +see more gold than you can even imagine, and that is why I still +continue to breed horses on the Transvaal veld. Ah! you laugh; you +think it is a nightmare that I breed----" + +Then suddenly he became aware of Sally, who had appeared over the fold +of the rise behind them, and asked irritably: + +"What is it now, old vrouw?" + +"The Baas Clifford wants to speak with you, Baas Jacob. Messengers +have come to you from far away." + +"What messengers?" he asked. + +"I know not," answered Sally, fanning her fat face with a yellow +pocket-handkerchief. "They are strange people to me, and thin with +travelling, but they talk a kind of Zulu. The Baas wishes you to +come." + +"Will you come also, Miss Clifford? No? Then forgive me if I leave +you," and lifting his hat he went. + +"A strange man, Missee," said old Sally, when he had vanished, walking +very fast. + +"Yes," answered Benita, in an indifferent voice. + +"A very strange man," went on the old woman. "Too much in his kop," +and she tapped her forehead. "I tink it will burst one day; but if it +does not burst, then he will be great. I tell you that before, now I +tell it you again, for I tink his time come. Now I go cook dinner." + +Benita sat by the lake till the twilight fell, and the wild geese +began to flight over her. Then she walked back to the house thinking +no more of Heer Meyer, thinking only that she was weary of this place +in which there was nothing to occupy her mind and distract it from its +ever present sorrow. + +At dinner, or rather supper, that night she noticed that both her +father and his partner seemed to be suffering from suppressed +excitement, of which she thought she could guess the cause. + +"Did you find your messengers, Mr. Meyer?" she asked, when the men had +lit their pipes, and the square-face--as Hollands was called in those +days, from the shape of the bottle--was set upon the rough table of +speckled buchenhout wood. + +"Yes, I found them," he answered; "they are in the kitchen now." And +he looked at Mr. Clifford. + +"Benita, my dear," said her father, "rather a curious thing has +happened." Her face lit up, but he shook his head. "No, nothing to do +with the shipwreck--that is all finished. Still, something that may +interest you, if you care to hear a story." + +Benita nodded; she was in a mood to hear anything that would occupy +her thoughts. + +"You know something about this treasure business," went on her father. +"Well, this is the tale of it. Years ago, after you and your mother +had gone to England, I went on a big game shooting expedition into the +interior. My companion was an old fellow called Tom Jackson, a rolling +stone, and one of the best elephant hunters in Africa. We did pretty +well, but the end of it was that we separated north of the Transvaal, +I bringing down the ivory that we had shot, and traded, and Tom +stopping to put in another season, the arrangement being that he was +to join me afterwards, and take his share of the money. I came here +and bought this farm from a Boer who was tired of it--cheap enough, +too, for I only gave him £100 for the 6,000 acres. The kitchens behind +were his old house, for I built a new one. + +"A year had gone by before I saw any more of Tom Jackson, and then he +turned up more dead than alive. He had been injured by an elephant, +and lay for some months among the Makalanga to the north of +Matabeleland, where he got fever badly at a place called Bambatse, on +the Zambesi. These Makalanga are a strange folk. I believe their name +means the People of the Sun; at any rate, they are the last of some +ancient race. Well, while he was there he cured the old Molimo, or +hereditary high-priest of this tribe, of a bad fever by giving him +quinine, and naturally they grew friendly. The Molimo lived among +ruins of which there are many over all that part of South Africa. No +one knows who built them now; probably it was people who lived +thousands of years ago. However, this Molimo told Tom Jackson a more +recent legend connected with the place. + +"He said that six generations before, when his great-great-great +grandfather was chief (Mambo, he called it), the natives of all that +part of South Africa rose against the white men--Portuguese, I suppose +--who still worked the gold there. They massacred them and their +slaves by thousands, driving them up from the southward, where +Lobengula rules now, to the Zambesi by which the Portuguese hoped to +escape to the coast. At length a remnant of them, not more than about +two hundred men and women, arrived at the stronghold called Bambatse, +where the Molimo now lives in a great ruin built by the ancients upon +an impregnable mountain which overhangs the river. With them they +brought an enormous quantity of gold, all the stored-up treasure of +the land which they were trying to carry off. But although they +reached the river they could not escape by it, since the natives, who +pursued them in thousands, watched day and night in canoes, and the +poor fugitives had no boats. Therefore it came about that they were +shut up in this fortress which it was impossible to storm, and there +slowly perished of starvation. + +"When it was known that they were all dead, the natives who had +followed them from the south, and who wanted blood and revenge, not +gold, which was of no use to them, went away; but the old priest's +forefather who knew the secret entrance to the place, and who had been +friendly to the Portuguese, forced his way in and there, amidst the +dead, found one woman living, but mad with grief--a young and +beautiful girl, the daughter of the Portuguese lord or captain. He +gave her food, but in the night, when some strength had returned to +her, she left him, and at daybreak he found her standing on the peak +that overhangs the river, dressed all in white. + +"He called some of his councillors, and they tried to persuade her to +come down from the rock, but she answered, 'No, her betrothed and all +her family and friends were dead, and it was her will to follow them.' +Then they asked where was the gold, for having watched day and night +they knew it had not been thrown into the river. She answered that it +was where it was, and that, seek as he might, no black man would ever +find it. She added that she gave it into his keeping, and that of his +descendants, to safeguard until she came again. Also she said that if +they were faithless to that trust, then it had been revealed to her +from heaven above that those same savages who had killed her father +and her people, would kill his people also. When she had spoken thus +she stood a while praying on the peak, then suddenly hurled herself +into the river, and was seen no more. + +"From that day to this the ruin has been held to be haunted, and save +the Molimo himself, who retires there to meditate and receive +revelations from the spirits, no one is allowed to set a foot in its +upper part; indeed, the natives would rather die than do so. +Consequently the gold still remains where it was hidden. This place +itself Tom Jackson did not see, since, notwithstanding his friendship +for him, the Molimo refused to allow him to enter there. + +"Well, Tom never recovered; he died here, and is buried in the little +graveyard behind the house which the Boers made for some of their +people. It was shortly before his death that Mr. Meyer became my +partner, for I forgot to say that I had told him the story, and we +determined to have a try for that great wealth. You know the rest. We +trekked to Bambatse, pretending to be traders, and found the old +Molimo who knew of me as having been Tom Jackson's friend. We asked +him if the story he had told to Jackson were true, and he answered +that, surely as the sun shone in the heavens, it was true--every word +of it--for it, and much more than he had spoken of, had been handed +down from father to son, and that they even knew the name of the white +lady who had killed herself. It was Ferreira--your mother's name, +Benita, though a common one enough in South Africa. + +"We asked him to allow us to enter the topmost stronghold, which +stands upon the hill, but he refused, saying that the curse still lay +upon him and his, and that no man should enter until the lady Ferreira +came again. For the rest the place was free to us; we might dig as we +would. So we did dig, and found some gold buried with the ancients, +beads and bangles and wire--about £100 worth. Also--that was on the +day when the young Seymours came upon us, and accounts for Meyer's +excitement, for he thought that we were on the track of the treasure-- +we found a single gold coin, no doubt one that had been dropped by the +Portuguese. Here it is." And he threw a thin piece of gold on the +table before her. "I have shown it to a man learned in those matters, +and he says that it is a ducat struck by one of the doges of Venice. + +"Well, we never found any more. The end of it was that the Makalanga +caught us trying to get in to the secret stronghold by stealth, and +gave us the choice of clearing out or being killed. So we cleared out, +for treasure is not of much use to dead men." + +Mr. Clifford ceased speaking, and filled his pipe, while Meyer helped +himself to squareface in an absent manner. As for Benita, she stared +at the quaint old coin, which had a hole in it, wondering with what +scenes of terror and of bloodshed it had been connected. + +"Keep it," said her father. "It will go on that bracelet of yours." + +"Thank you, dear," she answered. "Though I don't know why I should +take all the Portuguese treasure since we shall never see any more of +it." + +"Why not, Miss Clifford?" asked Meyer quickly. + +"The story tells you why--because the natives won't even let you look +for it; also, looking and finding are different things." + +"Natives change their minds sometimes, Miss Clifford. That story is +not done, it is only begun, and now you shall hear its second chapter. +Clifford, may I call in the messengers?" And without waiting for an +answer he rose and left the room. + +Neither Mr. Clifford nor his daughter said anything after he had gone. +Benita appeared to occupy herself in fixing the broad gold coin to a +little swivel on her bracelet, but while she did so once more that +sixth sense of hers awoke within her. As she had been afraid at the +dinner on the doomed steamer, so again she was afraid. Again death and +great fear cast their advancing shadows on to her soul. That piece of +gold seemed to speak to her, yet, alas! she could not understand its +story. Only she knew that her father and Jacob Meyer and--yes, yes, +yes--Robert Seymour, had all a part in that tragedy. Oh! how could +that be when he was dead? How could this gold link him to her? She +knew not--she cared not. All she knew was that she would follow this +treasure to the edge of the world, and if need be, over it, if only it +brought her back to him again. + + + +VII + +THE MESSENGERS + +The door opened, and through it came Jacob Meyer, followed by three +natives. Benita did not see or hear them; her soul was far away. There +at the head of the room, clad all in white, for she wore no mourning +save in her heart, illuminated by the rays of the lamp that hung above +her, she stood still and upright, for she had risen; on the face and +in her wide, dark eyes a look that was very strange to see. Jacob +Meyer perceived it and stopped; the three natives perceived it also +and stopped. There they stood, all four of them, at the end of the +long sitting-room, staring at the white Benita and at her haunted +eyes. + +One of the natives pointed with his thin finger to her face, and +whispered to the others. Meyer, who understood their tongue, caught +the whisper. It was: + +"Behold the Spirit of the Rock!" + +"What spirit, and what rock?" he asked in a low voice. + +"She who haunts Bambatse; she whom our eyes have seen," answered the +man, still staring at Benita. + +Benita heard the whispering, and knew it was about herself, though not +one word of it did she catch. With a sigh she shook herself free from +her visions and sat down in a chair close by. Then one by one the +messengers drew near to her, and each, as he came, made a profound +obeisance, touching the floor with his finger-tips, and staring at her +face. But her father they only saluted with an uplifted hand. She +looked at them with interest, and indeed they were interesting in +their way; tall, spare men, light coloured, with refined, mobile +faces. Here was no negro-blood, but rather that of some ancient people +such as Egyptians or Phœnicians: men whose forefathers had been wise +and civilized thousands of years ago, and perchance had stood in the +courts of Pharaoh or of Solomon. + +Their salutations finished, the three men squatted in a line upon the +floor, drawing their fur karosses, or robes, about them, and waited in +silence. Jacob Meyer thought a while, then said: + +"Clifford, will you translate to your daughter, so that she may be +sure she is told exactly what passes?" + +Next he turned and addressed the natives. + +"Your names are Tamas, Tamala, and Hoba, and you, Tamas, are the son +of the Molimo of Bambatse, who is called Mambo, and you, Tamala and +Hoba, are his initiated councillors. Is it so?" + +They bowed their heads. + +"Good. You, Tamas, tell the story and give again your message that +this lady, the lady Benita, may hear it, for she has a part in the +matter." + +"We understand that she has a part," answered Tamas. "We read in her +face that she has the greatest part. Doubtless it is of her that the +Spirit told my father. These, spoken by my mouth, are the words of the +Molimo, my father, which we have travelled so far to deliver. + +"'When you two white men visited Bambatse four years ago, you asked of +me, Mambo, to be admitted to the holy place, that you might look for +the treasure there which the Portuguese hid in the time of my ancestor +in the sixth generation. I refused to allow you to look, or even to +enter the holy place, because I am by birth the guardian of that +treasure, although I know not where it lies. But now I am in a great +strait. I have news that Lobengula the usurper, who is king of the +Matabele, has taken offence against me for certain reasons, among them +that I did not send him a sufficient tribute. It is reported to me +that he purposes next summer to despatch an impi to wipe me and my +people out, and to make my kraal black as the burnt veld. I have +little strength to resist him who is mighty, and my people are not +warlike. From generation to generation they have been traders, +cultivators of the land, workers in metal, and men of peace, who +desire not to kill or be killed. Also they are few. Therefore I have +no power to stand against Lobengula. + +"'I remember the guns that you and your companion brought with you, +which can kill things from far away. If I had a supply of those guns +from behind my walls I might defy the impi of Lobengula, whose +warriors use the assegai. If you will bring me a hundred good guns and +plenty of powder and bullets for them, it is revealed to me that it +will be lawful for me to admit you to the secret, holy place, where +you may look for the buried gold for as long as you wish, and if you +can find it, take it all away without hindrance from me or my people. +But I will be honest with you. That gold will never be found save by +the one appointed. The white lady said so in the time of my +forefather; he heard it with his ears, and I have heard it from his +descendants with my ears, and so it shall be. Still, if you bring the +guns you can come and see if either of you is that one appointed. But +I do not think that any man is so appointed, for the secret is hid in +woman. But of this you can learn for yourselves. I do but speak as I +am bidden. + +"'This is my message spoken by my mouth, Tamas, son of my body, and my +councillors who go with him will bear witness that he speaks the +truth. I, Mambo, the Molimo of Bambatse, send you greeting, and will +give you good welcome and fulfil my promise, if you come with the far- +shooting guns, ten times ten of them, and the powder, and the bullets +wherewith I may drive off the Matabele, but not otherwise. My son, +Tamas, and my councillors will drive your waggon into my country but +you must bring no strange servants. The Spirit of the white woman who +killed herself before the eyes of my forefather has been seen of late +standing upon the point of rock; also she has visited me at night in +my secret place where her companions died. I do not know all that this +portends, but I think that amongst other things she wished to tell me +that the Matabele are about to attack us. I await the decree of the +Heavens. I send you two karosses as a gift, and a little ancient gold, +since ivory is too heavy for my messengers to carry, and I have no +waggon. Farewell.'" + +"We have heard you," said Meyer, when Mr. Clifford had finished +translating, "and we wish to ask you a question. What do you mean when +you say that the Spirit of the white woman has been seen?" + +"I mean what I say, white man," answered Tamas. "She was seen by all +three of us, standing upon the pinnacle at the dawn; also my father +saw and spoke with her alone in his sleep at night. This is the third +time in my father's day that she has appeared thus, and always before +some great event." + +"What was she like?" asked Meyer. + +"Like? Oh! like the lady who sits yonder. Yes, quite the same, or so +it seemed to us. But who knows? We have seen no other white women, and +we were not very near. Let the lady come and stand side by side with +the Spirit, so that we can examine them both, and we shall be able to +answer better. Do you accept the offer of the Molimo?" + +"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 +her--see 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 right--there are risks, great +risks--fever, 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 think--I cannot tell you +why--that 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, power--power 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 laugh. + +"Yes," answered her father; "Jacob is always in earnest, though, +somehow, his earnestness has not brought him much good so far. If we +fail, it will not be want of thought and preparation on his part." + +Nearly a week went by before Meyer returned again, and meanwhile +Benita made ready for her journey. In the intervals of her simple +preparations also she talked a good deal, with the help of her father, +to the three sturdy-looking Makalanga, who were resting thankfully +after their long journey. Their conversation was general, since by +tacit consent no further mention was made of the treasure or of +anything to do with it, but it enabled her to form a fair opinion of +them and their people. She gathered that although they spoke a dialect +of Zulu, they had none of the bravery of the Zulus, and indeed lived +in deadly terror of the Matabele, who are bastard Zulus--such terror, +in fact, that she greatly doubted whether the hundred rifles would be +of much use to them, should they ever be attacked by that tribe. + +They were what their fathers had been before them, agriculturists and +workers in metals--not fighting men. Also she set herself to learn +what she could of their tongue, which she did not find difficult, for +Benita had a natural aptitude for languages, and had never forgotten +the Dutch and Zulu she used to prattle as a child, which now came back +to her very fast. Indeed, she could already talk fairly in either of +those languages, especially as she spent her spare hours in studying +their grammar, and reading them. + +So the days went on, till one evening Jacob Meyer appeared with two +Scotch carts laden with ten long boxes that looked like coffins, and +other smaller boxes which were very heavy, to say nothing of a +multitude of stores. As Mr. Clifford prophesied, he had forgotten +nothing, for he even brought Benita various articles of clothing, and +a revolver for which she had not asked. + +Three days later they trekked away from Rooi Krantz upon a peculiarly +beautiful Sunday morning in the early spring, giving it out that they +were going upon a trading and shooting expedition in the north of the +Transvaal. Benita looked back at the pretty little stead and the +wooded kloof behind it over which she had nearly fallen, and the +placid lake in front of it where the nesting wildfowl wheeled, and +sighed. For to her, now that she was leaving it, the place seemed like +home, and it came into her mind that she would never see it any more. + + + +VIII + +BAMBATSE + +Nearly four months had gone by when at length the waggon with which +were Mr. Clifford, Benita, and Jacob Meyer camped one night within the +country of the Molimo of Bambatse, whose name was Mambo. Or perhaps +that was his title, since (according to Tamas his son) every chief in +succession was called Mambo, though not all of them were Molimos, or +representatives and prophets of God, or the Great Spirit whom they +knew as Munwali. Thus sometimes the Molimo, or priest of Munwali, and +the Mambo or chief were different persons. For instance, he said that +he, Tamas, would be Mambo on his father's death, but no visions were +given to him; therefore as yet, at any rate, he was not called to be +Molimo. + +In the course of this long journey they had met with many adventures, +such as were common to African travellers before the days of +railroads; adventures with wild beasts and native tribes, adventures +with swollen rivers also, and one that was worst, with thirst, since +for three days (owing to the failure of a pit or pan, where they +expected to find water) they were obliged to go without drink. Still, +none of these were very serious, nor had any of the three of them ever +been in better health than they were at this moment, for by good luck +they had escaped all fever. Indeed, their rough, wild life had agreed +with Benita extraordinarily well, so well that any who had known her +in the streets of London would scarcely have recognized her as the +sunburnt, active and well-formed young woman who sat that night by the +camp fire. + +All the horses they had brought with them had been sold, except some +which had died, and three that were "salted," or proof against the +deadly horse sickness, which they took on with them. Their own +servants also had been sent back to Rooi Krantz in charge of a Scotch +cart laden with ivory, purchased from Boer hunters who had brought it +down from the north of the Transvaal. Therefore, for this was part of +the bargain, the three Makalanga were now their only attendants who +drove and herded the cattle, while Benita cooked the food which the +two white men shot, or sometimes bought from natives. + +For days they had been passing through a country that was practically +deserted, and now, having crossed a high nek, the same on which Robert +Seymour had left his waggon, they were camped in low land which, as +they could see by the remains of walls that appeared everywhere, had +once been extensively enclosed and cultivated. To their right was a +rising mountainous ground, beyond which, said the Makalanga, ran the +Zambesi, and in front of them, not more than ten miles away, a great +isolated hill, none other than that place that they had journeyed so +far to reach, Bambatse, round which flowed the great river. Indeed, +thither one of the three Makalanga, he who was named Hoba, had gone on +to announce their approach. + +They had outspanned amongst ruins, most of them circular in shape, and +Benita, studying them in the bright moonlight, guessed that once these +had been houses. That place now so solitary, hundreds or thousands of +years ago was undoubtedly the home of a great population. Thousands, +rather than hundreds, she thought, since close at hand in the middle +of one of these round houses, grew a mighty baobab tree, that could +not have seen less than ten or fifteen centuries since the seed whence +it sprang pierced the cement floor which was still visible about its +giant bole. + +Tamas, the Molimo's son, saw her studying these evidences of +antiquity, and, approaching, saluted her. + +"Lady," he said in his own language, which by now she spoke very well, +"lady"--and he waved his hand with a fine gesture--"behold the city of +my people." + +"How do you know that it was their city?" she asked. + +"I do not know, lady. Stones cannot speak, the spirits are silent, and +we have forgotten. Still, I think so, and our fathers have told us +that but six or eight generations ago many folk lived here, though it +was not they who built these walls. Even fifty years ago there were +many, but now the Matabele have killed them, and we are few; to-morrow +you will see how few. Come here and look," and he led her through the +entrance of a square cattle kraal which stood close by. Within were +tufts of rank grass, and a few bushes, and among these scores of +skulls and other bones. + +"The Matabele killed these in the time of Moselikatse," he said. "Now +do you wonder that we who remain fear the Matabele, and desire guns to +defend ourselves from them, even if we must sell our secrets, in order +to buy those guns, who have no money to pay for them?" + +"No," she answered, looking at the tall, dignified man, into whose +soul the irons of fear and slavery had burnt so deep. "No, I do not +wonder." + +Next morning at daybreak they trekked on, always through these +evidences of dead, forgotten people. They had not more than ten miles +to cover to reach their long journey's end, but the road, if so it +could be called, ran up-hill, and the oxen, whereof only fourteen were +now left to drag the heavy-laden waggon, were thin and footsore, so +that their progress was very slow. Indeed, it was past midday when at +length they began to enter what by apology might be called the town of +Bambatse. + +"When we go away from this, it will have to be by water, I think, +unless we can buy trek-cattle," said Meyer, looking at the labouring +oxen with a doubtful eye. + +"Why?" asked Mr. Clifford anxiously. + +"Because several of those beasts have been bitten by tetsefly, like my +horse, and the poison is beginning to work. I thought so last night, +but now I am sure. Look at their eyes. It was down in that bit of bush +veld eight days ago. I said that we ought not to camp there." + +At this moment they came to the crest of the ridge, and on its further +side saw the wonderful ruins of Bambatse close at hand. In front of +them stood a hill jutting out, as it were into the broad waters of the +Zambesi river, which, to a great extent, protected it upon three +sides. The fourth, that opposite to them, except at one place where a +kind of natural causeway led into the town, was also defended by +Nature, since here for more than fifty feet in height the granite rock +of the base of the hill rose sheer and unclimbable. On the mount +itself, that in all may have covered eight or ten acres of ground, and +surrounded by a deep donga or ditch, were three rings of +fortifications, set one above the other, mighty walls which, it was +evident, had been built by no modern hand. Looking at them Benita +could well understand how it came about that the poor fugitive +Portuguese had chosen this as their last place of refuge, and were +overcome at length, not by the thousands of savages who followed and +surrounded them, but by hunger. Indeed, the place seemed impregnable +to any force that was not armed with siege guns. + +On the hither side of this natural fosse, which, doubtless, in ancient +times had been filled with water led from the Zambesi, stood the +village of the Bambatse Makalanga, a collection of seventy or eighty +wretched huts, round, like those of their forefathers, but built of +mud and thatch. About them lay the gardens, or square fields, that +were well cultivated, and at this season rich with ripening corn. +Benita, however, could see no cattle, and concluded, therefore, that +these must be kept on the hill for safety, and within its walls. + +Down the rough road they lumbered, and through the village, where the +few women and children stared at them in a frightened way. Then they +came to the causeway, which, on its further side, was blocked with +thorns and rough stones taken from the ruins. While they waited for +these to be removed by some men who now appeared, Benita looked at the +massive, circular wall still thirty or forty feet in height, by +perhaps twenty through its base, built of granite blocks without +mortar, and ornamented with quaint patterns of other coloured stones. +In its thickness she could see grooves, where evidently had once been +portcullises, but these had disappeared long ago. + +"It is a wonderful place," she said to her father. "I am glad that I +came. Have you been all over it?" + +"No; only between the first and second walls, and once between the +second and third. The old temple, or whatever it is, is on the top, +and into that they would never admit us. It is there that the treasure +lies." + +"That the treasure is supposed to lie," she answered with a smile. +"But, Father, what guarantee have you that they will do so now? +Perhaps they will take the guns and show us the door--or rather the +gate." + +"Your daughter is right, there is none; and before a box is taken off +the waggon we must get one," said Meyer. "Oh! I know it is risky, and +it would have been better to make sure first, but it is too late to +talk of that now. Look, the stones are cleared. Trek on--trek!" + +The long waggon-whip cracked, the poor, tired-out oxen strained at the +yokes, and on they went through the entrance of that fateful fortress +that was but just wide enough to admit them. Inside lay a great open +space, which, as they could see from the numerous ruins, had once been +filled with buildings that now were half hidden by grass, trees, and +creepers. This was the outer ring of the temple where, in ancient +days, the priests and captains had their home. Travelling across it +for perhaps a hundred and fifty yards, they came near the second wall, +which was like the first, only not quite so solid, and saw that on a +stretch of beaten ground, and seated in the shadow, for the day was +hot, the people of Bambatse were gathered to greet them. + +When within fifty yards they dismounted from the horses, which were +left with the waggon in the charge of the Makalanga, Tamala. Then +Benita taking her position between her father and Jacob Meyer, they +advanced towards the ring of natives, of whom there may have been two +hundred--all of them adult men. + +As they came, except one figure who remained seated with his back +against the wall, the human circle stood up as a token of respect, and +Benita saw that they were of the same stamp as the messengers--tall +and good-looking, with melancholy eyes and a cowed expression, wearing +the appearance of people who from day to day live in dread of slavery +and death. Opposite to them was a break in the circle, through which +Tamas led them, and as they crossed it Benita felt that all those +people were staring at her with their sad eyes. A few paces from where +the man crouched against the wall, his head hidden by a beautifully +worked blanket that was thrown over it, were placed three well-carved +stools. Upon these, at a motion from Tamas, they sat themselves down, +and, as it was not dignified for them to speak first, remained silent. + +"Be patient and forgive," said Tamas at length. "My father, Mambo, +prays to the Munwali and the spirits of his fathers that this coming +of yours may be fortunate, and that a vision of those things that are +to be may descend upon him." + +Benita, feeling nearly two hundred pairs of eyes concentrated upon +her, wished that the vision might come quickly, but after a minute or +two fell into tune with the thing, and almost enjoyed this strange +experience. Those mighty ancient walls built by hands unknown, which +had seen so much history and so much death; the silent, triple ring of +patient, solemn men, the last descendants of a cultured race, the +crouching figure hidden beneath the blanket, who imagined himself to +be communicating with his god--it was all very strange, very well +worth the seeing to one who had wearied of the monotony of +civilization. + +Look, the man stirred, and threw back his blanket, revealing a head +white with age, a spiritual, ascetic face, so thin that every bone +showed in it, and dark eyes which stared upwards unseeingly, like +those of a person in a trance. Thrice he sighed, while his tribesmen +watched him. Then he let his eyes fall upon the three white people +seated in front of him. First he looked at Mr. Clifford, and his face +grew troubled; then at Jacob Meyer, and it was anxious and alarmed. +Lastly, he stared at Benita, and while he did so the dark eyes became +calm and happy. + +"White maiden," he said in a soft, low voice, "for you, at least, I +have good tidings. Though Death come near to you, though you see him +on your right hand and your left, and in front of you and behind you, +I say, fear not. Here you, who have known deep sorrow, shall find +happiness and rest, O maiden, with whom goes the spirit of one pure +and fair as you, who died so long ago." + +Then, while Benita wondered at his words, spoken with such sweet +earnestness that although she believed nothing of them, they brought a +kind of comfort to her, he looked once more at her father and Jacob +Meyer, and, as it were with an effort, was silent. + +"Have you no pleasant prophecy for me, old friend," said Jacob, "who +have come so far to hear it?" + +At once the aged face grew inscrutable, all expression vanished behind +a hundred wrinkles, and he answered: + +"None, white man--none that I am charged to deliver. Search the skies +for yourself, you who are so wise, and read them if you can. Lords," +he went on in another voice, "I greet you in the name and presence of +my children. Son Tamas, I greet you also; you have done your mission +well. Listen, now--you are weary and would rest and eat; still, bear +with me, for I have a word to say. Look around you. You see all my +tribe, not twenty times ten above the age of boys, we who once were +countless as the leaves on yonder trees in spring. Why are we dead? +Because of the Amandabele, those fierce dogs whom, two generations +ago, Moselikatse, the general of Chaka, brought up to the south of us, +who ravish us and kill us year by year. + +"We are not warlike, we who have outlived war and the lust of slaying. +We are men of peace, who desire to cultivate the land, and to follow +our arts which have descended to us from our ancestors, and to worship +the Heavens above us, whither we depart to join the spirits of our +forefathers. But they are fierce and strong and savage, and they come +up and murder our children and old people, and take away the young +women and the maidens to be slaves, and with them all our cattle. +Where are our cattle? Lobengula, chief of the Amandabele, has them; +scarce a cow is left to give milk to the sick or to the motherless +babe. And yet he sends for cattle. Tribute, say his messengers, +deliver tribute, or my impi will come and take it with your lives. But +we have no cattle--all are gone. We have nothing left to us but this +ancient mountain and the works built thereon, and a little corn on +which we live. Yes, I say it--I, the Molimo--I whose ancestors were +great kings--I who have still more wisdom in me than all the hosts of +the Amandabele," and as he spoke the old man's grey head sank upon his +breast and the tears ran down his withered cheeks, while his people +answered: + +"Mambo, it is true." + +"Now listen again," he went on. "Lobengula threatens us, therefore I +sent to these white men who were here before, saying that if they +would bring me a hundred guns, and powder and ball, to enable us to +beat off the Amandabele from behind these strong walls of ours, I +would take them into the secret holy place where for six generations +no white man has set a foot, and there suffer them to search for the +treasure which is hid therein, no man knows where, that treasure which +they asked leave to find four winters gone. We refused it then and +drove them hence, because of the curse laid upon us by the white maid +who died, the last of the Portuguese, who foretold her people's fate +for us if we gave up the buried gold save to one appointed. My +children, the Spirit of Bambatse has visited me; I have seen her and +others have seen her, and in my sleep she said to me: 'Suffer the men +to come and search, for with them is one of the blood to whom my +people's wealth is given; and great is your danger, for many spears +draw nigh.' My children, I sent my son and other messengers on a far +journey to where I knew the men dwelt, and they have returned after +many months bringing those men with them, bringing with them also +another of whom I knew nothing--yes, her who is appointed, her of whom +the Spirit spoke." + +Then he lifted his withered hand and held it towards Benita, saying: +"I tell you that yonder she sits for whom the generations have +waited." + +"It is so," answered the Makalanga. "It is the White Lady come again +to take her own." + +"Friends," asked the Molimo, while they wondered at his strange +speech, "tell me, have you brought the guns?" + +"Surely," answered Mr. Clifford, "they are there in the waggon, every +one of them, the best that can be made, and with them ten thousand +cartridges, bought at a great cost. We have fulfilled our share of the +bargain; now will you fulfil yours, or shall we go away again with the +guns and leave you to meet the Matabele with your assegais?" + +"Say you the agreement while we listen," answered the Molimo. + +"Good," said Mr. Clifford. "It is this: That you shall find us food +and shelter while we are with you. That you shall lead us into the +secret place at the head of the hill, where the Portuguese died, and +the gold is hidden. That you shall allow us to search for that gold +when and where we will. That if we discover the gold, or anything else +of value to us, you shall suffer us to take it away, and assist us +upon our journey, either by giving us boats and manning them to travel +down the Zambesi, or in whatever fashion may be most easy. That you +shall permit none to hurt, molest, or annoy us during our sojourn +among you. Is that our contract?" + +"Not quite all of it," said the Molimo. "There is this to add: first +that you shall teach us how to use the guns; secondly, that you shall +search for and find the treasure, if so it is appointed, without our +help, since in this matter it is not lawful for us to meddle; thirdly, +that if the Amandabele should chance to attack us while you are here, +you shall do your best to assist us against their power." + +"Do you, then, expect attack?" asked Meyer suspiciously. + +"White man, we always expect attack. Is it a bargain?" + +"Yes," answered Mr. Clifford and Jacob Meyer in one voice, the latter +adding: "the guns and the cartridges are yours. Lead us now to the +hidden place. We have fulfilled our part; we trust to the honour of +you and all your people to fulfil yours." + +"White Maiden," asked the Molimo, addressing Benita, "do you also say +that it is a bargain?" + +"What my father says, I say." + +"Good," said the Molimo. "Then, in the presence of my people, and in +the name of the Munwali, I, Mambo, who am his prophet, declare that it +is so agreed between us, and may the vengeance of the heavens fall +upon those who break our pact! Let the oxen of the white men be +outspanned, their horses fed, their waggon unloaded, that we may count +the guns. Let food be brought into the guest-house also, and after +they have eaten, I, who alone of all of you have ever entered it, will +lead them to the holy place, that there they may begin to search for +that which the white men desire from age to age--to find it if they +can; if not, to depart satisfied and at peace." + + + +IX + +THE OATH OF MADUNA + +Mr. Clifford and Meyer rose to return to the waggon in order to +superintend the unyoking of the oxen and to give directions as to +their herding, and the off-saddling of the horses. Benita rose also, +wondering when the food that had been promised would be ready, for she +was hungry. Meanwhile, the Molimo was greeting his son Tamas, patting +his hand affectionately and talking to him, when suddenly Benita, who +watched this domestic scene with interest, heard a commotion behind +her. Turning to discover its cause, she perceived three great man clad +in full war panoply, shields on their left arms, spears in their right +hands, black ostrich plumes rising from the polished rings woven in +their hair, black moochas about their middles, and black oxtails tied +beneath their knees, who marched through the throng of Makalanga as +though they saw them not. + +"The Matabele! The Matabele are on us!" cried a voice; while other +voices shouted, "Fly to your walls!" and yet others, "Kill them! They +are few." + +But the three men marched on unheeding till they stood before Mambo. + +"Who are you, and what do you seek?" the old man asked boldly, though +the fear that had taken hold of him at the sight of these strangers +was evident enough, for his whole body shook. + +"Surely you should know, chief of Bambatse," answered their spokesman +with a laugh, "for you have seen the like of us before. We are the +children of Lobengula, the Great Elephant, the King, the Black Bull, +the Father of the Amandabele, and we have a message for your ear, +little Old Man, which, finding that you leave your gate open, we have +walked in to deliver." + +"Speak your message then, envoys of Lobengula, in my ear and in those +of my people," said the Molimo. + +"Your people! Are these all your people?" the spokesman replied +contemptuously. "Why then, what need was there for the indunas of the +King to send so large an impi under a great general against you, when +a company of lads armed with sticks would have served the turn? We +thought that these were but the sons of your house, the men of your +own family, whom you had called together to eat with the white +strangers." + +"Close the entrance in the wall," cried the Molimo, stung to fury by +the insult; and a voice answered: + +"Father, it is already done." + +But the Matabele, who should have been frightened, only laughed again, +and their spokesman said: + +"See, my brothers, he thinks to trap us who are but three. Well, kill +on, Old Wizard, if you will, but know that if a hand is lifted, this +spear of mine goes through your heart, and that the children of +Lobengula die hard. Know also that then the impi which waits not far +away will destroy you every one, man and woman, youth and maiden, +little ones who hold the hand and infants at the breast; none shall be +left--none at all, to say, 'Here once lived the cowardly Makalanga of +Bambatse.' Nay, be not foolish, but talk softly with us, so that +perhaps we may spare your lives." + +Then the three men placed themselves back to back, in such fashion +that they faced every way, and could not be smitten down from behind, +and waited. + +"I do not kill envoys," said the Molimo, "but if they are foul- +mouthed, I throw them out of my walls. Your message, men of the +Amandabele." + +"I hear you. Hearken now to the word of Lobengula." + +Then the envoy began to speak, using the pronoun I as though it were +the Matabele king himself who spoke to his vassal, the Makalanga +chief: "I sent to you last year, you slave, who dare to call yourself +Mambo of the Makalanga, demanding a tribute of cattle and women, and +warning you that if they did not come, I would take them. They did not +come, but that time I spared you. Now I send again. Hand over to my +messengers fifty cows and fifty oxen, with herds to drive them, and +twelve maidens to be approved by them, or I wipe you out, who have +troubled the earth too long, and that before another moon has waned. + +"Those are the words of Lobengula," he concluded, and taking the horn +snuff-box from the slit in his ear, helped himself, then insolently +passed it to the Molimo. + +So great was the old chief's rage that, forgetting his self-control, +he struck the box from the hand of his tormentor to the ground, where +the snuff lay spilled. + +"Just so shall the blood of your people be spilled through your rash +foolishness," said the messenger calmly, as he picked up the box, and +as much of the snuff as he could save. + +"Hearken," said the Molimo, in a thin, trembling voice. "Your king +demands cattle, knowing that all the cattle are gone, that scarce a +cow is left to give drink to a motherless babe. He asks for maidens +also, but if he took those he seeks we should have none left for our +young men to marry. And why is this so? It is because the vulture, +Lobengula, has picked us to the bone; yes, while we are yet alive he +has torn the flesh from us. Year by year his soldiers have stolen and +killed, till at last nothing is left of us. And now he seeks what we +have not got to give, in order that he may force a quarrel upon us and +murder us. There is nought left for us to give Lobengula. You have +your answer." + +"Indeed!" replied the envoy with a sneer. "How comes it, then, that +yonder I see a waggon laden with goods, and oxen in the yokes? Yes," +he repeated with meaning, "with goods whereof we have known the like +at Buluwayo; for Lobengula also sometimes buys guns from white men, O! +little Makalanga. Come now, give us the waggon with its load and the +oxen and the horses, and though it be but a small gift, we will take +it away and ask nothing more this year." + +"How can I give you the property of my guests, the white men?" asked +the Molimo. "Get you gone, and do your worst, or you shall be thrown +from the walls of the fortress." + +"Good, but know that very soon we shall return and make an end of you, +who are tired of these long and troublesome journeys to gather so +little. Go, tend your corn, dwellers in Bambatse, for this I swear in +the name of Lobengula, never shall you see it ripen more." + +Now the crowd of listening Makalanga trembled at his words, but in the +old Molimo they seemed only to rouse a storm of prophetic fury. For a +moment he stood staring up at the blue sky, his arms outstretched as +though in prayer. Then he spoke in a new voice--a clear, quiet voice, +that did not seem to be his own. + +"Who am I?" he said. "I am the Molimo of the Bambatse Makalanga; I am +the ladder between them and Heaven; I sit on the topmost bough of the +tree under which they shelter, and there in the crest of the tree +Munwali speaks with me. What to you are winds, to me are voices +whispering in my spirit's ears. Once my forefathers were great kings, +they were Mambos of all the land, and that is still my name and +dignity. We lived in peace; we laboured, we did wrong to no man. Then +you Zulu savages came upon us from the south-east and your path was +red with blood. Year after year you robbed and you destroyed; you +raided our cattle, you murdered our men, you took our maidens and our +children to be your women and your slaves, until at length, of all +this pit filled with the corn of life, there is left but a little +handful. And this you say you will eat up also, lest it should fall +into good ground and grow again. I tell you that I think it will not +be so; but whether or no that happens, I have words for the ear of +your king--a message for a message. Say to him that thus speaks the +wise old Molimo of Bambatse. + +"I see him hunted like a wounded hyena through the rivers, in the deep +bush, and over the mountain. I see him die in pain and misery; but his +grave I see not, for no man shall know it. I see the white man take +his land and all his wealth; yea, to them and to no son of his shall +his people give the Bayéte, the royal salute. Of his greatness and his +power, this alone shall remain to him--a name accursed from generation +to generation. And last of all I see peace upon the land and upon my +children's children." He paused, then added: "For you, cruel dog that +you are, this message also from the Munwali, by the lips of his +Molimo. I lift no hand against you, but you shall not live to look +again upon your king's face. Begone now, and do your worst." + +For a moment the three Matabele seemed to be frightened, and Benita +heard one of them say to his companions: + +"The Wizard has bewitched us! He has bewitched the Great Elephant and +all his people! Shall we kill him?" + +But quickly shaking off his fears their spokesman laughed, and +answered: + +"So that is what you have brought the white people here for, old +traitor--to plot against the throne of Lobengula." + +He wheeled round and stared at Mr. Clifford and Jacob Meyer; then +added: + +"Good, Grey-beard and Black-Beard: I myself will put you both to such +a death as you have never heard of, and as for the girl, since she is +well favoured, she shall brew the king's beer, and be numbered amongst +the king's wives--unless, indeed, he is pleased to give her to me." + +In an instant the thing was done! At the man's words about Benita, +Meyer, who had been listening to his threats and bombast unconcerned, +suddenly seemed to awake. His dark eyes flashed, his pale face turned +cruel. Snatching the revolver from his belt he seemed to point and +fire it with one movement, and down--dead or dying--went the Matabele. + +Men did not stir, they only stared. Accustomed as they were to death +in that wild land, the suddenness of this deed surprised them. The +contrast between the splendid, brutal savage who had stood before them +a moment ago, and the limp, black thing going to sleep upon the +ground, was strange enough to move their imaginations. There he lay, +and there, over him, the smoking pistol in his hand, Meyer stood and +laughed. + +Benita felt that the act was just, and the awful punishment deserved. +Yet that laugh of Jacob's jarred upon her, for in it she thought she +heard the man's heart speaking; and oh, its voice was merciless! +Surely Justice should not laugh when her sword falls! + +"Behold, now," said the Molimo in his still voice, pointing at the +dead Matabele with his finger; "do I speak lies, or is it true that +this man shall not look more upon his king's face? Well, as it was +with the servant, so it shall be with the lord, only more slowly. It +is the decree of the Munwali, spoken by the voice of his Mouth, the +Molimo of Bambatse. Go, children of Lobengula, and bear with you as an +offering this first-fruit of the harvest that the white men shall reap +among the warriors of his people." + +The thin voice died away, and there was silence so intense that Benita +thought she heard the scraping of the feet of a green lizard which +crept across a stone a yard or two away. + +Then of a sudden it ended. Of a sudden the two remaining Matabele +turned and fled for their lives, and as, when dogs run, a flock of +sheep will wheel about and pursue them, so did the Makalanga. They +grabbed at the messengers with their hands, tearing their finery from +them; they struck them with sticks, they pounded them with stones, +till at length two bruised and bleeding men, finding all escape cut +off, and led perhaps by some instinct, staggered back to where Benita +stood horrified at this dreadful scene, and throwing themselves upon +the ground, clutched at her dress and prayed for mercy. + +"Move a little, Miss Clifford," said Meyer. "Three of those brutes +will not weigh heavier than one upon my conscience." + +"No, no, you shall not," she answered. "Mambo, these men are +messengers; spare them." + +"Hearken to the voice of pity," said the old prophet, "spoken in a +place where pity never was, and not in vain. Let them go. Give mercy +to the merciless, for she buys their lives with a prayer." + +"They will bring the others on us," muttered Tamas, and even old Mr. +Clifford shook his head sadly. But the Molimo only said: + +"I have spoken. Let them go. That which will befall must befall, and +from this deed no ill shall come that would not have come otherwise." + +"You hear? Depart swiftly," said Benita, in Zulu. + +With difficulty the two men dragged themselves to their feet, and +supporting each other, stood before her. One of them, a clever, +powerful-faced man, whose black hair was tinged with grey, addressing +himself to Benita, gasped: + +"Hear me. That fool there," and he pointed to his dead companion, +"whose boasting brought his death upon him, was but a low fellow. I, +who kept silence and let him talk, am Maduna, a prince of the royal +house who justly deserve to die because I turned my back upon these +dogs. Yet I and my brother here take life at your hands, Lady, who, +now that I have had time to think, would refuse it at theirs. For, +whether I stay or go does not matter. The impi waits; the slayers are +beneath the walls. Those things which are decreed will happen; there, +yonder old Wizard speaks true. Listen, Lady: should it chance that you +have cause to demand two lives at the hands of Maduna, in his own name +and the name of his king he promises them to you. In safety shall they +pass, they and all that is theirs, without toll taken. Remember the +oath of Maduna, Lady, in the hour of your need, and do you, my +brother, bear witness to it among our people." + +Then, straightening themselves as well as they were able, these two +sorely hurt men lifted their right arms and gave Benita the salute due +to a chieftainess. This done, taking no note of any other creature +there, they limped away to the gate that had been opened for them, and +vanished beyond the wall. + +All this while Meyer had stood silent; now he spoke with a bitter +smile. + +"Charity, Miss Clifford, said a certain Paul, as reported in your New +Testament, covers a multitude of sins. I hope very much that it will +serve to cover our remains from the aasvogels, after we have met our +deaths in some such fashion as that brute promised us," and he pointed +to the dead man. + +Benita looked at her father in question. + +"Mr. Meyer means, my dear, that you have done a foolish thing in +begging the lives of those Matabele. It would have been safer for us +if they were dead, who, as it is, have gone off burning for revenge. +Of course, I understand it was natural enough, but----" and he +hesitated and stopped. + +"The chief did not say so," broke in Benita with agitation; "besides, +if he had, I should not have cared. It was bad enough to see one man +killed like that," and she shivered; "I could not bear any more." + +"You should not be angry at the fellow's death, seeing that it was +what he said of you which brought it upon him," Meyer replied with +meaning. "Otherwise he might have gone unharmed as far as I was +concerned. For the rest, I did not interfere because I saw it was +useless; also I am a fatalist like our friend, the Molimo, and believe +in what is decreed. The truth is," he added sharply, "among savages +ladies are not in place." + +"Why did you not say that down at Rooi Krantz, Jacob?" asked Mr. +Clifford. "You know I thought so all the while, but somehow I was +over-ruled. Now what I suggest is, that we had better get out of this +place as fast as we can--instantly, as soon as we have eaten, before +our retreat is cut off." + +Meyer looked at the oxen which had been outspanned: nine were +wandering about picking up what food they could, but the five which +were supposed to have been bitten by tetsefly had lain down. + +"Nine worn-out and footsore oxen will not draw the waggon," he said; +"also in all probability the place is already surrounded by Matabele, +who merely let us in to be sure of the guns which their spies must +have told them we were carrying. Lastly, having spent so much and come +so far, I do not mean to go without what we seek. Still, if you think +that your daughter's danger is greater within these walls than outside +of them, you might try, if we can hire servants, which I doubt. Or +possibly, if any rowers are to be had, you could go down the Zambesi +in a canoe, risking the fever. You and she must settle it, Clifford." + +"Difficulties and dangers every way one looks. Benita, what do you +say?" asked her father distractedly. + +Benita thought a moment. She wished to escape from Mr. Meyer, of whom +she was weary and afraid, and would have endured much to do so. On the +other hand, her father was tired out, and needed rest; also to turn +his back upon this venture now would have been a bitter blow to him. +Moreover, lacking cattle and men, how was it to be done? Lastly, +something within her, that same voice which had bidden her to come, +seemed to bid her to stay. Very soon she had made up her mind. + +"Father, dear," she said, "thank you for thinking of me, but as far as +I can see, we should run more risks trying to get away than we do in +stopping here. I wanted to come, though you warned me against it, and +now I must take my chance and trust to God to bring us safe through +all dangers. Surely with all those rifles the Makalanga ought to be +able to hold such a place as this against the Matabele." + +"I hope so," answered her father; "but they are a timid folk. Still, +though it would have been far better never to have come, I think with +you that it is best to stay where we are, and trust to God." + + + +X + +THE MOUNTAIN TOP + +If our adventurers, or any of them, hoped that they were going to be +led to the secret places of the fortress that day, they were destined +to disappointment. Indeed, the remainder of it was employed arduously +enough in unpacking rifles, and a supply of ammunition; also in giving +to a few of the leading Makalanga preliminary lessons in the method of +their use, a matter as to which their ideas were of the vaguest. The +rest of the tribe, having brought their women and children into the +outer enclosure of the ancient stronghold, and with them their sheep +and goats and the few cattle which remained to them, were employed in +building up the entrance permanently with stones, a zigzag secret path +upon the river side, that could be stopped in a few minutes, being now +their only method of ingress and egress through the thickness of the +walls. A certain number of men were also sent out as spies to +discover, if possible, the whereabouts of the Matabele impi. + +That there was some impi they were almost sure, for a woman who had +followed them reported that the injured captain, Maduna, and his +companion had been met at a distance of about three miles from +Bambatse by a small party of Matabele, who were hiding in some bushes, +and that these men had made litters for them, and carried them away; +whither she did not know, for she had not dared to pursue them +further. + +That night Benita passed in the guesthouse, which was only a hut +rather larger than the others, while the two men slept in the waggon +just outside. She was so tired that for a long while she could not +rest. Her mind kept flying back to all the events of the day: the +strange words of that mystic old Molimo, concerning herself; the +arrival of the brutal messengers and the indaba that followed; then +the sudden and awful destruction of their spokesman at the hand of +Jacob Meyer. The scene would not leave her eyes, she saw it again and +yet again: the quick transformation of Meyer's indifferent face when +the soldier began to insult and threaten her, the lightning-like +movement of his hand, the flash, the report, the change from life to +death, and the slayer's cruel laugh. He could be very terrible, Jacob +Meyer, when his passions were roused! + +And what had roused them then? She could not doubt that it was herself +--not mere chivalry towards a woman. Even if he were capable of +chivalry, merely for that he would never have taken such risk of +future trouble and revenge. No; it was something deeper. He had never +said anything or done anything, yet long ago instinct or insight had +caused Benita to suspect the workings of his mind, and now she was +sure of them. The thought was terrible--worse than all her other +dangers put together. True, she had her father to rely on, but he had +been somewhat ailing of late; age and these arduous journeys and +anxieties had told upon him. Supposing that anything were to happen to +him--if he died, for instance, how dreadful her position might become, +left alone far from the reach of help, with savages--and Jacob Meyer. + +Oh! if it had not been for that dreadful shipwreck, how different +might be her lot to-day! Well, it was the thought of the shipwreck and +of him whom she had lost therein, which had driven her on to this +adventure, that in it perhaps her suffering mind might be numbed to +rest; and now she must face its issues. God still remained above her, +and she would put her trust in Him. After all, if she died, what did +it matter? + +But that old Molimo had promised her that she was safe from death, +that she should find here happiness and rest, though not that of the +grave. He promised this, speaking as one who knew of all her grief, +and a very little while afterwards, in the case of the Matabele +soldier, he had proved himself a prophet of awful power. Also--she +knew not how, she knew not why--now, as before, her inmost heart +seemed to bear witness that this old dreamer's words were true, and +that for her, in some strange manner unforeseen, there still remained +a rest. + +Comforted a little by this intuition, at length Benita fell asleep. + +Next morning, when she came out of the hut, Benita was met by her +father, who with a cheerful countenance informed her that at any rate +as yet there was no sign of the Matabele. A few hours later, too, some +spies came in who said that for miles round nothing could be seen or +heard of them. Still the preparations for defence went on, and the +hundred best men having been furnished with the rifles, were being +drilled in the use of them by Tamas and his two companions, Tamala and +Hoba, who had learned how to handle a gun very well in the course of +their long journey. The shooting of these raw recruits, however, +proved to be execrable; indeed, so dangerous were they that when one +of them fired at a mark set upon the wall, it was found necessary to +order all the rest to lie down. As it was, a poor trek ox--luckily it +was sick--and two sheep were killed. + +Foreseeing a scarcity of provisions in the event of a siege, Meyer, +provident as ever, had already decreed the death of the tetse-bitten +cattle. These were accordingly despatched, and having been skinned and +cut up, their flesh was severed into long strips to be dried in the +burning sun as biltong, which secretly Benita hoped she might never be +called upon to eat. Yet the time was to come when she would swallow +that hard, tetse-poisoned flesh with thankfulness. + +At midday, after they had eaten, Mr. Clifford and Meyer went to the +Molimo, where he sat against the second wall, and, pointing to the men +with the guns, said: + +"We have fulfilled our bargain. Now fulfil yours. Lead us to the holy +place that we may begin our search." + +"So be it," he answered. "Follow me, white people." + +Then, quite unattended, he guided them round the inner wall till they +came to a path of rock not more than a yard wide, beneath which was a +precipice fifty feet or so in depth that almost overhung the river. +This giddy path they followed for about twenty paces, to find that it +ended in a cleft in the wall so narrow that only one person could walk +through it at a time. That it must have been the approach to the +second stronghold was evident, however, since it was faced on either +side with dressed stones, and even the foundation granite had been +worn by the human feet which had passed here for ages upon ages. This +path zigzagged to and fro in the thickness of the wall till it brought +them finally within its circle, a broad belt of steeply-rising ground, +covered like that below with the tumbled ruins of buildings amidst +which grew bush and trees. + +"Heaven send that the gold is not buried here," said Mr. Clifford, +surveying the scene; "for if it is, we shall never find it." + +The Molimo seemed to guess the meaning of his words from his face, for +he answered: + +"I think not here. The besiegers won this place and camped in it for +many weeks. I could show you were they built their fires and tried to +undermine the last wall within which the Portuguese sat about until +hunger killed them, for they could not eat their gold. Follow me +again." + +So on they went up the slope till they came to the base of the third +wall, and as before, passed round it, and reached a point above the +river. But now there was no passage, only some shallow and almost +precipitous steps cut from single stones leading from the foot of the +wall to its summit, more than thirty feet above. + +"Really," said Benita, contemplating this perilous ascent with dismay, +"the ways of treasure seekers are hard. I don't think I can," while +her father also looked at them and shook his head. + +"We must get a rope," said Meyer to the Molimo angrily. "How can we +climb that place without one, with such a gulf below?" + +"I am old, but I climb it," said the aged man in mild surprise, since +to him, who had trodden it all his life, it seemed not difficult. +"Still," he added, "I have a rope above which I use upon dark nights. +I will ascend and let it down." + +Ascend he did accordingly; indeed, it was a wondrous sight to see his +withered legs scrambling from step to step as unconcernedly as though +he were going upstairs. No monkey could have been more agile, or more +absolutely impervious to the effects of height. Soon he vanished in-- +or, rather, through--the crest of the wall, and presently appeared +again on the top step, whence he let down a stout hide rope, remarking +that it was securely tied. So anxious was Meyer to enter the hidden +place of which he had dreamed so long that he scarcely waited for it +to reach his hand before he began the climb, which he accomplished +safely. Then, sitting on the top of the wall, he directed Mr. Clifford +to fasten the end of the rope round Benita's waist, and her turn came. + +It was not so bad as she expected, for she was agile, and the +knowledge that the rope would prevent disaster gave her confidence. In +a very little while she had grasped Meyer's outstretched hand, and +been drawn into safety through a kind of aperture above the top step. +Then the rope was let down again for her father, who tied it about his +middle. Well was it that he did so, since when he was about half-way +up, awkwardness, or perhaps loss of nerve--neither of them wonderful +in an old man--caused his foot to slip, and had it not been for the +rope which Meyer and the Molimo held, he would certainly have fallen +into the river some hundreds of feet below. As it was, he recovered +himself, and presently arrived panting and very pale. In her relief +Benita kissed him, and even as she did so thought again that she had +been very near to being left alone with Jacob Meyer. + +"All's well that ends well, my dear," he said. "But upon my word I am +beginning to wish that I had been content with the humble profits of +horse-breeding." + +Benita made no answer; it seemed too late for any useful consideration +of the point. + +"Clever men, those ancients," said Meyer. "See," and he pointed out to +her how, by drawing a heavy stone which still lay close by over the +aperture through which they had crept, the ascent of the wall could be +made absolutely impossible to any enemy, since at its crest it was +battened outwards, not inwards, as is usual in these ancient ruins. + +"Yes," she answered, "we ought to feel safe enough inside here, and +that's as well since I do not feel inclined to go out again at +present." + +Then they paused to look about them, and this was what they saw: + +The wall, built like those below, of unmortared blocks of stone, +remained in a wonderfully good state of preservation, for its only +enemies had been time, the tropical rains, and the growth of shrubs +and trees which here and there had cracked and displaced the stones. +It enclosed all the top of the hill, perhaps three acres of ground, +and on it at intervals were planted soap-stone pillars, each of them +about twelve feet in height, and fashioned at the top to a rude +resemblance of a vulture. Many of these columns, however had been +blown down, or perhaps struck by lightning, and lay broken upon the +wall, or if they had fallen inward, at its foot; but some, six or +eight perhaps, were still standing. + +Benita learned afterwards that they must have been placed there by the +ancient Phœnicians, or whatever people constructed this gigantic +fortification, and had something to do with the exact recordings of +the different seasons of the year, and their sub-divisions, by means +of the shadows which they cast. As yet, however, she did not pay much +attention to them, for she was engaged in considering a more +remarkable relic of antiquity which stood upon the very verge of the +precipice, the wall, indeed, being built up to its base on either +side. + +It was the great cone of which Richard Seymour had told her, fifty +feet high or more, such as once was found in the Phœnician temples. +But in this case it was not built of masonry, but shaped by the hand +of man out of a single gigantic granite monolith of the sort that are +sometimes to be met with in Africa, that thousands or millions of +years ago had been left standing thus when the softer rock around it +was worn away by time and weather. On the inner side of this cone were +easy steps whereby it could be ascended, and its top, which might have +been six feet in diameter, was fashioned in the shape of a cup, +probably for the purposes of acts of worship and of sacrifice. This +extraordinary monument, which, except on the river side, could not be +seen from below on account of the slope of the hill, leaned slightly +outwards, so that a stone dropped from its crest would fall into the +waters of the stream. + +"Thence it was," said the Molimo, "that my forefathers saw the last of +the Portuguese, the fair daughter of the great Captain Ferreira, hurl +herself to death after she had given the gold into our keeping, and +laid the curse upon it, until she came again. So in my dreams have I +seen and heard her also, ay, and others have seen her, but these only +from by the river far below." + +He paused awhile, looking at Benita with his queer, dreamy eyes; then +said suddenly: + +"Say, Lady, do you remember nothing of that matter?" + +Now Benita grew vexed, for the whole thing was uncanny and jarred upon +her. + +"How can I remember," she asked, "who was born not five and twenty +years ago?" + +"I do not know," he answered. "How should I know, who am but an +ignorant old black man, who was born not much more than eighty years +ago? Yet, Lady, tell me, for I seek your wisdom, where were you born +from? Out of the earth, or out of the heavens? What? You shake your +head, you who do not remember? Well, neither do I remember. Yet it is +true that all circles meet somewhere, and it is true that the +Portuguese maiden said she would come again; and lastly it is true +that she was such an one as you are, for she haunts this place, and I, +who have seen her sitting yonder in the moonlight, know her beauty +well. Yet mayhap she comes no more in flesh, but still her spirit +comes; for, Lady, out of those eyes of yours I see it gaze at me. +Come," he added abruptly, "let us descend the wall, for as you cannot +remember, there is more to show you. Have no fear--the steps are +easy." + +So they went down without much difficulty, since, from the +accumulation of rubbish and other causes, the wall was a great deal +lower on this side, and found themselves in the usual dense growth of +vegetation and brushwood through which ran a little path. It led them +past the ruins of buildings whereof the use and purpose were long +since forgotten, for their roofs had fallen in hundreds or thousands +of years ago, to the entrance of a cave which was placed almost at the +foot of the monolithic cone, but thirty or forty yards further from +the circle of the wall. Here the Molimo bade them stay while he lit +the lamps within. Five minutes passed and he returned, saying that all +was ready. + +"Be not afraid of what you may see," he added, "for know, white +people, that save my forefathers and myself, none have entered this +place since the Portuguese perished here, nor have we, who do but come +hither to pray and receive the word of the Munwali, ever ventured to +disturb it. As it was, so it is. Come, Lady, come; she whose spirit +goes with you was the last of your white race to pass this door. It is +therefore fitting that your feet and her spirit should be the first to +enter it again." + +Benita hung back a little, for the adventure was eerie, then, +determined that she would show no fear in the presence of this old +priest, took the thin hand he stretched out to her, and walked forward +with head erect. The two men began to follow her, but the Molimo +stopped them, saying: + +"Not so. The maiden enters first alone with me; it is her house, and +should it please her to ask you to dwell therein, so be it. But first +she must visit her house alone." + +"Nonsense," said Mr. Clifford angrily. "I will not have it. It will +frighten her." + +"Lady, do you trust me?" asked the Molimo. + +"Yes," she answered; adding, "Father, I think you had better let me go +alone. I am not afraid now, and it may be wisest not to thwart him. +This is a very strange business--not like anything else--and really I +think that I had better go alone. If I do not come back presently, you +can follow." + +"Those who break in upon the sleep of the dead should walk gently, +gently," piped the old Molimo in a sing-song voice. "The maiden's +breath is pure; the maiden's foot is light; her breath will not offend +the dead; her step will not disturb the dead. White men, white men, +anger not the dead, for the dead are mighty, and will be revenged upon +you when you are dead; soon, very soon, when you are dead--dead in +your sorrows, dead in your sins, dead, gathered to that company of the +dead who await us here." + +And, still chanting his mystic song, he led Benita by the hand out of +the light, onward into darkness, away from life, onward into the place +of death. + + + +XI + +THE SLEEPERS IN THE CAVE + +Like every other passage in this old fortress, the approach to the +cave was narrow and winding; presumably the ancients had arranged them +thus to facilitate their defence. After the third bend, however, +Benita saw a light ahead which flowed from a native lamp lit in the +arched entrance. At the side of this arch was a shell-shaped hollow, +cut in the rock about three feet above the floor. Its appearance +seemed familiar to her; why, she was soon to learn, although at the +moment she did not connect it with anything in particular. The cave +beyond was large, lofty, and not altogether natural, for its walls had +evidently been shaped, or at any rate trimmed, by man. Probably here +the old Priests had established their oracle, or place of offering. + +At first Benita could not see much, since in that great cavern two +lamps of hippopotamus oil gave but little light. Presently, however, +her eyes became accustomed to the gloom, and as they advanced up its +length she perceived that save for a skin rug upon which she guessed +the Molimo sat at his solitary devotions, and some gourds and platters +for water and food, all the front part of the place appeared to be +empty. Beyond, in its centre, stood an object of some gleaming metal, +that from its double handles and roller borne upon supports of rock +she took to be some kind of winch, and rightly, for beneath it was the +mouth of a great well, the water supply of the topmost fortification. + +Beyond the well was a stone altar, shaped like a truncated cone or +pyramid, and at some distance away against the far wall, as she dimly +discovered by the lamp that stood upon the altar, cut in relief upon +that wall indeed, a colossal cross to which, vigorously if rudely +executed in white stone, hung the image of Christ crucified, the crown +of thorns upon His drooping head. Now she understood. Whatever may +have been the first worship to which this place was dedicated, +Christians had usurped it, and set up here the sacred symbol of their +faith, awful enough to look upon in such surroundings. Doubtless, +also, the shell-shaped basin at the entrance had served the +worshippers in this underground chapel as a stoup for holy water. + +The Molimo lifted the lamp from the altar, and having adjusted its +wick, held it up in front of the rood before which, although she was +no Catholic, Benita bowed her head and crossed herself, while he +watched her curiously. Then he lowered it, and she perceived that on +the cemented floor lay great numbers of shrouded forms that at first +looked to her like folk asleep. He stepped to one of them and touched +it with his foot, whereon the cloth which with it was covered crumbled +into dust, revealing beneath a white skeleton. + +All those sleepers rested well indeed, for they had been dead at least +two hundred years. There they lay--men, women, and children, though of +the last but few. Some of them had ornaments on their bones, some were +clad in armour, and by all the men were swords, or spears, or knives, +and here and there what she took to be primitive fire-arms. Certain of +them also had turned into mummies in that dry air--grotesque and +dreadful objects from which she gladly averted her eyes. + +The Molimo led her forward to the foot of the crucifix, where, upon +its lowest step and upon the cemented floor immediately beneath it +respectively, lay two shapes decorously covered with shawls of some +heavy material interwoven with gold wire, for the manufacture of which +the Makalanga were famous when first the Portuguese came into contact +with them. The Molimo took hold of the cloths that seemed almost as +good now as on the day when they were woven, and lifted them, +revealing beneath the figures of a man and woman. The features were +unrecognizable, although the hair, white in the man's case and raven +black in that of the woman, remained perfect. They had been great +people, for orders glittered upon the man's breast, and his sword was +gold hilted, whilst the woman's bones were adorned with costly +necklaces and jewels, and in her hand was still a book bound in sheets +of silver. Benita took it up and looked at it. It was a missal +beautifully illuminated, which doubtless the poor lady had been +reading when at length she sank exhausted into the sleep of death. + +"See the Lord Ferreira and his wife," said the Molimo, "whom their +daughter laid thus before she went to join them." Then, at a motion +from Benita, he covered them up again with their golden cloths. + +"Here they sleep," he went on in his chanting voice, "a hundred and +fifty and three of them--a hundred and fifty and three; and when I +dream in this place at night, I have seen the ghosts of every one of +them arise from beside their forms and come gliding down the cave--the +husband with the wife, the child with the mother--to look at me, and +ask when the maiden returns again to take her heritage and give them +burial." + +Benita shuddered; the solemn awfulness of the place and scene +oppressed her. She began to think that she, too, saw those ghosts. + +"It is enough," she said. "Let us be going." + +So they went, and the pitiful, agonized Christ upon the cross, at +which she glanced from time to time over her shoulder, faded to a +white blot, then vanished away in the darkness, through which, from +generation to generation, it kept its watch above the dead, those dead +that in their despair once had cried to it for mercy, and bedewed its +feet with tears. + +Glad, oh! glad was she when she had left that haunted place behind +her, and saw the wholesome light again. + +"What have you seen?" asked her father and Meyer, in one breath, as +they noted her white and frightened face. + +She sank upon a stone seat at the entrance of the cave, and before she +could open her lips the Molimo answered for her: + +"The maiden has seen the dead. The Spirit who goes with her has given +greeting to its dead that it left so long ago. The maiden has done +reverence to the White One who hangs upon the cross, and asked a +blessing and a pardon of Him, as she whose Spirit goes with her did +reverence before the eyes of my forefathers, and asked a blessing and +a pardon ere she cast herself away." And he pointed to the little +golden crucifix which hung upon Benita's bosom, attached to the +necklace which Tamas, the messenger, had given her at Rooi Krantz. + +"Now," he went on, "now the spell is broken, and the sleepers must +depart to sleep elsewhere. Enter, white men; enter, if you dare, and +ask for pardon and for blessing if it may be found, and gather up the +dry bones and take the treasure that was theirs, if it may be found, +and conquer the curse that goes with the treasure for all save one, if +you can, if you can, if you can! Rest you here, maiden, in the sweet +sunshine, and follow me, white men; follow me into the dark of the +dead to seek for that which the white men love." And once more he +vanished down the passage, turning now and again to beckon to them, +while they went after him as though drawn against their wish. For now, +at the last moment, some superstitious fear spread from him to them, +and showed itself in their eyes. + +To Benita, half fainting upon the stone seat, for this experience had +shaken her to the heart, it seemed but a few minutes, though really +the best part of an hour had gone by, when her father reappeared as +white-faced as she had been. + +"Where is Mr. Meyer?" she asked. + +"Oh!" he answered. "He is collecting all the golden ornaments off +those poor bodies, and tumbling their bones together in a corner of +the cave." + +Benita uttered an exclamation of horror. + +"I know what you mean," said her father. "But, curse the fellow! he +has no reverence, although at first he seemed almost as scared as I +was myself. He said that as we could not begin our search with all +those corpses about, they had best be got out of the way as soon as +possible. Or perhaps it was because he is really afraid of them, and +wanted to prove to himself that they are nothing more than dust. +Benita," went on the old man, "to tell you the truth, I wish heartily +that we had left this business alone. I don't believe that any good +will come of it, and certainly it has brought enough trouble already. +That old prophet of a Molimo has the second sight, or something like +it, and he does not hide his opinion, but keeps chuckling away in that +dreadful place, and piping out his promises of ill to be." + +"He promised me nothing but good," said Benita with a little smile. +"Though I don't see how it can happen. But if you dislike the thing, +father, why not give it up and try to escape?" + +"It is too late, dear," he replied passionately. "Meyer would never +come, and I can't in honour leave him. Also, I should laugh at myself +for the rest of my life; and, after all, why should we not have the +gold if it can be found? It belongs to nobody. We do not get it by +robbery, or murder; nuggets are of no use to Portuguese who have been +dead two hundred years, and whose heirs, if they have any, it is +impossible to discover. Nor can it matter to them whether they lie +about singly as they died or were placed after death, or piled +together in a corner. Our fears were mere churchyard superstitions, +which we have caught from that ghoul of a Molimo. Don't you agree with +me?" + +"Yes, I suppose so," answered Benita, "though a fate may cling to +certain things or places, perhaps. At any rate, I think that it is of +no use turning back now, even if we had anywhere to turn, so we may as +well go through with the venture and await its end. Give me the water- +bottle, please. I am thirsty." + +A while later Jacob Meyer appeared, carrying a great bundle of +precious objects wrapped in one of the gold cere-cloths, which bundle +he hid away behind a stone. + +"The cave is much tidier now," he said, as he flicked the thick dust +which had collected on them during his unhallowed task from his hands, +and hair, and garments. Then he drank greedily, and asked: + +"Have you two made any plans for our future researches?" + +They shook their heads. + +"Well, then, I have. I thought them out while I was bone-carting, and +here they are. It is no use our going down below again; for one thing, +the journey is too dangerous, and takes too long; and for another, we +are safer up above, where we have plenty to do." + +"But," said Benita, "how about things to eat and sleep on, and the +rest?" + +"Simple enough, Miss Clifford; we must get them up. The Kaffirs will +bring them to the foot of the third wall, and we will haul them to its +top with a rope. Of water it seems there is plenty in that well, which +is fed by a spring a hundred and fifty feet down, and the old chain is +still on the roller, so we only need a couple of buckets from the +waggon. Of wood for cooking there is plenty also, growing on the spot; +and we can camp in the cave or outside of it, as we like, according to +the state of the weather. Now, do you rest here while I go down. I +will be back in an hour with some of the gear, and then you must help +me." + +So he went, and the end of it was that before nightfall they had +enough things for their immediate needs, and by the second night, +working very hard, were more or less comfortably established in their +strange habitation. The canvas flap from the waggon was arranged as a +tent for Benita, the men sleeping beneath a thick-leaved tree near by. +Close at hand, under another tree, was their cooking place. The +provisions of all sorts, including a couple of cases of square-face +and a large supply of biltong from the slaughtered cattle, they stored +with a quantity of ammunition in the mouth of the cave. Fresh meat +also was brought to them daily, and hauled up in baskets--that is, +until there was none to bring--and with it grain for bread, and green +mealies to serve as vegetables. Therefore, as the water from the well +proved to be excellent and quite accessible, they were soon set up in +all things necessary, and to these they added from time to time as +opportunity offered. + +In all these preparations the old Molimo took a part, nor, when they +were completed, did he show any inclination to leave them. In the +morning he would descend to his people below, but before nightfall he +always returned to the cave, where for many years it had been his +custom to sleep--at any rate several times a week, in the gruesome +company of the dead Portuguese. Jacob Meyer persuaded Mr. Clifford +that his object was to spy upon them, and talked of turning him out; +but Benita, between whom and the old man had sprung up a curious +friendship and sympathy, prevented it, pointing out that they were +much safer with the Molimo, as a kind of hostage, than they could be +without him; also, that his knowledge of the place, and of other +things, might prove of great help to them. So in the end he was +allowed to remain, as indeed he had a perfect right to do. + +All this while there was no sign of any attack by the Matabele. +Indeed, the fear of such a thing was to some extent dying away, and +Benita, watching from the top of the wall, could see that their nine +remaining oxen, together with the two horses--for that belonging to +Jacob Meyer had died--and the Makalanga goats and sheep, were daily +driven out to graze; also, that the women were working in the crops +upon the fertile soil around the lowest wall. Still, a strict watch +was kept, and at night everyone slept within the fortifications; +moreover, the drilling of the men and their instruction in the use of +firearms went on continually under Tamas, who now, in his father's old +age, was the virtual chief of the people. + +It was on the fourth morning that at length, all their preparations +being completed, the actual search for the treasure began. First, the +Molimo was closely interrogated as to its whereabouts, since they +thought that even if he did not know this exactly, some traditions of +the fact might have descended to him from his ancestors. But he +declared with earnestness that he knew nothing, save that the +Portuguese maiden had said that it was hidden; nor, he added, had any +dream or vision come to him concerning this matter, in which he took +no interest. If it was there, it was there; if it was not there, it +was not there--it remained for the white men to search and see. + +For no very good reason Meyer had concluded that the gold must have +been concealed in or about the cave, so here it was that they began +their investigations. + +First, they bethought them of the well into which it might possibly +have been thrown, but the fact of this matter proved very difficult to +ascertain. Tying a piece of metal--it was an old Portuguese sword-hilt +--to a string, they let it down and found that it touched water at a +depth of one hundred and twenty feet, and bottom at a depth of one +hundred and forty-seven feet. Therefore there were twenty-seven feet +of water. Weighting a bucket they sank it until it rested upon this +bottom, then wound it up again several times. On the third occasion it +brought up a human bone and a wire anklet of pure gold. But this +proved nothing, except that some ancient, perhaps thousands of years +ago, had been thrown, or had fallen, into the well. + +Still unsatisfied, Jacob Meyer, who was a most intrepid person, +determined to investigate the place himself, a task of no little +difficulty and danger, since proper ladders were wanting, nor, had +they existed, was there anything to stand them on. Therefore it came +to this: a seat must be rigged on to the end of the old copper chain, +and be lowered into the pit after the fashion of the bucket. But, as +Benita pointed out, although they might let him down, it was possible +that they would not be able to draw him up again, in which case his +plight must prove unfortunate. So, when the seat had been prepared, an +experiment was made with a stone weighing approximately as much as a +man. This Benita and her father let down easily enough, but, as they +anticipated, when it came to winding it up again, their strength was +barely sufficient to the task. Three people could do it well, but with +two the thing was risky. Now Meyer asked--or, rather, commanded--the +Molimo to order some of his men to help him, but this the old chief +refused point blank to do. + +First, he made a number of excuses. They were all employed in +drilling, and in watching for the Matabele; they were afraid to +venture here, and so forth. At last Meyer grew furious; his eyes +flashed, he ground his teeth, and began to threaten. + +"White man," said the Molimo, when he had done, "it cannot be. I have +fulfilled my bargain with you. Search for the gold; find it and take +it away if you can. But this place is holy. None of my tribe, save he +who holds the office of Molimo for the time, may set a foot therein. +Kill me if you will--I care not; but so it is, and if you kill me, +afterwards they will kill you." + +Now Meyer, seeing that nothing was to be gained by violence, changed +his tone, and asked if he himself would help them. + +"I am old, my strength is small," he replied; "yet I will put my hand +to the chain and do my best. But, if I were you, I would not descend +that pit." + +"Still, I will descend it, and to-morrow," said Meyer. + + + +XII + +THE BEGINNING OF THE SEARCH + +Accordingly, on the next day the great experiment was made. The chain +and ancient winding gear had been tested and proved to be amply +sufficient to the strain. Therefore, nothing remained save for Meyer +to place himself in the wooden seat with an oil-lamp, and in case this +should be extinguished, matches and candles, of both of which they had +a large supply. + +He did so boldly enough, and swung out over the mouth of the pit, +while the three of them clutched the handles of the winch. Then they +began to lower, and slowly his white face disappeared into the black +depth. At every few turns his descent was stopped that he might +examine the walls of the well, and when he was about fifty feet down +he called to them to hold on, which they did, listening while he +struck at the rock with a hammer, for here it sounded very hollow. + +At length he shouted to them to lower away again, and they obeyed, +until nearly all the chain was out, and they knew he must be near the +water. Now Benita, peeping over the edge, saw that the star of light +had vanished. His lamp was out, nor did he appear to attempt to +re-light it. They shouted down the well to him, but no answer coming, +began to wind up as fast as they were able. It was all that their +united strength could manage, and very exhausted were they when at +length Jacob reappeared at the top. At first, from the look of him +they thought that he was dead, and had he not tied himself to the +chain, dead he certainly would have been, for evidently his senses had +left him long ago. Indeed, he had fallen almost out of the seat, over +which his legs hung limply, his weight being supported by the hide +rope beneath his arms which was made fast to the chain. + +They swung him in and dashed water over his face, till, to their +relief, at last he began to gasp for breath, and revived sufficiently +to enable them to half-lead and half-carry him out into the fresh air. + +"What happened to you?" asked Clifford. + +"Poisoned with gases, I suppose," Meyer answered with a groan, for his +head was aching sadly. "The air is often bad at the bottom of deep +wells, but I could smell or feel nothing until suddenly my senses left +me. It was a near thing--a very near thing." + +Afterwards, when he had recovered a little, he told them that at one +spot deep down in the well, on the river side of it, he found a place +where it looked as though the rock had been cut away for a space of +about six feet by four, and afterwards built up again with another +sort of stone set in hard mortar or cement. Immediately beneath, too, +were socket-holes in which the ends of beams still remained, +suggesting that here had been a floor or platform. It was while he was +examining these rotted beams that insensibility overcame him. He added +that he thought that this might be the entrance to the place where the +gold was hidden. + +"If so," said Mr. Clifford, "hidden it must remain, since it can have +no better guardian than bad air. Also, floors like that are common in +all wells to prevent rubbish from falling into the water, and the +stonework you saw probably was only put there by the ancients to mend +a fault in the rock and prevent the wall from caving in." + +"I hope so," said Meyer, "since unless that atmosphere purifies a good +deal I don't think that even I dare go down again, and until one gets +there, of that it is difficult to be sure, though of course a lantern +on a string will tell one something." + +This was the end of their first attempt. The search was not renewed +until the following afternoon, when Meyer had recovered a little from +the effects of the poisoning and the chafing of the hide ropes beneath +his arms. Indeed, from the former he never did quite recover, since +thenceforward Benita, who for her own reasons watched the man closely, +discovered a marked and progressive change in his demeanour. Hitherto +he had appeared to be a reserved man, one who kept tight hand upon +himself, and, if she knew certain things about him, it was rather +because she guessed, or deduced them, than because he allowed them to +be seen. On two occasions only had he shown his heart before her--when +they had spoken together by the shores of Lake Chrissie on the day of +the arrival of the messengers, and he declared his ardent desire for +wealth and power; and quite recently, when he killed the Matabele +envoy. Yet she felt certain that this heart of his was very passionate +and insurgent; that his calm was like the ice that hides the stream, +beneath which its currents run fiercely, none can see whither. The +fashion in which his dark eyes would flash, even when his pale +countenance remained unmoved, told her so, as did other things. + +For instance, when he was recovering from his swoon, the first words +that passed his lips were in German, of which she understood a little, +and she thought that they shaped themselves to her name, coupled with +endearing epithets. From that time forward he became less guarded--or, +rather, it seemed as though he were gradually losing power to control +himself. He would grow excited without apparent cause, and begin to +declaim as to what he would do when he had found the gold; how he +would pay the world back all it had caused him to suffer--how he would +become a "king." + +"I am afraid that you will find that exalted position rather lonely," +said Benita with a careless laugh, and next minute was sorry that she +had spoken, for he answered, looking at her in a way that she did not +like: + +"Oh, no! There will be a queen--a beautiful queen, whom I shall endow +with wealth, and deck with jewels, and surround with love and +worship." + +"What a fortunate lady!" she said, still laughing, but taking the +opportunity to go away upon some errand. + +At other times, especially after dark, he would walk up and down in +front of the cave, muttering to himself, or singing wild old German +songs in his rich voice. Also, he made a habit of ascending the +granite pillar and seating himself there, and more than once called +down to her to come up and share his "throne." Still, these outbreaks +were so occasional that her father, whose perceptions appeared to +Benita to be less keen than formerly, scarcely noticed them, and for +the rest his demeanour was what it had always been. + +Further researches into the well being out of the question, their next +step was to make a thorough inspection of the chapel-cave itself. They +examined the walls inch by inch, tapping them with a hammer to hear if +they sounded hollow, but without result. They examined the altar, but +it proved to be a solid mass of rock. By the help of a little ladder +they had made, they examined the crucifix, and discovered that the +white figure on the cross had evidently been fashioned out of some +heathen statue of soft limestone, for at its back were the remains of +draperies, and long hair which the artist had not thought it necessary +to cut away. Also, they found that the arms had been added, and were +of a slightly different stone, and that the weight of the figure was +taken partly by an iron staple which supported the body, and partly by +strong copper wire twisted to resemble cord, and painted white, which +was passed round the wrists and supported the arms. This wire ran +through loops of rock cut in the traverse of the cross, that itself +was only raised in relief by chiselling away the solid stone behind. + +Curiously enough, this part of the search was left to Mr. Clifford and +Benita, since it was one that Jacob Meyer seemed reluctant to +undertake. A Jew by birth, and a man who openly professed his want of +belief in that or any other religion, he yet seemed to fear this +symbol of the Christian faith, speaking of it as horrible and unlucky; +yes, he who, without qualm or remorse, had robbed and desecrated the +dead that lay about its feet. Well, the crucifix told them nothing; +but as Mr. Clifford, lantern in hand, descended the ladder, which +Benita held, Jacob Meyer, who was in front of the altar, called to +them excitedly that he had found something. + +"Then it is more than we have," said Mr. Clifford, as he laid down the +ladder and hurried to him. + +Meyer was sounding the floor with a staff of wood--an operation which +he had only just began after the walls proved barren. + +"Listen now," he said, letting the heavy staff drop a few paces to the +right of the altar, where it produced the hard, metallic clang that +comes from solid stone when struck. Then he moved to the front of the +altar and dropped it again, but now the note was hollow and +reverberant. Again and again he repeated the experiment, till they had +exactly mapped out where the solid rock ended and that which seemed to +be hollow began--a space of about eight feet square. + +"We've got it," he said triumphantly. "That's the entrance to the +place where the gold is," and the others were inclined to agree with +him. + +Now it remained to put their theory to the proof--a task of no small +difficulty. Indeed, it took them three days of hard, continual work. +It will be remembered that the floor of the cave was cemented over, +and first of all this cement, which proved to be of excellent quality, +being largely composed of powdered granite, must be broken up. By the +help of a steel crowbar, which they had brought with them in the +waggon, at length that part of their task was completed, revealing the +rock beneath. By this time Benita was confident that, whatever might +lie below, it was not the treasure, since it was evident that the +poor, dying Portuguese would not have had the time or the strength to +cement it over. When she told the others so, however, Meyer, convinced +that he was on the right tack, answered that doubtless it was done by +the Makalanga after the Portuguese days, as it was well known that +they retained a knowledge of the building arts of their forefathers +until quite a recent period, when the Matabele began to kill them out. + +When at length the cement was cleared away and the area swept, they +discovered--for there ran the line of it--that here a great stone was +set into the floor; it must have weighed several tons. As it was set +in cement, however, to lift it, even if they had the strength to work +the necessary levers, proved quite impossible. There remained only one +thing to be done--to cut a way through. When they had worked at this +task for several hours, and only succeeded in making a hole six inches +deep, Mr. Clifford, whose old bones ached and whose hands were very +sore, suggested that perhaps they might break it up with gunpowder. +Accordingly, a pound flask of that explosive was poured into the hole, +which they closed over with wet clay and a heavy rock, leaving a quill +through which ran an extemporized fuse of cotton wick. All being +prepared, their fuse was lit, and they left the cave and waited. + +Five minutes afterwards the dull sound of an explosion reached their +ears, but more than an hour went by before the smoke and fumes would +allow them to enter the place, and then it was to find that the +results did not equal their expectations. To begin with, the slab was +only cracked--not shattered, since the strength of the powder had been +expended upwards, not downwards, as would have happened in the case of +dynamite, of which they had none. Moreover, either the heavy stone +which they had placed upon it, striking the roof of the cave, or the +concussion of the air, had brought down many tons of rock, and caused +wide and dangerous-looking cracks. Also, though she said nothing of +it, it seemed to Benita that the great white statue on the cross was +leaning a little further forward than it used to do. So the net result +of the experiment was that they were obliged to drag away great +fragments of the fallen roof that lay upon the stone, which remained +almost as solid and obdurate as before. + +So there was nothing for it but to go on working with the crowbar. At +length, towards the evening of the third day of their labour, when the +two men were utterly tired out, a hole was broken through, +demonstrating the fact that beneath this cover lay a hollow of some +sort. Mr. Clifford, to say nothing of Benita, who was heartily weary +of the business, wished to postpone proceedings till the morrow, but +Jacob Meyer would not. So they toiled on until about eleven o'clock at +night, when at length the aperture was of sufficient size to admit a +man. Now, as in the case of the well, they let down a stone tied to a +string, to find that the place beneath was not more than eight feet +deep. Then, to ascertain the condition of the air, a candle was +lowered, which at first went out, but presently burnt well enough. +This point settled, they brought their ladder, whereby Jacob descended +with a lantern. + +In another minute they heard the sound of guttural German oaths rising +through the hole. Mr. Clifford asked what was the matter, and received +the reply that the place was a tomb, with nothing in it but an +accursed dead monk, information at which Benita could not help +bursting into laughter. + +The end of it was that both she and her father went down also, and +there, sure enough, lay the remains of the old missionary in his cowl, +with an ivory crucifix about his neck, and on his breast a scroll +stating that he, Marco, born at Lisbon in 1438, had died at Bambatse +in the year 1503, having laboured in the Empire of Monomotapa for +seventeen years, and suffered great hardships and brought many souls +to Christ. The scroll added that it was he, who before he entered into +religion was a sculptor by trade, that had fashioned the figure on the +cross in this chapel out of that of the heathen goddess which had +stood in the same place from unknown antiquity. It ended with a +request, addressed to all good Christians in Latin, that they who soon +must be as he was would pray for his soul and not disturb his bones, +which rested here in the hope of a blessed resurrection. + +When this pious wish was translated to Jacob Meyer by Mr. Clifford, +who still retained some recollection of the classics which he had +painfully acquired at Eton and Oxford, the Jew could scarcely contain +his wrath. Indeed, looking at his bleeding hands, instead of praying +for the soul of that excellent missionary, to reach whose remains he +had laboured with such arduous, incessant toil, he cursed it wherever +it might be, and unceremoniously swept the bones, which the document +asked him not to disturb, into a corner of the tomb, in order to +ascertain whether there was not, perhaps, some stair beneath them. + +"Really, Mr. Meyer," said Benita, who, in spite of the solemnity of +the surroundings, could not control her sense of humour, "if you are +not careful the ghosts of all these people will haunt you." + +"Let them haunt me if they can," he answered furiously. "I don't +believe in ghosts, and defy them all." + +At this moment, looking up, Benita saw a figure gliding out of the +darkness into the ring of light, so silently that she started, for it +might well have been one of those ghosts in whom Jacob Meyer did not +believe. In fact, however, it was the old Molimo, who had a habit of +coming upon them thus. + +"What says the white man?" he asked of Benita, while his dreamy eyes +wandered over the three of them, and the hole in the violated tomb. + +"He says that he does not believe in spirits, and that he defies +them," she answered. + +"The white gold-seeker does not believe in spirits, and he defies +them," Mambo repeated in his sing-song voice. "He does not believe in +the spirits that I see all around me now, the angry spirits of the +dead, who speak together of where he shall lie and of what shall +happen to him when he is dead, and of how they will welcome one who +disturbs their rest and defies and curses them in his search for the +riches which he loves. There is one standing by him now, dressed in a +brown robe with a dead man cut in ivory like to that," and he pointed +to the crucifix in Jacob's hands, "and he holds the ivory man above +him and threatens him with sleepless centuries of sorrow, when he is +also one of those spirits in which he does not believe." + +Then Meyer's rage blazed out. He turned upon the Molimo and reviled +him in his own tongue, saying that he knew well where the treasure was +hidden, and that if he did not point it out he would kill him and send +him to his friends, the spirits. So savage and evil did he look that +Benita retreated a little way, while Mr. Clifford strove in vain to +calm him. But although Meyer laid his hand upon the knife in his belt +and advanced upon him, the old Molimo neither budged an inch nor +showed the slightest fear. + +"Let him rave on," he said, when at length Meyer paused exhausted. +"Just so in a time of storm the lightnings flash and the thunder +peals, and the water foams down the face of rock; but then comes the +sun again, and the hill is as it has ever been, only the storm is +spent and lost. I am the rock, he is but the wind, the fire, and the +rain. It is not permitted that he should hurt me, and those spirits in +whom he does not believe treasure up his curses, to let them fall +again like stones upon his head." + +Then, with a contemptuous glance at Jacob, the old man turned and +glided back into the darkness out of which he had appeared. + + + +XIII + +BENITA PLANS ESCAPE + +The next morning, while she was cooking breakfast, Benita saw Jacob +Meyer seated upon a rock at a little distance, sullen and +disconsolate. His chin was resting on his hand, and he watched her +intently, never taking his eyes from her face. She felt that he was +concentrating his will upon her; that some new idea concerning her had +come into his mind; for it was one of her miseries that she possessed +the power of interpreting the drift of this man's thoughts. Much as +she detested him, there existed that curious link between them. + +It may be remembered that, on the night when they first met at the +crest of Leopard's Kloof, Jacob had called her a "thought-sender," and +some knowledge of their mental intimacy had come home to Benita. From +that day forward her chief desire had been to shut a door between +their natures, to isolate herself from him and him from her. Yet the +attempt was never entirely successful. + +Fear and disgust took hold of her, bending there above the fire, all +the while aware of the Jew's dark eyes that searched her through and +through. Benita formed a sudden determination. She would implore her +father to come away with her. + +Of course, such an attempt would be terribly dangerous. Of the +Matabele nothing had been seen; but they might be about, and even if +enough cattle could be collected to draw the waggon, it belonged to +Meyer as much as to her father, and must therefore be left for him. +Still, there remained the two horses, which the Molimo had told her +were well and getting fat. + +At this moment Meyer rose and began to speak to her. + +"What are you thinking of, Miss Clifford?" he asked in his soft +foreign voice. + +She started, but answered readily enough: + +"Of the wood which is green, and the kid cutlets which are getting +smoked. Are you not tired of kid, Mr. Meyer?" she went on. + +He waved the question aside. "You are so good--oh! I mean it--so +really good that you should not tell stories even about small things. +The wood is not green; I cut it myself from a dead tree; and the meat +is not smoked; nor were you thinking of either. You were thinking of +me, as I was thinking of you; but what exactly was in your mind, this +time I do not know, and that is why I ask you to tell me." + +"Really, Mr. Meyer," she answered flushing; "my mind is my own +property." + +"Ah! do you say so? Now I hold otherwise--that it is my property, as +mine is yours, a gift that Nature has given to each of us." + +"I seek no such gift," she answered; but even then, much as she would +have wished to do so, she could not utter a falsehood, and deny this +horrible and secret intimacy. + +"I am sorry for that, as I think it very precious; more precious even +than the gold which we cannot find; for Miss Clifford, it brings me +nearer you." + +She turned upon him, but he held up his hand, and went on: + +"Oh! do not be angry with me, and do not fear that I am going to +trouble you with soft speeches, for I shall not, unless a time should +come, as I think that perhaps it will, when you may wish to listen to +them. But I want to point out something to you, Miss Clifford. Is it +not a wonderful thing that our minds should be so in tune, and is +there not an object in all this? Did I believe as you do, I should say +that it was Heaven working in us--no: do not answer that the working +comes from lower down. I take no credit for reading that upon your +lips; the retort is too easy and obvious. I am content to say, +however, that the work is that of instinct and nature, or, if you +will, of fate, pointing out a road by which together we might travel +to great ends." + +"I travel my road alone, Mr. Meyer." + +"I know, I know, and that is the pity of it. The trouble between man +and woman is that not in one case out of a million, even if they be +lovers, do they understand each other. Their eyes may seek one +another, their hands and lips may meet, and yet they remain distinct, +apart, and often antagonistic. There is no communication of the soul. +But when it chances to be hewn from the same rock as it were--oh! then +what happiness may be theirs, and what opportunities!" + +"Possibly, Mr. Meyer; but, to be frank, the question does not interest +me." + +"Not yet; but I am sure that one day it will. Meanwhile, I owe you an +apology. I lost my temper before you last night. Well, do not judge me +hardly, for I was utterly worn out, and that old idiot vexed me with +his talk about ghosts, in which I do not believe." + +"Then why did it make you so angry? Surely you could have afforded to +treat it with contempt, instead of doing--as you did." + +"Upon my word! I don't know, but I suppose most of us are afraid lest +we should be forced to accept that which we refuse. This ancient place +gets upon the nerves, Miss Clifford; yours as well as mine. I can +afford to be open about it, because I know that you know. Think of its +associations: all the crime that has been committed here for ages and +ages, all the suffering that has been endured here. Doubtless human +sacrifices were offered in this cave or outside of it; that great +burnt ring in the rock there may have been where they built the fires. +And then those Portuguese starving to death, slowly starving to death +while thousands of savages watched them die. Have you ever thought +what it means? But of course you have, for like myself you are cursed +with imagination. God in heaven! is it wonderful that it gets upon the +nerves? especially when one cannot find what one is looking for, that +vast treasure"--and his face became ecstatic--"that shall yet be yours +and mine, and make us great and happy." + +"But which at present only makes me a scullery-maid and most unhappy," +replied Benita cheerfully, for she heard her father's footstep. "Don't +talk any more of the treasure, Mr. Meyer, or we shall quarrel. We have +enough of that during business hours, when we are hunting for it, you +know. Give me the dish, will you? This meat is cooked at last." + +Still Benita could not be rid of that treasure, since after breakfast +the endless, unprofitable search began again. Once more the cave was +sounded, and other hollow places were discovered upon which the two +men got to work. With infinite labour three of them were broken into +in as many days, and like the first, found to be graves, only this +time of ancients who, perhaps, had died before Christ was born. There +they lay upon their sides, their bones burnt by the hot cement that +had been poured over them, their gold-headed and gold-ferruled rods of +office in their hands, their gold-covered pillows of wood, such as the +Egyptians used, beneath their skulls, gold bracelets upon their arms +and ankles, cakes of gold beneath them which had fallen from the +rotted pouches that once hung about their waists, vases of fine glazed +pottery that had been filled with offerings, or in some cases with +gold dust to pay the expenses of their journey in the other world, +standing round them, and so forth. + +In their way these discoveries were rich enough--from one tomb alone +they took over a hundred and thirty ounces of gold--to say nothing of +their surpassing archæological interest. Still they were not what they +sought: all that gathered wealth of Monomotapa which the fleeing +Portuguese had brought with them and buried in this, their last +stronghold. + +Benita ceased to take the slightest interest in the matter; she would +not even be at the pains to go to look at the third skeleton, although +it was that of a man who had been almost a giant, and, to judge from +the amount of bullion which he took to the tomb with him, a person of +great importance in his day. She felt as though she wished never to +see another human bone or ancient bead or bangle; the sight of a +street in Bayswater in a London fog--yes, or a toy-shop window in +Westbourne Grove--would have pleased her a hundred times better than +these unique remains that, had they known of them in those days, would +have sent half the learned societies of Europe crazy with delight. She +wished to escape from Bambatse, its wondrous fortifications, its +mysterious cone, its cave, its dead, and--from Jacob Meyer. + +Benita stood upon the top of her prison wall and looked with longing +at the wide, open lands below. She even dared to climb the stairs +which ran up the mighty cone of granite, and seated herself in the +cup-like depression on its crest, whence Jacob Meyer had called to her +to come and share his throne. It was a dizzy place, for the pillar +leaning outwards, its point stood almost clear of the water-scarped +rock, so that beneath her was a sheer drop of about four hundred feet +to the Zambesi bed. At first the great height made her feel faint. Her +eyes swam, and unpleasant tremors crept along her spine, so that she +was glad to sink to the floor, whence she knew she could not fall. By +degrees, however, she recovered her nerve, and was able to study the +glorious view of stream and marshes and hills beyond. + +For she had come here with a purpose, to see whether it would not be +possible to escape down the river in a canoe, or in native boats such +as the Makalanga owned and used for fishing, or to cross from bank to +bank. Apparently it was impossible, for although the river beneath and +above them was still enough, about a mile below began a cataract that +stretched as far as she could see, and was bordered on either side by +rocky hills covered with forest, over which, even if they could obtain +porters, a canoe could not be carried. This, indeed, she had already +heard from the Molimo, but knowing his timid nature, she wished to +judge of the matter for herself. It came to this then: if they were to +go, it must be on the horses. + +Descending the cone Benita went to find her father, to whom as yet she +had said nothing of her plans. The opportunity was good, for she knew +that he would be alone. As it chanced, on that afternoon Meyer had +gone down the hill in order to try to persuade the Makalanga to give +them ten or twenty men to help them in their excavations. In this, it +will be remembered, he had already failed so far as the Molimo was +concerned, but he was not a man easily turned from his purpose, and he +thought that if he could see Tamas and some of the other captains he +might be able by bribery, threats, or otherwise, to induce them to +forget their superstitious fears, and help in the search. As a matter +of fact, he was utterly unsuccessful, since one and all they declared +that for them to enter that sacred place would mean their deaths, and +that the vengeance of Heaven would fall upon their tribe and destroy +it root and branch. + +Mr. Clifford, on whom all this heavy labour had begun to tell, was +taking advantage of the absence of his taskmaster, Jacob, to sleep +awhile in the hut which they had now built for themselves beneath the +shadow of the baobab-tree. As she reached it he came out yawning, and +asked her where she had been. Benita told him. + +"A giddy place," he said. "I have never ventured to try it myself. +What did you go up there for, dear?" + +"To look at the river while Mr. Meyer was away, father; for if he had +seen me do so he would have guessed my reason; indeed, I dare say that +he will guess it now." + +"What reason, Benita?" + +"To see whether it would not be possible to escape down it in a boat. +But there is no chance. It is all rapids below, with hills and rocks +and trees on either bank." + +"What need have you to escape at present?" he asked eyeing her +curiously. + +"Every need," she answered with passion. "I hate this place; it is a +prison, and I loathe the very name of treasure. Also," and she paused. + +"Also what, dear?" + +"Also," and her voice sank to a whisper, as though she feared that he +should overhear her even at the bottom of the hill; "also, I am afraid +of Mr. Meyer." + +This confession did not seem to surprise her father, who merely nodded +his head and said: + +"Go on." + +"Father, I think that he is going mad, and it is not pleasant for us +to be cooped up here alone with a madman, especially when he has begun +to speak to me as he does now." + +"You don't mean that he has been impertinent to you," said the old +man, flushing up, "for if so----" + +"No, not impertinent--as yet," and she told him what had passed +between Meyer and herself, adding, "You see, father, I detest this +man; indeed, I want to have nothing to do with any man; for me all +that is over and done with," and she gave a dry little sob which +appeared to come from her very heart. "And yet, he seems to be getting +some kind of power over me. He follows me about with his eyes, prying +into my mind, and I feel that he is beginning to be able to read it. I +can bear no more. Father, father, for God's sake, take me away from +this hateful hill and its gold and its dead, and let us get out into +the veld again together." + +"I should be glad enough, dearest," he answered. "I have had plenty of +this wildgoose chase, which I was so mad as to be led into by the love +of wealth. Indeed, I am beginning to believe that if it goes on much +longer I shall leave my bones here." + +"And if such a dreadful thing as that were to happen, what would +become of me, alone with Jacob Meyer?" she asked quietly. "I might +even be driven to the same fate as that poor girl two hundred years +ago," and she pointed to the cone of rock behind her. + +"For Heaven's sake, don't talk like that!" he broke in. + +"Why not? One must face things, and it would be better than Jacob +Meyer; for who would protect me here?" + +Mr. Clifford walked up and down for a few minutes, while his daughter +watched him anxiously. + +"I can see no plan," he said, stopping opposite her. "We cannot take +the waggon even if there are enough oxen left to draw it, for it is +his as much as mine, and I am sure that he will never leave this +treasure unless he is driven away." + +"And I am sure I hope that he will not. But, father, the horses are +our own; it was his that died, you remember. We can ride away on +them." + +He stared at her and answered: + +"Yes, we could ride away to our deaths. Suppose they got sick or lame; +suppose we meet the Matabele, or could find no game to shoot; suppose +one of us fell ill--oh! and a hundred things. What then?" + +"Why, then it is just as well to perish in the wilderness as here, +where our risks are almost as great. We must take our chance, and +trust to God. Perhaps He will be merciful and help us. Listen now, +father. To-morrow is Sunday, when you and I do no work that we can +help. Mr. Meyer is a Jew, and he won't waste Sunday. Well now, I will +say that I want to go down to the outer wall to fetch some clothes +which I left in the waggon, and to take others for the native women to +wash, and of course you will come with me. Perhaps he will be +deceived, and stay behind, especially as he has been there to-day. +Then we can get the horses and guns and ammunition, and anything else +that we can carry in the way of food, and persuade the old Molimo to +open the gate for us. You know, the little side gate that cannot be +seen from up here, and before Mr. Meyer misses us and comes to look, +we shall be twenty miles away, and--horses can't be overtaken by a man +on foot." + +"He will say that we have deserted him, and that will be true." + +"You can leave a letter with the Molimo explaining that it was my +fault, that I was getting ill and thought that I should die, and that +you knew it would not be fair to ask him to come, and so to lose the +treasure, to every halfpenny of which he is welcome when it is found. +Oh! father, don't hesitate any longer; say that you will take me away +from Mr. Meyer." + +"So be it then," answered Mr. Clifford, and as he spoke, hearing a +sound, they looked up and saw Jacob approaching them. + +Luckily he was so occupied with his own thoughts that he never noted +the guilty air upon their faces, and they had time to compose +themselves a little. But even thus his suspicions were aroused. + +"What are you talking of so earnestly?" he asked. + +"We were wondering how you were getting on with the Makalanga," +answered Benita, fibbing boldly, "and whether you would persuade them +to face the ghosts. Did you?" + +"Not I," he answered with a scowl. "Those ghosts are our worst enemies +in this place; the cowards swore that they would rather die. I should +have liked to take some of them at their word and make ghosts of them; +but I remembered the situation and didn't. Don't be afraid, Miss +Clifford, I never even lost my temper, outwardly at any rate. Well, +there it is; if they won't help us, we must work the harder. I've got +a new plan, and we'll begin on it to-morrow." + +"Not to-morrow, Mr. Meyer," replied Benita with a smile. "It is +Sunday, and we rest on Sunday, you know." + +"Oh! I forgot. The Makalanga with their ghosts and you with your +Sunday--really I do not know which is the worse. Well, then, I must do +my own share and yours too, I suppose," and he turned with a shrug of +his shoulders. + + + +XIV + +THE FLIGHT + +The next morning, Sunday, Meyer went to work on his new plan. What it +was Benita did not trouble to inquire, but she gathered that it had +something to do with the measuring out of the chapel cave into squares +for the more systematic investigation of each area. At twelve o'clock +he emerged for his midday meal, in the course of which he remarked +that it was very dreary working in that place alone, and that he would +be glad when it was Monday, and they could accompany him. His words +evidently disturbed Mr. Clifford not a little, and even excited some +compunction in the breast of Benita. + +What would his feelings be, she wondered, when he found that they had +run away, leaving him to deal with their joint undertaking single- +handed! Almost was she minded to tell him the whole truth; yet--and +this was a curious evidence of the man's ascendancy over her--she did +not. Perhaps she felt that to do so would be to put an end to their +scheme, since then by argument, blandishments, threats, force, or +appeal to their sense of loyalty, it mattered not which, he would +bring about its abandonment. But she wanted to fulfil that scheme, to +be free of Bambatse, its immemorial ruins, its graveyard cave, and the +ghoul, Jacob Meyer, who could delve among dead bones and in living +hearts with equal skill and insight, and yet was unable to find the +treasure that lay beneath either of them. + +So they hid the truth, and talked with feverish activity about other +things, such as the drilling of the Makalanga, and the chances of an +attack by the Matabele, which happily now seemed to be growing small; +also of the conditions of their cattle, and the prospect of obtaining +more to replace those that had died. Indeed, Benita went farther; in +her new-found zeal of deception she proceeded to act a lie, yes, even +with her father's reproachful eyes fixed upon her. Incidentally she +mentioned that they were going to have an outing, to climb down the +ladder and visit the Makalanga camp between the first and second walls +and mix with the great world for a few hours; also to carry their +washing to be done there, and bring up some clean clothes and certain +books which she had left below. + +Jacob came out of his thoughts and calculations, and listened +gloomily. + +"I have half a mind to come with you," he said, words at which Benita +shivered. "It certainly is most cursed lonesome in that cave, and I +seem to hear things in it, as though those old bones were rattling, +sounds like sighs and whispers too, which are made by the draught." + +"Well, why don't you?" asked Benita. + +It was a bold stroke, but it succeeded. If he had any doubts they +vanished, and he answered at once: + +"Because I have not the time. We have to get this business finished +one way or another before the wet season comes on, and we are drowned +out of the place with rain, or rotted by fever. Take your afternoon +out, Miss Clifford; every maid of all work is entitled to as much, and +I am afraid that is your billet here. Only," he added, with that care +for her safety which he always showed in his more temperate moods, +"pray be careful, Clifford, to get back before sundown. That wall is +too risky for your daughter to climb in the dusk. Call me from the +foot of it; you have the whistle, and I will come down to help her up. +I think I'll go with you after all. No, I won't. I made myself so +unpleasant to them yesterday that those Makalanga can't wish to see +any more of me at present. I hope you will have a more agreeable +afternoon than I shall. Why don't you take a ride outside the wall? +Your horses are fat and want exercise, and I do not think that you +need be afraid of the Matabele." Then without waiting for an answer, +he rose and left them. + +Mr. Clifford looked after him doubtfully. + +"Oh, I know," said Benita, "it seems horribly mean, but one must do +shabby things sometimes. Here are the bundles all ready, so let us be +off." + +Accordingly they went, and from the top of the wall Benita glanced +back to bid goodbye to that place which she hoped never to see again. +Yet she could not feel as though she looked her last upon it; to her +it wore no air of farewell, and even as she descended the perilous +stairs, she found herself making mental notes as to how they might +best be climbed again. Also, she could not believe that she had done +with Mr. Meyer. It seemed to her as though for a long while yet her +future would be full of him. + +They reached the outer fortifications in safety, and there were +greeted with some surprise but with no displeasure by the Makalanga, +whom they found still drilling with the rifles, in the use of which a +certain number of them appeared to have become fairly proficient. +Going to the hut in which the spare goods from the waggon had been +stored, they quickly made their preparations. Here also, Mr. Clifford +wrote a letter, one of the most unpleasant that he had ever been +called upon to compose. It ran thus: + + "Dear Meyer, + + "I don't know what you will think of us, but we are escaping from + this place. The truth is that I am not well, and my daughter can + bear it no longer. She says that if she stops here, she will die, + and that hunting for treasure in that ghastly grave-yard is + shattering her nerves. I should have liked to tell you, but she + begged me not, being convinced that if I did, you would over- + persuade us or stop us in some way. As for the gold, if you can + find it, take it all. I renounce my share. We are leaving you the + waggon and the oxen, and starting down country on our horses. It + is a perilous business, but less so than staying here, under the + circumstances. If we never meet again we hope that you will + forgive us, and wish you all good fortune.--Yours sincerely and + with much regret, + +"T. Clifford." + + +The letter written, they saddled the horses which had been brought up +for their inspection, and were found to be in good case, and fastened +their scanty belongings, and as many cartridges as they could carry in +packs behind their saddles. Then, each of them armed with a rifle--for +during their long journeyings Benita had learned to shoot--they +mounted and made for the little side-entrance, as the main gate +through which they had passed on their arrival was now built up. This +side-entrance, a mere slit in the great wall, with a precipitous +approach, was open, for now that their fear of the Matabele had to +some extent passed off, the Makalanga used it to drive their sheep and +goats in and out, since it was so constructed with several twists and +turns in the thickness of the wall, that in a few minutes it could be +effectually blocked by stones that lay at hand. Also, the ancient +architect had arranged it in such a fashion that it was entirely +commanded from the crest of the wall on either side. + +The Makalanga, who had been watching their proceedings curiously, made +no attempt to stop them, although they guessed that they might have a +little trouble with the sentries who guarded the entrances all day, +and even when it was closed at night, with whom also Mr. Clifford +proposed to leave the letter. When they reached the place, however, +and had dismounted to lead the horses down the winding passage and the +steep ascent upon its further side, it was to find that the only guard +visible proved to be the old Molimo himself, who sat there, apparently +half asleep. + +But as they came he showed himself to be very much awake, for without +moving he asked them at once whither they were going. + +"To take a ride," answered Mr. Clifford. "The lady, my daughter, is +weary of being cooped up in this fortress, and wishes to breathe the +air without. Let us pass, friend, or we shall not be back by sunset." + +"If you be coming back at sunset, white man, why do you carry so many +things upon your packs, and why are your saddle-bags filled with +cartridges?" he asked. "Surely you do not speak the truth to me, and +you hope that never more will you see the sun set upon Bambatse." + +Now understanding that it was hopeless to deceive him, Benita +exclaimed boldly: + +"It is so; but oh! my Father, stay us not, for fear is behind us, and +therefore we fly hence." + +"And is there no fear before you, maiden? Fear of the wilderness, +where none wander save perchance the Amandabele with their bloody +spears; fear of wild beasts and of sickness that may overtake you so +that, first one and then the other, you perish there?" + +"There is plenty, my Father, but none of them so bad as the fear +behind. Yonder place is haunted, and we give up our search and would +dwell there no more." + +"It is haunted truly, maiden, but its spirits will not harm you whom +they welcome as one appointed, and we are ever ready to protect you +because of their command that has come to me in dreams. Nor, indeed, +is it the spirits whom you fear, but rather the white man, your +companion, who would bend you to his will. Deny it not, for I have +seen it all." + +"Then knowing the truth, surely you will let us go," she pleaded, "for +I swear to you that I dare not stay." + +"Who am I that I should forbid you?" he asked. "Yet I tell you that +you would do well to stay and save yourselves much terror. Maiden, +have I not said it days and day ago, that here and here only you must +accomplish your fate? Go now if you will, but you shall return again," +and once more he seemed to begin to doze in the sun. + +The two of them consulted hastily together. + +"It is no use turning back now," said Benita, who was almost weeping +with doubt and vexation. "I will not be frightened by his vague talk. +What can he know of the future more than any of the rest of us? +Besides, all he says is that we shall come back again, and if that +does happen, at least we shall have been free for a little while. +Come, father." + +"As you wish," answered Mr. Clifford, who seemed too miserable and +depressed to argue. Only he threw down the letter upon the Molimo's +lap, and begged him to give it to Meyer when he came to look for them. + +The old man took no notice; no, not even when Benita bade him farewell +and thanked him for his kindness, praying that all good fortune might +attend him and his tribe, did he answer a single word or even look up. +So they led their horses down the narrow passage where there was +scarcely room for them to pass, and up the steep path beyond. On the +further side of the ancient ditch they remounted them while the +Makalanga watched them from the walls, and cantered away along the +same road by which they had come. + +Now this road, or rather track, ran first through the gardens and then +among the countless ruined houses that in bygone ages formed the great +city whereof the mount Bambatse had been the citadel and sanctuary. +The relics of a lost civilization extended for several miles, and were +bounded by a steep and narrow neck or pass in the encircling hills, +the same that Robert Seymour and his brother had found too difficult +for their waggon at the season in which they visited the place some +years before. This pass, or port as it is called in South Africa, had +been strongly fortified, for on either side of it were the ruins of +towers. Moreover, at its crest it was so narrow and steep-sided that a +few men posted there, even if they were armed only with bows and +arrows, could hold an attacking force in check for a considerable +time. Beyond it, after the hill was descended, a bush-clad plain +dotted with kopjes and isolated granite pillars formed of boulders +piled one upon another, rolled away for many miles. + +Mr. Clifford and Benita had started upon their mad journey about three +o'clock in the afternoon, and when the sun began to set they found +themselves upon this plain fifteen or sixteen miles from Bambatse, of +which they had long lost sight, for it lay beyond the intervening +hills. Near to them was a kopje, where they had outspanned by a spring +of water when on their recent journey, and since they did not dare to +travel in the dark, here they determined to off-saddle, for round this +spring was good grass for the horses. + +As it chanced, they came upon some hartebeeste here which were +trekking down to drink, but although they would have been glad of +meat, they were afraid to shoot, fearing lest they should attract +attention; nor for the same reason did they like to light a fire. So +having knee-haltered the horses in such fashion that they could not +wander far, and turned them loose to feed, they sat down under a tree, +and made some sort of a meal off the biltong and cooked corn which +they had brought with them. By the time this was finished darkness +fell, for there was little moon, so that nothing remained to do except +to sleep within a circle of a few dead thorn-boughs which they had +drawn about their camp. This, then, they did, and so weary were they +both, that notwithstanding all the emotions through which they had +passed, and their fears lest lions should attack them--for of these +brutes there were many in this veld--rested soundly and undisturbed +till within half an hour of dawn. + +Rising somewhat chilled, for though the air was warm a heavy dew had +soaked their blankets, once more they ate and drank by starlight, +while the horses, which they had tied up close to them during the +night, filled themselves with grass. At the first break of day they +saddled them, and before the sun rose were on their road again. At +length up it came, and the sight and warmth of it put new heart into +Benita. Her fears seemed to depart with the night, and she said to her +father that this successful start was of good augury, to which he only +answered that he hoped so. + +All that day they rode forward in beautiful weather, not pressing +their horses, for now they were sure that Jacob Meyer, who if he +followed at all must do so on foot, would never be able to overtake +them. At noon they halted, and having shot a small buck, Benita cooked +some of it in the one pot that they had brought with them, and they +ate a good meal of fresh meat. + +Riding on again, towards sundown they came to another of their old +camping-places, also a bush-covered kopje. Here the spring of water +was more than halfway up the hill, so there they off-saddled in a +green bower of a place that because of its ferns and mosses looked +like a rock garden. Now, although they had enough cold meat for food, +they thought themselves quite safe in lighting a fire. Indeed, this it +seemed necessary to do, since they had struck the fresh spoor of +lions, and even caught sight of one galloping away in the tall reeds +on the marshy land at the foot of the hill. + +That evening they fared sumptuously upon venison, and as on the +previous day lay down to rest in a little "boma" or fence made of +boughs. But they were not allowed to sleep well this night, for +scarcely had they shut their eyes when a hyena began to howl about +them. They shouted and the brute went away, but an hour or two later, +they heard ominous grunting sounds, followed presently by a loud roar, +which was answered by another roar, whereat the horses began to whinny +in a frightened fashion. + +"Lions!" said Mr. Clifford, jumping up and throwing dead wood on the +fire till it burnt to a bright blaze. + +After that all sleep became impossible, for although the lions did not +attack them, having once winded the horses they would not go away, but +continued wandering round the kopje, grunting and growling. This went +on till abut three o'clock in the morning, when at last the beasts +took their departure, for they heard them roaring in the distance. Now +that they seemed safe, having first made up the fire, they tried to +get some rest. + +When, as it appeared to her, Benita had been asleep but a little +while, she was awakened by a new noise. It was still dark, but the +starlight showed her that the horses were quite quiet; indeed, one of +them was lying down, and the other eating some green leaves from the +branches of the tree to which it was tethered. Therefore that noise +had not come from any wild animal of which they were afraid. she +listened intently, and presently heard it again; it was a murmur like +to that of people talking somewhere at the bottom of the hill. Then +she woke her father and told him, but although once or twice they +thought they heard the sound of footsteps, nothing else could be +distinguished. Still they rose, and having saddled and bridled the +horses as noiselessly as might be, waited for the dawn. + +At last it came. Up on the side of the kopje they were in clear air, +above which shone the red lights of morning, but under them lay +billows of dense, pearl-hued mist. By degrees this thinned beneath the +rays of the risen sun, and through it, looking gigantic in that light, +Benita saw a savage wrapped in a kaross, who was walking up and down +and yawning, a great spear in his hand. + +"Look," she whispered, "look!" and Mr. Clifford stared down the line +of her outstretched finger. + +"The Matabele," he said. "My God! the Matabele!" + + + +XV + +THE CHASE + +The Matabele it was, sure enough; there could be no doubt of it, for +soon three other men joined the sentry and began to talk with him, +pointing with their great spears at the side of the hill. Evidently +they were arranging a surprise when there was sufficient light to +carry it out. + +"They have seen our fire," whispered her father to Benita; "now, if we +wish to save our lives, there is only one thing to do--ride for it +before they muster. The impi will be camped upon the other side of the +hill, so we must take the road we came by." + +"That runs back to Bambatse," faltered Benita. + +"Bambatse is better than the grave," said her father. "Pray Heaven +that we may get there." + +To this argument there was no answer, so having drunk a sup of water, +and swallowing a few mouthfuls of food as they went, they crept to the +horses, mounted them, and as silently as possible began to ride down +the hill. + +The sentry was alone again, the other three men having departed. He +stood with his back towards them. Presently when they were quite close +on to him, he heard their horses' hoofs upon the grass, wheeled round +at the sound, and saw them. Then with a great shout he lifted his +spear and charged. + +Mr. Clifford, who was leading, held out his rifle at arm's length--to +raise it to his shoulder he had no time--and pulled the trigger. +Benita heard the bullet clap upon the hide shield, and next instant +saw the Matabele warrior lying on his back, beating the air with his +hands and feet. Also, she saw beyond the shoulder of the kopje, which +they were rounding, hundreds of men marching, and behind them a herd +of cattle, the dim light gleaming upon the stabbing spears and on the +horns of the oxen. She glanced to the right, and there were more men. +The two wings of the impi were closing upon them. Only a little lane +was left in the middle. They must get through before it shut. + +"Come," she gasped, striking the horse with her heel and the butt of +her gun, and jerking at its mouth. + +Her father saw also, and did likewise, so that the beasts broke into a +gallop. Now from the point of each wing sprang out thin lines of men, +looking like great horns, or nippers, whose business it was to meet +and cut them off. Could they pass between them before they did meet? +That was the question, and upon its answer it depended whether or no +they had another three minutes to live. To think of mercy at the hands +of these bloodthirsty brutes, after they had just killed one of their +number before their eyes, was absurd. It was true he had been shot in +self-defence; but what count would savages take of that, or of the +fact that they were but harmless travellers? White people were not +very popular with the Matabele just then, as they knew well; also, +their murder in this remote place, with not another of their race +within a couple of hundred miles, would never even be reported, and +much less avenged. It was as safe as any crime could possibly be. + +All this passed through their minds as they galloped towards those +closing points. Oh! the horror of it! But two hundred yards to cover, +and their fate would be decided. Either they would have escaped at +least for a while, or time would be done with them; or, a third +alternative, they might be taken prisoners, in all probability a yet +more dreadful doom. Even then Benita determined that if she could help +it this should not befall her. She had the rifle and the revolver that +Jacob Meyer had given her. Surely she would be able to find a moment +to use one or the other upon herself. She clenched her teeth, and +struck the horse again and again, so that now they flew along. The +Matabele soldiers were running their best to catch them, and if these +had been given but five seconds of start, caught they must have been. +But that short five seconds saved their lives. + +When they rushed through them the foremost men of the nippers were not +more than twenty yards apart. Seeing that they had passed, these +halted and hurled a shower of spears after them. One flashed by +Benita's cheek, a line of light; she felt the wind of it. Another cut +her dress, and a third struck her father's horse in the near hind leg +just above the knee-joint, remaining fast there for a stride or two, +and then falling to the ground. At first the beast did not seem to be +incommoded by this wound; indeed, it only caused it to gallop quicker, +and Benita rejoiced, thinking that it was but a scratch. Then she +forgot about it, for some of the Matabele, who had guns, began to +shoot them, and although their marksmanship was vile, one or two of +the bullets went nearer than was pleasant. Lastly a man, the swiftest +runner of them all, shouted after them in Zulu: + +"The horse is wounded. We will catch you both before the sun sets." + +Then they passed over the crest of a rise and lost sight of them for a +while. + +"Thank God!" gasped Benita when they were alone again in the silent +veld; but Mr. Clifford shook his head. + +"Do you think they will follow us?" she asked. + +"You heard what the fellow said," he answered evasively. "Doubtless +they are on their way to attack Bambatse, and have been round to +destroy some other wretched tribe, and steal the cattle which we saw. +Yes, I fear that they will follow. The question is, which of us can +get to Bambatse first." + +"Surely we ought to on the horses, father." + +"Yes, if nothing happens to them," and as he spoke the words the mare +which he was riding dropped sharply upon her hind leg, the same that +had been struck with the spear; then recovered herself and galloped +on. + +"Did you see that?" he asked. + +She nodded; then said: + +"Shall we get off and look at the cut?" + +"Certainly not," he answered. "Our only chance is to keep her moving; +if once the wound stiffens, there's an end. The sinew cannot have been +severed, or it would have come before now." + +So they pushed on. + +All that morning did they canter forward wherever the ground was +smooth enough to allow them to do so, and notwithstanding the +increasing lameness of Mr. Clifford's mare, made such good progress +that by midday they reached the place where they had passed the first +night after leaving Bambatse. Here sheer fatigue and want of water +forced them to stop a little while. They dismounted and drank greedily +from the spring, after which they allowed the horses to drink also; +indeed it was impossible to keep them away from the water. Then they +ate a little, not because they desired food, but to keep up their +strength, and while they did so examined the mare. By now her hind leg +was much swollen, and blood still ran from the gash made by the +assegai. Moreover, the limb was drawn up so that the point of the hoof +only rested on the ground. + +"We must get on before it sets fast," said Mr. Clifford, and they +mounted again. + +Great heavens! what was this? The mare would not stir. In his despair +Mr. Clifford beat it cruelly, whereupon the poor brute hobbled forward +a few paces on three legs, and again came to a standstill. Either an +injured sinew had given or the inflammation was now so intense that it +could not bend its knee. Understanding what this meant to them, +Benita's nerve gave out at last, and she burst into weeping. + +"Don't cry, love," he said. "God's will be done. Perhaps they have +given up the hunt by now; at any rate, my legs are left, and Bambatse +is not more than sixteen miles away. Forward now," and holding to her +saddle-strap they went up the long, long slope which led to the poort +in the hills around Bambatse. + +They would have liked to shoot the mare, but being afraid to fire a +rifle, could not do so. So they left the unhappy beast to its fate, +and with it everything it carried, except a few of the cartridges. +Before they went, however, at Benita's prayer, her father devoted a +few seconds to unbuckling the girths and pulling off the bridle, so +that it might have a chance of life. For a little way it hobbled after +them on three legs, then, the saddle still upon its back, stood +whinnying piteously, till at last, to Benita's intense relief, a turn +in their path hid it from their sight. + +Half a mile further on she looked round in the faint hope that it +might have recovered itself and followed. But no mare was to be seen. +Something else was to be seen, however, for there, three or four miles +away upon the plain behind them, easy to be distinguished in that +dazzling air, were a number of black spots that occasionally seemed to +sparkle. + +"What are they?" she asked faintly, as one who feared the answer. + +"The Matabele who follow us," answered her father, "or rather a +company of their swiftest runners. It is their spears that glitter so. +Now, my love, this is the position," he went on, as they struggled +forward: "those men will catch us before ever we can get to Bambatse; +they are trained to run like that, for fifty miles, if need be. But +with this start they cannot catch your horse, you must go on and leave +me to look after myself." + +"Never, never!" she exclaimed. + +"But you shall, and you must. I am your father and I order you. As for +me, what does it matter? I may hide from them and escape, or--at least +I am old, my life is done, whereas yours is before you. Now, good-bye, +and go on," and he let go of the saddle-strap. + +By way of answer Benita pulled up the horse. + +"Not one yard," she said, setting her mouth. + +Then he began to storm at her, calling her disobedient, and undutiful, +and when this means failed to move her, to implore her almost with +tears. + +"Father, dear," she said, leaning down towards him as he walked, for +now they were going on again, "I told you why I wanted to run away +from Bambatse, didn't I?--because I would rather risk my life than +stay. Well, do you think that I wish to return there and live in that +place alone with Jacob Meyer? Also, I will tell you another thing. You +remember about Mr. Seymour? Well, I can't get over that; I can't get +over it at all, and therefore, although of course I am afraid, it is +all one to me. No, we will escape together, or die together; the first +if we can." + +Then with a groan he gave up the argument, and as he found breath they +discussed their chances. Their first idea was to hide, but save for a +few trees all the country was open; there was no place to cover them. +They thought of the banks of the Zambesi, but between them and the +river rose a bare, rock-strewn hill with several miles of slope. Long +before they could reach its crest, even if a horse were able to travel +there, they must be overtaken. In short, there was nothing to do +except to push for the nek, and if they were fortunate enough to reach +it before the Matabele, to abandon the horse there and try to conceal +themselves among the ruins of the houses beyond. This, perhaps, they +might do when once the sun was down. + +But they did not deceive themselves; the chances were at least fifty +to one against them, unless indeed their pursuers grew weary and let +them go. + +At present, however, they were by no means weary, for having perceived +them from far away, the long-legged runners put on the pace, and the +distance between them and their quarry was lessening. + +"Father," said Benita, "please understand one thing. I do not mean to +be taken alive by those savages." + +"Oh! how can I----" he faltered. + +"I don't ask you," she answered. "I will see to that myself. Only, if +I should make any mistake----" and she looked at him. + +The old man was getting very tired. He panted up the steep hillside, +and stumbled against the stones. Benita noted it, and slipping from +the horse, made him mount while she ran alongside. Then when he was a +little rested they changed places again, and so covered several miles +of country. Subsequently, when both of them were nearly exhausted, +they tried riding together--she in front and he behind, for their +baggage had long since been thrown away. But the weary beast could not +carry this double burden, and after a few hundred yards of it, +stumbled, fell, struggled to its feet again, and stopped. + +So once more they were obliged to ride and walk alternately. + +Now there was not much more than an hour of daylight left, and the +narrow pass lay about three miles ahead of them. That dreadful three +miles; ever thereafter it was Benita's favourite nightmare! At the +beginning of it the leading Matabele were about two thousand yards +behind them; half-way, about a thousand; and at the commencement of +the last mile, say five hundred. + +Nature is a wonderful thing, and great are its resources in extremity. +As the actual crisis approached, the weariness of these two seemed to +depart, or at any rate it was forgotten. They no longer felt +exhausted, nor, had they been fresh from their beds, could they have +climbed or run better. Even the horse seemed to find new energy, and +when it lagged Mr. Clifford dug the point of his hunting knife into +its flank. Gasping, panting, now one mounted and now the other, they +struggled on towards that crest of rock, while behind them came death +in the shape of those sleuth-hounds of Matabele. The sun was going +down, and against its flaming ball, when they glanced back they could +see their dark forms outlined; the broad spears also looked red as +though they had been dipped in blood. They could even hear their +taunting shouts as they called to them to sit down and be killed, and +save trouble. + +Now they were not three hundred yards away, and the crest of the pass +was still half a mile ahead. Five minutes passed, and here, where the +track was very rough, the horse blundered upwards slowly. Mr. Clifford +was riding at the time, and Benita running at his side, holding to the +stirrup leather. She looked behind her. The savages, fearing that +their victims might find shelter over the hill, were making a rush, +and the horse could go no faster. One man, a great tall fellow, quite +out-distanced his companions. Two minutes more and he was not over a +hundred paces from them, a little nearer than they were to the top of +the pass. Then the horse stopped and refused to stir any more. + +Mr. Clifford jumped from the saddle, and Benita, who could not speak, +pointed to the pursuing Matabele. He sat down upon a rock, cocked his +rifle, took a deep breath, and aimed and fired at the soldier who was +coming on carelessly in the open. Mr. Clifford was a good shot, and +shaken though he was, at this supreme moment his skill did not fail +him. The man was struck somewhere, for he staggered about and fell; +then slowly picked himself up, and began to hobble back towards his +companions, who, when they met him, stopped a minute to give him some +kind of assistance. + +That halt proved their salvation, for it gave them time to make one +last despairing rush, and gain the brow of the poort. Not that this +would have saved them, however, since where they could go the Matabele +could follow, and there was still light by which the pursuers would +have been able to see to catch them. Indeed, the savages, having laid +down the wounded man, came on with a yell of rage, fifty or more of +them. + +Over the pass father and daughter struggled, Benita riding; after +them, perhaps sixty yards away, ran the Matabele, gathered in a knot +now upon the narrow, ancient road, bordered by steep hillsides. + +Then suddenly from all about them, as it appeared to Benita, broke out +the blaze and roar of rifles, rapid and continuous. Down went the +Matabele by twos and threes, till at last it seemed as though but +quite a few of them were left upon their feet, and those came on no +more; they turned and fled from the neck of the narrow pass to the +open slope beyond. + +Benita sank to the ground, and the next thing that she could remember +was hearing the soft voice of Jacob Meyer, who said: + +"So you have returned from your ride, Miss Clifford, and perhaps it +was as well that the thought came from you to me that you wished me to +meet you here in this very place." + + + +XVI + +BACK AT BAMBATSE + +How they reached Bambatse Benita never could remember, but afterwards +she was told that both she and her father were carried upon litters +made of ox-hide shields. When she came to her own mind again, it was +to find herself lying in her tent outside the mouth of the cave within +the third enclosure of the temple-fortress. Her feet were sore and her +bones ached, physical discomforts that brought back to her in a flash +all the terrors through which she had passed. + +Again she saw the fierce pursuing Matabele; again heard their cruel +shouts and the answering crack of the rifles; again, amidst the din +and the gathering darkness, distinguished the gentle, foreign voice of +Meyer speaking his words of sarcastic greeting. Next oblivion fell +upon her, and after it a dim memory of being helped up the hill with +the sun pouring on her back and assisted to climb the steep steps of +the wall by means of a rope placed around her. Then forgetfulness +again. + +The flap of her tent was drawn aside and she shrank back upon her bed, +shutting her eyes for fear lest they should fall upon the face of +Jacob Meyer. Feeling that it was not he, or learning it perhaps from +the footfall, she opened them a little, peeping at her visitor from +between her long lashes. He proved to be--not Jacob or her father, but +the old Molimo, who stood beside her holding in his hand a gourd +filled with goat's milk. Then she sat up and smiled at him, for Benita +had grown very fond of this ancient man, who was so unlike anyone that +she had ever met. + +"Greeting, Lady," he said softly, smiling back at her with his lips +and dreamy eyes, for his old face did not seem to move beneath its +thousand wrinkles. "I bring you milk. Drink; it is fresh and you need +food." + +So she took the gourd and drank to the last drop, for it seemed to her +that she had never tasted anything so delicious. + +"Good, good," murmured the Molimo; "now you will be well again." + +"Yes, I shall get well," she answered; "but oh! what of my father?" + +"Fear not; he is still sick, but he will recover also. You shall see +him soon." + +"I have drunk all the milk," she broke out; "there is none left for +him." + +"Plenty, plenty," he answered, waving his thin hand. "There are two +cups full--one for each. We have not many she-goats down below, but +the best of their milk is saved for you." + +"Tell me all that has happened, Father," and the old priest, who liked +her to call him by that name, smiled again with his eyes, and squatted +down in the corner of the tent. + +"You went away, you remember that you would go, although I told you +that you must come back. You refused my wisdom and you went, and I +have learned all that befell you and how you two escaped the impi. +Well, that night after sunset, when you did not return, came the Black +One--yes, yes, I mean Meyer, whom we name so because of his beard, +and," he added deliberately, "his heart. He came running down the hill +asking for you, and I gave him the letter. + +"He read it, and oh! then he went mad. He cursed in his own tongue; he +threw himself about; he took a rifle and wished to shoot me, but I sat +silent and looked at him till he grew quiet. Then he asked why I had +played him this trick, but I answered that it was no trick of mine who +had no right to keep you and your father prisoners against your will, +and that I thought you had gone away because you were afraid of him, +which was not wonderful if that was how he talked to you. I told him, +too, I who am a doctor, that unless he was careful he would go mad; +that already I saw madness in his eye; after which he became quiet, +for my words frightened him. Then he asked what could be done, and I +said--that night, nothing, since you must be far away, so that it +would be useless to follow you, but better to go to meet you when you +came back. He asked what I meant by your coming back, and I answered +that I meant what I said, that you would come back in great haste and +peril--although you would not believe me when I told you so--for I had +it from the Munwali whose child you are. + +"So I sent out my spies, and that night went by, and the next day and +night went by, and we sat still and did nothing, though the Black One +wished to wander out alone after you. But on the following morning, at +the dawn, a messenger came in who reported that it had been called to +him by his brethren who were hidden upon hilltops and in other places +for miles and miles, that the Matabele impi, having destroyed another +family of the Makalanga far down the Zambesi, was advancing to destroy +us also. And in the afternoon came a second spy, who reported that you +two had been surrounded by the impi, but had broken through them, and +were riding hitherward for your lives. Then I took fifty of the best +of our people and put them under the command of Tamas, my son, and +sent them to ambush the pass, for against the Matabele warriors on the +plain we, who are not warlike, do not dare to fight. + +"The Black One went with them, and when he saw how sore was your +strait, wished to run down to meet the Matabele, for he is a brave +man. But I had said to Tamas--'No, do not try to fight them in the +open, for there they will certainly kill you.' Moreover, Lady, I was +sure that you would reach the top of the poort. Well, you reached it, +though but by the breadth of a blade of grass, and my children shot +with the new rifles, and the place being narrow so that they could not +miss, killed many of those hyenas of Amandabele. But to kill Matabele +is like catching fleas on a dog's back: there are always more. Still +it served its turn, you and your father were brought away safely, and +we lost no one." + +"Where, then, are the Matabele now?" asked Benita. + +"Outside our walls, a whole regiment of them: three thousand men or +more, under the command of the Captain Maduna, he of the royal blood, +whose life you begged, but who nevertheless hunted you like a buck." + +"Perhaps he did not know who it was," suggested Benita. + +"Perhaps not," the Molimo answered, rubbing his chin, "for in such +matters even a Matabele generally keeps faith, and you may remember he +promised you life for life. However, they are here ravening like lions +round the walls, and that is why we carried you up to the top of the +hill, that you might be safe from them." + +"But are you safe, my Father?" + +"I think so," he replied with a dry little chuckle in his throat. +"Whoever built this fortress built it strong, and we have blocked the +gates. Also, they caught no one outside; all are within the walls, +together with the sheep and goats. Lastly, we have sent most of the +women and children across the Zambesi in canoes, to hide in places we +know of whither the Amandabele cannot follow, for they dare not swim a +river. Therefore, for those of us that remain we have food for three +months, and before then the rains will drive the impi out." + +"Why did you not all go across the river, Father?" + +"For two reasons, Lady. The first is, that if we once abandoned our +stronghold, which we have held from the beginning, Lobengula would +take it, and keep it, so that we could never re-enter into our +heritage, which would be a shame to us and bring down the vengeance of +the spirits of our ancestors upon our heads. The second is, that as +you have returned to us we stay to protect you." + +"You are very good to me," murmured Benita. + +"Nay, nay, we brought you here, and we do what I am told to do from +Above. Trouble may still come upon you; yes, I think that it will +come, but once more I pray you, have no fear, for out of this evil +root shall spring a flower of joy," and he rose to go. + +"Stay," said Benita. "Has the chief Meyer found the gold?" + +"No; he has found nothing; but he hunts and hunts like a hungry jackal +digging for a bone. But that bone is not for him; it is for you, Lady, +you and you only. Oh! I know, you do not seek, still you shall find. +Only the next time that you want help, do not run away into the +wilderness. Hear the word of Munwali given by his mouth, the Molimo of +Bambatse!" And as he spoke, the old priest backed himself out of the +tent, stopping now and again to bow to Benita. + +A few minutes later her father entered, looking very weak and shaken, +and supporting himself upon a stick. Happy was the greeting of these +two who, with their arms about each other's neck, gave thanks for +their escape from great peril. + +"You see, Benita, we can't get away from this place," Mr. Clifford +said presently. "We must find that gold." + +"Bother the gold," she answered with energy; "I hate its very name. +Who can think of gold with three thousand Matabele waiting to kill +us?" + +"Somehow I don't feel afraid of them any more," said her father; "they +have had their chance and lost it, and the Makalanga swear that now +they have guns to command the gates, the fortress cannot be stormed. +Still, I am afraid of someone." + +"Who?" + +"Jacob Mayer. I have seen him several times, and I think that he is +going mad." + +"The Molimo said that too, but why?" + +"From the look of him. He sits about muttering and glowing with those +dark eyes of his, and sometimes groans, and sometimes bursts into +shouts of laughter. That is when the fit is on him, for generally he +seems right enough. But get up if you think you can, and you shall +judge for yourself." + +"I don't want to," said Benita feebly. "Father, I am more afraid of +him now than ever. Oh! why did you not let me stop down below, among +the Makalanga, instead of carrying me up here again, where we must +live alone with that terrible Jew?" + +"I wished to, dear, but the Molimo said we should be safer above, and +ordered his people to carry you up. Also, Jacob swore that unless you +were brought back he would kill me. Now you understand why I believe +that he is mad." + +"Why, why?" gasped Benita again. + +"God knows," he answered with a groan; "but I think that he is sure +that we shall never find the gold without you, since the Molimo has +told him that it is for you and you alone, and he says the old man has +second sight, or something of the sort. Well, he would have murdered +me--I saw it in his eye--so I thought it better to give in rather than +that you should be left here sick and alone. Of course there was one +way----" and he paused. + +She looked at him and asked: + +"What way?" + +"To shoot him before he shot me," he answered in a whisper, "for your +sake, dear--but I could not bring myself to do it." + +"No," she said with a shudder, "not that--not that. Better that we +should die than that his blood should be upon our hands. Now I will +get up and try to show no fear. I am sure that is best, and perhaps we +shall be able to escape somehow. Meanwhile, let us humour him, and +pretend to go on looking for this horrible treasure." + +So Benita rose to discover that, save for her stiffness, she was but +little the worse, and finding all things placed in readiness, set to +work with her father's help to cook the evening meal as usual. Of +Meyer, who doubtless had placed things in readiness, she saw nothing. + +Before nightfall he came, however, as she knew he would. Indeed, +although she heard no step and her back was towards him, she felt his +presence; the sense of it fell upon her like a cold shadow. Turning +round she beheld the man. He was standing close by, but above her, +upon a big granite boulder, in climbing which his soft veld schoons, +or hide shoes, had made no noise, for Meyer could move like a cat. The +last rays from the sinking sun struck him full, outlining his agile, +nervous shape against the sky, and in their intense red light, which +flamed upon him, he appeared terrible. He looked like a panther about +to spring; his eyes shone like a panther's, and Benita knew that she +was the prey whom he desired. Still, remembering her resolution, she +determined to show no fear, and addressed him: + +"Good-evening, Mr. Meyer. Oh! I am so stiff that I cannot lift my neck +to look at you," and she laughed. + +He bounded softly from the rock, like a panther again, and stood in +front of her. + +"You should thank the God you believe in," he said, "that by now you +are not stiff indeed--all that the jackals have left of you." + +"I do, Mr. Meyer, and I thank you, too; it was brave of you to come +out to save us. Father," she called, "come and tell Mr. Meyer how +grateful we are to him." + +Mr. Clifford hobbled out from his hut under the tree, saying: + +"I have told him already, dear." + +"Yes," answered Jacob, "you have told me; why repeat yourself? I see +that supper is ready. Let us eat, for you must be hungry; afterwards I +have something to tell you." + +So they ate, with no great appetite, any of them--indeed Meyer touched +but little food, though he drank a good deal, first of strong black +coffee and afterwards of squareface and water. But on Benita he +pressed the choicest morsels that he could find, eyeing her all the +while, and saying that she must take plenty of nutriment or her beauty +would suffer and her strength wane. Benita bethought her of the fairy +tales of her childhood, in which the ogre fed up the princess whom he +purposed to devour. + +"You should think of your own strength, Mr. Meyer," she said; "you +cannot live on coffee and squareface." + +"It is all I need to-night. I am astonishingly well since you came +back. I can never remember feeling so well, or so strong. I can do the +work of three men, and not be tired; all this afternoon, for instance, +I have been carrying provisions and other things up that steep wall, +for we must prepare for a long siege together; yet I should never know +that I had lifted a single basket. But while you were away--ah! then I +felt tired." + +Benita changed the subject, asking him if he had made any discoveries. + +"Not yet, but now that you are back the discoveries will soon come. Do +not be afraid; I have my plan which cannot fail. Also, it was lonely +working in that cave without you, so I only looked about a little +outside till it was time to go to meet you, and shoot some of those +Matabele. Do you know?--I killed seven of them myself. When I was +shooting for your sake I could not miss," and he smiled at her. + +Benita shrank from him visibly, and Mr. Clifford said in an angry +voice: + +"Don't talk of those horrors before my daughter. It is bad enough to +have to do such things, without speaking about them afterwards." + +"You are right," he replied reflectively; "and I apologise, though +personally I never enjoyed anything so much as shooting those +Matabele. Well, they are gone, and there are plenty more outside. +Listen! They are singing their evening hymn," and with his long finger +he beat time to the volleying notes of the dreadful Matabele war- +chant, which floated up from the plain below. "It sounds quite +religious, doesn't it? only the words--no, I will not translate them. +In our circumstances they are too personal. + +"Now I have something to say to you. It was unkind of you to run away +and leave me like that, not honourable either. Indeed," he added with +a sudden outbreak of the panther ferocity, "had you alone been +concerned, Clifford, I tell you frankly that when we met again, I +should have shot you. Traitors deserve to be shot, don't they?" + +"Please stop talking to my father like that," broke in Benita in a +stern voice, for her anger had overcome her fear. "Also it is I whom +you should blame." + +"It is a pleasure to obey you," he answered bowing; "I will never +mention the subject any more. Nor do I blame you--who could?--not +Jacob Meyer. I quite understand that you found it very dull up here, +and ladies must be allowed their fancies. Also you have come back; so +why talk of the matter? But listen: on one point I have made up my +mind; for your own sake you shall not go away any more until we leave +this together. When I had finished carrying up the food I made sure of +that. If you go to look to-morrow morning you will find that no one +can come up that wall--and, what is more, no one can go down it. +Moreover, that I may be quite certain, in future I shall sleep near +the stair myself." + +Benita and her father stared at each other. + +"The Molimo has a right to come," she said; "it is his sanctuary." + +"Then he must celebrate his worship down below for a little while. The +old fool pretends to know everything, but he never guessed what I was +going to do. Besides, we don't want him breaking in upon our privacy, +do we? He might see the gold when we find it, and rob us of it afterwards." + + + +XVII + +THE FIRST EXPERIMENT + +Again Benita and her father stared at each other blankly, almost with +despair. They were trapped, cut off from all help; in the power of a +man who was going mad. Mr. Clifford said nothing. He was old and +growing feeble; for years, although he did not know it, Meyer had +dominated him, and never more so than in this hour of stress and +bewilderment. Moreover, the man had threatened to murder him, and he +was afraid, not so much for himself as for his daughter. If he were to +die now, what would happen to her, left alone with Jacob Meyer? The +knowledge of his own folly, understood too late, filled him with +shame. How could he have been so wicked as to bring a girl upon such a +quest in the company of an unprincipled Jew, of whose past he knew +nothing except that it was murky and dubious? He had committed a great +crime, led on by a love of lucre, and the weight of it pressed upon +his tongue and closed his lips; he knew not what to say. + +For a little while Benita was silent also; hope died within her. But +she was a bold-spirited woman, and by degrees her courage re-asserted +itself. Indignation filled her breast and shone through her dark eyes. +Suddenly she turned upon Jacob, who sat before them smoking his pipe +and enjoying their discomfiture. + +"How dare you?" she asked in a low, concentrated voice. "How dare you, +you coward?" + +He shrank a little beneath her scorn and anger; then seemed to recover +and brace himself, as one does who feels that a great struggle is at +hand, upon the issue of which everything depends. + +"Do not be angry with me," he answered. "I cannot bear it. It hurts-- +ah! you don't know how it hurts. Well, I will tell you, and before +your father, for that is more honourable. I dare--for your sake." + +"For my sake? How can it benefit me to be cooped up in this horrible +place with you? I would rather trust myself with the Makalanga, or +even," she added with bitter scorn, "even with those bloody-minded +Matabele." + +"You ran away from them very fast a little while ago, Miss Clifford. +But you do not understand me. When I said for your sake, I meant for +my own. See, now. You tried to leave me the other day and did not +succeed. Another time you might succeed, and then--what would happen +to me?" + +"I do not know, Mr. Meyer," and her eyes added--"I do not care." + +"Ah! but I know. Last time it drove me nearly mad; next time I should +go quite mad." + +"Because you believe that through me you will find this treasure of +which you dream day and night, Mr. Meyer----" + +"Yes," he interrupted quickly. "Because I believe that in you I shall +find the treasure of which I dream day and night, and because that +treasure has become necessary to my life." + +Benita turned quickly towards her father, who was puzzling over the +words, but before either of them could speak Jacob passed his hand +across his brow in a bewildered way and said: + +"What was I talking of? The treasure, yes, the uncountable treasure of +pure gold, that lies hid so deep, that is so hard to discover and to +possess; the useless, buried treasure that would bring such joy and +glory to us both, if only it could be come at and reckoned out, piece +by piece, coin by coin, through the long, long years of life." + +Again he paused; then went on. + +"Well, Miss Clifford, you are quite right; that is why I have dared to +make you a prisoner, because, as the old Molimo said, the treasure is +yours and I wish to share it. Now, about this treasure, it seems that +it can't be found, can it, although I have worked so hard?" and he +looked at his delicate, scarred hands. + +"Quite so, Mr. Meyer, it can't be found, so you had better let us go +down to the Makalanga." + +"But there is a way, Miss Clifford, there is a way. You know where it +lies, and you can show me." + +"If I knew I would show you soon enough, Mr. Meyer, for then you could +take the stuff and our partnership would be at an end." + +"Not until it is divided ounce by ounce and coin by coin. But first-- +first you must show me, as you say you will, and as you can." + +"How, Mr. Meyer? I am not a magician." + +"Ah! but you are. I will tell you how, having your promise. Listen +now, both of you. I have studied. I know a great many secret things, +and I read in your face that you have the gift--let me look in your +eyes a while, Miss Clifford, and you will go to sleep quite gently, +and then in your sleep, which shall not harm you at all, you will see +where that gold lies hidden, and you will tell us." + +"What do you mean?" asked Benita, bewildered. + +"I know what he means," broke in Mr. Clifford. "You mean that you want +to mesmerize her as you did the Zulu chief." + +Benita opened her lips to speak, but Meyer said quickly: + +"No, no; hear me first before you refuse. You have the gift, the +precious gift of clairvoyance, that is so rare." + +"How do you know that, Mr. Meyer? I have never been mesmerized in my +life." + +"It does not matter how. I do know it; I have been sure of it from the +moment when first we met, that night by the kloof. Although, perhaps, +you felt nothing then, it was that gift of yours working upon a mind +in tune, my mind, which led me there in time to save you, as it was +that gift of yours which warned you of the disaster about to happen to +the ship--oh! I have heard the story from your own lips. Your spirit +can loose itself from the body: it can see the past and the future; it +can discover the hidden things." + +"I do not believe it," answered Benita; "but at least it shall not be +loosed by you." + +"It shall, it shall," he cried with passion, his eyes blazing on her +as he spoke. "Oh! I foresaw all this, and that is why I was determined +you should come with us, so that, should other means fail, we might +have your power to fall back upon. Well, they have failed; I have been +patient, I have said nothing, but now there is no other way. Will you +be so selfish, so cruel, as to deny me, you who can make us all rich +in an hour, and take no hurt at all, no more than if you had slept +awhile?" + +"Yes," answered Benita. "I refuse to deliver my will into the keeping +of any living man, and least of all into yours, Mr. Meyer." + +He turned to her father with a gesture of despair. + +"Cannot you persuade her, Clifford? She is your daughter, she will +obey you." + +"Not in that," said Benita. + +"No," answered Mr. Clifford. "I cannot, and I wouldn't if I could. My +daughter is quite right. Moreover, I hate this supernatural kind of +thing. If we can't find this gold without it, then we must let it +alone, that is all." + +Meyer turned aside to hide his face, and presently looked up again, +and spoke quite softly. + +"I suppose that I must accept my answer, but when you talked of any +living man just now, Miss Clifford, did you include your father?" + +She shook her head. + +"Then will you allow him to try to mesmerize you?" + +Benita laughed. + +"Oh, yes, if he likes," she said. "But I do not think that the +operation will be very successful." + +"Good, we will see to-morrow. Now, like you, I am tired. I am going to +bed in my new camp by the wall," he added significantly. + +***** + +"Why are you so dead set against this business?" asked her father, +when he had gone. + +"Oh, father!" she answered, "can't you see, don't you understand? Then +it is hard to have to tell you, but I must. In the beginning Mr. Meyer +only wanted the gold. Now he wants more, me as well as the gold. I +hate him! You know that is why I ran away. But I have read a good deal +about this mesmerism, and seen it once or twice, and who knows? If +once I allow his mind to master my mind, although I hate him so much, +I might become his slave." + +"I understand now," said Mr. Clifford. "Oh, why did I ever bring you +here? It would have been better if I had never seen your face again." + + + +On the morrow the experiment was made. Mr. Clifford attempted to +mesmerize his daughter. All the morning Jacob, who, it now appeared, +had practical knowledge of this doubtful art, tried to instruct him +therein. In the course of the lesson he informed him that for a short +period in the past, having great natural powers in that direction, he +had made use of them professionally, only giving up the business +because he found it wrecked his health. Mr. Clifford remarked that he +had never told him that before. + +"There are lots of things in my life that I have never told you," +replied Jacob with a little secret smile. "For instance, once I +mesmerized you, although you did not know it, and that is why you +always have to do what I want you to, except when your daughter is +near you, for her influence is stronger than mine." + +Mr. Clifford stared at him. + +"No wonder Benita won't let you mesmerize her," he said shortly. + +Then Jacob saw his mistake. + +"You are more foolish than I thought," he said. "How could I mesmerize +you without your knowing it? I was only laughing at you." + +"I didn't see the laugh," replied Mr. Clifford uneasily, and they went +on with the lesson. + +That afternoon it was put to proof--in the cave itself, where Meyer +seemed to think that the influences would be propitious. Benita, who +found some amusement in the performance, was seated upon the stone +steps underneath the crucifix, one lamp on the altar and others one +each side of her. + +In front stood her father, staring at her and waving his hands +mysteriously in obedience to Jacob's directions. So ridiculous did he +look indeed while thus engaged that Benita had the greatest difficulty +in preventing herself from bursting into laughter. This was the only +effect which his grimaces and gesticulations produced upon her, +although outwardly she kept a solemn appearance, and even from time to +time shut her eyes to encourage him. Once, when she opened them again, +it was to perceive that he was becoming very hot and exhausted, and +that Jacob was watching him with such an unpleasant intentness that +she re-closed her eyes that she might not see his face. + +It was shortly after this that of a sudden Benita did feel something, +a kind of penetrating power flowing upon her, something soft and +subtle that seemed to creep into her brain like the sound of her +mother's lullaby in the dim years ago. She began to think that she was +a lost traveller among alpine snows wrapped round by snow, falling, +falling in ten myriad flakes, every one of them with a little heart of +fire. Then it came to her that she had heard this snow-sleep was +dangerous, the last of all sleeps, and that its victims must rouse +themselves, or die. + +Benita roused herself just in time--only just, for now she was being +borne over the edge of a precipice upon the wings of swans, and +beneath her was darkness wherein dim figures walked with lamps where +their hearts should be. Oh, how heavy were her eyelids! Surely a +weight hung to each of them, a golden weight. There, there, they were +open, and she saw. Her father had ceased his efforts; he was rubbing +his brow with a red pocket-handkerchief, but behind him, with rigid +arms outstretched, his glowing eyes fastened on her face, stood Jacob +Meyer. By an effort she sprang to her feet, shaking her head as a dog +does. + +"Have done with this nonsense," she said. "It tires me," and snatching +one of the lamps she ran swiftly down the place. + +Benita expected that Jacob Meyer would be very angry with her, and +braced herself for a scene. But nothing of the sort happened. A while +afterwards she saw the two of them approaching, engaged apparently in +amicable talk. + +"Mr. Meyer says that I am no mesmerist, love," said her father, "and I +can quite believe him. But for all that it is a weary job. I am as +tired as I was after our escape from the Matabele." + +She laughed and answered: + +"To judge by results I agree with you. The occult is not in your line, +father. You had better give it up." + +"Did you, then, feel nothing?" asked Meyer. + +"Nothing at all," she answered, looking him in the eyes. "No, that's +wrong, I felt extremely bored and sorry to see my father making +himself ridiculous. Grey hairs and nonsense of that sort don't go well +together." + +"No," he answered. "I agree with you--not of that sort," and the +subject dropped. + +For the next few days, to her intense relief, Benita heard no more of +mesmerism. To begin with, there was something else to occupy their +minds. The Matabele, tired of marching round the fortress and singing +endless war-songs, had determined upon an assault. From their point of +vantage on the topmost wall the three could watch the preparations +which they made. Trees were cut down and brought in from a great +distance that rude ladders might be fashioned out of them; also spies +wandered round reconnoitring for a weak place in the defences. When +they came too near the Makalanga fired on them, killing some, so that +they retreated to the camp, which they had made in a fold of ground at +a little distance. Suddenly it occurred to Meyer that although here +the Matabele were safe from the Makalanga bullets, it was commanded +from the greater eminence, and by way of recreation he set himself to +harass them. His rifle was a sporting Martini, and he had an ample +supply of ammunition. Moreover, he was a beautiful marksman, with +sight like that of a hawk. + +A few trial shots gave him the range; it was a shade under seven +hundred yards, and then he began operations. Lying on the top of the +wall and resting his rifle upon a stone, he waited until the man who +was superintending the manufacture of the ladders came out into the +open, when, aiming carefully, he fired. The soldier, a white-bearded +savage, sprang into the air, and fell backwards, while his companions +stared upwards, wondering whence the bullet had come. + +"Pretty, wasn't it?" said Meyer to Benita, who was watching through a +pair of field-glasses. + +"I dare say," she answered. "But I don't want to see any more," and +giving the glasses to her father, she climbed down the wall. + +But Meyer stayed there, and from time to time she heard the report of +his rifle. In the evening he told her that he had killed six men and +wounded ten more, adding that it was the best day's shooting which he +could remember. + +"What is the use when there are so many?" she asked. + +"Not much," he answered. "But it annoys them and amuses me. Also, it +was part of our bargain that we should help the Makalanga if they were +attacked." + +"I believe that you like killing people," she said. + +"I don't mind it, Miss Clifford, especially as they tried to kill you." + + + +XVIII + +THE OTHER BENITA + +At irregular times, when he had nothing else to do, Jacob went on with +his man-shooting, in which Mr. Clifford joined him, though with less +effect. Soon it became evident that the Matabele were very much +annoyed by the fatal accuracy of this fire. Loss of life they did not +mind in the abstract, but when none of them knew but that their own +turn might come next to perish beneath these downward plunging +bullets, the matter wore a different face to them. To leave their camp +was not easy, since they had made a thorn /boma/ round it, to protect +them in case the Makalanga should make a night sally; also they could +find no other convenient spot. The upshot of it all was to hurry their +assault, which they delivered before they had prepared sufficient +ladders to make it effective. + +At the first break of dawn on the third day after Mr. Clifford's +attempt at mesmerism, Benita was awakened by the sounds of shouts and +firing. Having dressed herself hastily, she hurried in the growing +light towards that part of the wall from below which the noise seemed +to come, and climbing it, found her father and Jacob already seated +there, their rifles in hand. + +"The fools are attacking the small gate through which you went out +riding, Miss Clifford, the very worst place that they could have +chosen, although the wall looks very weak there," said the latter. "If +those Makalanga have any pluck they ought to teach them a lesson." + +Then the sun rose and they saw companies of Matabele, who carried +ladders in their hands, rushing onwards through the morning mist till +their sight of them was obstructed by the swell of the hill. On these +companies the two white men opened fire, with what result they could +not see in that light. Presently a great shout announced that the +enemy had gained the fosse and were setting up the ladders. Up to this +time the Makalanga appeared to have done nothing, but now they began +to fire rapidly from the ancient bastions which commanded the entrance +the impi was striving to storm, and soon through the thinning fog they +perceived wounded Matabele staggering and crawling back towards their +camp. Of these, the light now better, Jacob did not neglect to take +his toll. + +Meanwhile, the ancient fortress rang with the hideous tumult of the +attack. It was evident that again and again, as their fierce war- +shouts proclaimed, the Matabele were striving to scale the wall, and +again and again were beaten back by the raking rifle fire. Once a +triumphant yell seemed to announce their success. The fire slackened +and Benita grew pale with fear. + +"The Makalanga cowards are bolting," muttered Mr. Clifford, listening +with terrible anxiety. + +But if so their courage came back to them, for presently the guns +cracked louder and more incessant than before, and the savage cries of +"Kill! Kill! Kill!" dwindled and died away. Another five minutes and +the Matabele were in full retreat, bearing with them many dead and +wounded men upon their backs or stretched out on the ladders. + +"Our Makalanga friends should be grateful to us for those hundred +rifles," said Jacob as he loaded and fired rapidly, sending his +bullets wherever the clusters were thickest. "Had it not been for them +their throats would have been cut by now," he added, "for they could +never have stopped those savages with the spear." + +"Yes, and ours too before nightfall," said Benita with a shudder, for +the sight of this desperate fray and fear of how it might end had +sickened her. "Thank Heaven, it is over! Perhaps they will give up the +siege and go away." + +But, notwithstanding their costly defeat, for they had lost over a +hundred men, the Matabele, who were afraid to return to Buluwayo +except as victors, did nothing of the sort. They only cut down a +quantity of reeds and scrub, and moved their camp nearly to the banks +of the river, placing it in such a position that it could no longer be +searched by the fire of the two white men. Here they sat themselves +down sullenly, hoping to starve out the garrison or to find some other +way of entering the fortress. + +Now Meyer's shooting having come to an end for lack of men to shoot +at, since the enemy exposed themselves no more, he was again able to +give his full attention to the matter of the treasure hunt. + +As nothing could be found in the cave he devoted himself to the +outside enclosure which, it may be remembered, was grown over with +grass and trees and crowded with ruins. In the most important of these +ruins they began to dig somewhat aimlessly, and were rewarded by +finding a certain amount of gold in the shape of beads and ornaments, +and a few more skeletons of ancients. But of the Portuguese hoard +there was no sign. Thus it came about that they grew gloomier day by +day, till at last they scarcely spoke to each other. Jacob's angry +disappointment was written on his face, and Benita was filled with +despair, since to escape from their gaoler above and the Matabele +below seemed impossible. Moreover, she had another cause for anxiety. + +The ill-health which had been threatening her father for a long while +now fell upon him in earnest, so that of a sudden he became a very old +man. His strength and energy left him, and his mind was so filled with +remorse for what he held to be his crime in bringing his daughter to +this awful place, and with terror for the fate that threatened her, +that he could think of nothing else. In vain did she try to comfort +him. He would only wring his hands and groan, praying that God and she +would forgive him. Now, too, Meyer's mastery over him became +continually more evident. Mr. Clifford implored the man, almost with +tears, to unblock the wall and allow them to go down to the Makalanga. +He even tried to bribe him with the offer of all his share of the +treasure, if it were found, and when that failed, of his property in +the Transvaal. + +But Jacob only told him roughly not to be a fool, as they had to see +the thing through together. Then he would go again and brood by +himself, and Benita noticed that he always took his rifle or a pistol +with him. Evidently he feared lest her father should catch him +unprepared, and take the law into his own hands by means of a sudden +bullet. + +One comfort she had, however: although he watched her closely, the Jew +never tried to molest her in any way, not even with more of his +enigmatic and amorous speeches. By degrees, indeed, she came to +believe that all this was gone from his mind, or that he had abandoned +his advances as hopeless. + +A week passed since the Matabele attack, and nothing had happened. The +Makalanga took no notice of them, and so far as she was aware the old +Molimo never attempted to climb the blocked wall or otherwise to +communicate with them, a thing so strange that, knowing his affection +for her, Benita came to the conclusion that he must be dead, killed +perhaps in the attack. Even Jacob Meyer had abandoned his digging, and +sat about all day doing nothing but think. + +Their meal that night was a miserable affair, since in the first place +provisions were running short and there was little to eat, and in the +second no one spoke a word. Benita could swallow no food; she was +weary of that sun-dried trek-ox, for since Meyer had blocked the wall +they had little else. But by good fortune there remained plenty of +coffee, and of this she drank two cups, which Jacob prepared and +handed to her with much politeness. It tasted very bitter to her, but +this, Benita reflected, was because they lacked milk and sugar. Supper +ended, Meyer rose and bowed to her, muttering that he was going to +bed, and a few minutes later Mr. Clifford followed his example. She +went with her father to the hut beneath the tree, and having helped +him to remove his coat, which now he seemed to find difficulty in +doing for himself, bade him good-night and returned to the fire. + +It was very lonely there in the silence, for no sound came from either +the Matabele or the Makalanga camps, and the bright moonlight seemed +to people the place with fantastic shadows that looked alive. Benita +cried a little now that her father could not see her, and then also +sought refuge in bed. Evidently the end, whatever it might be, was +near, and of it she could not bear to think. Moreover, her eyes were +strangely heavy, so much so that before she had finished saying her +prayers sleep fell upon her, and she knew no more. + +Had she remained as wakeful as it was often her fate to be during +those fearful days, towards midnight she might have heard some light- +footed creature creeping to her tent, and seen that the moon-rays +which flowed through the gaping and ill-closed flap were cut off by +the figure of a man with glowing eyes, whose projected arms waved over +her mysteriously. But Benita neither heard nor saw. In her drugged +rest she did not know that her sleep turned gradually to a magic +swoon. She had no knowledge of her rising, or of how she threw her +thick cloak about her, lit her lamp, and, in obedience to that +beckoning finger, glided from the tent. She never heard her father +stumble from his hut, disturbed by the sound of footsteps, or the +words that passed between him and Jacob Meyer, while, lamp in hand, +she stood near them like a strengthless ghost. + +"If you dare to wake her," hissed Jacob, "I tell you that she will +die, and afterwards you shall die," and he fingered the pistol at his +belt. "No harm shall come to her--I swear it! Follow and see. Man, +man, be silent; our fortunes hang on it." + +Then, overcome also by the strange fierceness of that voice and gaze, +he followed. + +On they go to the winding neck of the cavern, first Jacob walking +backwards like the herald of majesty; then majesty itself in the shape +of this long-haired, death-like woman, cloaked and bearing in her hand +the light; and last, behind, the old, white-bearded man, like Time +following Beauty to the grave. Now they were in the great cavern, and +now, avoiding the open tombs, the well mouth and the altar, they stood +beneath the crucifix. + +"Be seated," said Meyer, and the entranced Benita sat herself down +upon the steps at the foot of the cross, placing the lamp on the rock +pavement before her, and bowing her head till her hair fell upon her +naked feet and hid them. He held his hands above her for a while, then +asked: + +"Do you sleep?" + +"I sleep," came the strange, slow answer. + +"Is your spirit awake?" + +"It is awake." + +"Command it to travel backwards through the ages to the beginning, and +tell me what you see here." + +"I see a rugged cave and wild folk dwelling in it; an old man is dying +yonder," and she pointed to the right; "and a black woman with a babe +at her breast tends him. A man, it is her husband, enters the cave. He +holds a torch in one hand, and with the other drags a buck." + +"Cease," said Meyer. "How long is this ago?" + +"Thirty-three thousand two hundred and one years," came the answer, +spoken without any hesitation. + +"Pass on," he said, "pass on thirty thousand years, and tell me what +you see." + +For a long while there was silence. + +"Why do you not speak?" he asked. + +"Be patient; I am living through those thirty thousand years; many a +life, many an age, but none may be missed." + +Again there was silence for a long while, till at length she spoke: + +"They are done, all of them, and now three thousand years ago I see +this place changed and smoothly fashioned, peopled by a throng of +worshippers clad in strange garments with clasps upon them. Behind me +stands the graven statue of a goddess with a calm and cruel face, in +front of the altar burns a fire, and on the altar white-robed priests +are sacrificing an infant which cries aloud." + +"Pass on, pass on," Meyer said hurriedly, as though the horror of that +scene had leapt to his eyes. "Pass on two thousand seven hundred years +and tell me what you see." + +Again there was a pause, while the spirit he had evoked in the body of +Benita lived through those ages. Then slowly she answered: + +"Nothing, the place is black and desolate, only the dead sleep beneath +its floor." + +"Wait till the living come again," he commanded; "then speak." + +"They are here," she replied presently. "Tonsured monks, one of whom +fashions this crucifix, and their followers who bow before the Host +upon the altar. They come, they go--of whom shall I tell you?" + +"Tell me of the Portuguese; of those who were driven here to die." + +"I see them all," she answered, after a pause. "Two hundred and three +of them. They are ragged and wayworn and hungry. Among them is a +beautiful woman, a girl. She draws near to me, she enters into me. You +must ask her"--this was spoken in a very faint voice--"I am I no +more." + +Mr. Clifford attempted to interrupt, but fiercely Meyer bade him to be +silent. + +"Speak," he commanded, but the crouching figure shook her head. + +"Speak," he said again, whereon another voice, not that of Benita, +answered in another tongue: + +"I hear; but I do not understand your language." + +"Great Heaven!" said Meyer, "it is Portuguese," and for a while the +terror of the thing struck him dumb, for he was aware that Benita knew +no Portuguese. He knew it, however, who had lived at Lorenço Marquez. + +"Who are you?" he asked in that tongue. + +"I am Benita da Ferreira. I am the daughter of the Captain da Ferreira +and of his wife, the lady Christinha, who stand by you now. Turn, and +you will see them." + +Jacob started and looked about him uneasily. + +"What did she say? I did not catch it all," asked Mr. Clifford. + +He translated her words. + +"But this is black magic," exclaimed the old man. "Benita knows no +Portuguese, so how comes she to speak it?" + +"Because she is no longer our Benita; she is another Benita, Benita da +Ferreira. The Molimo was right when he said that the spirit of the +dead woman went with her, as it seems the name has gone," he added. + +"Have done," said Mr. Clifford; "the thing is unholy. Wake her up, or +I will." + +"And bring about her death. Touch or disturb her, and I tell you she +will die," and he pointed to Benita, who crouched before them so white +and motionless that indeed it seemed as though already she were dead. +"Be quiet," he went on. "I swear to you that no hurt shall come to +her, also that I will translate everything to you. Promise, or I will +tell you nothing, and her blood be on your head." + +Then Mr. Clifford groaned and said: + +"I promise." + +"Tell me your story, Benita da Ferreira. How came you and your people +here?" + +"The tribes of Monomotapa rose against our rule. They killed many of +us in the lower land, yes, they killed my brother and him to whom I +was affianced. The rest of us fled north to this ancient fortress, +hoping thence to escape by the river, the Zambesi. The Mambo, our +vassal, gave us shelter here, but the tribes besieged the walls in +thousands, and burnt all the boats so that we could not fly by the +water. Many times we beat them back from the wall; the ditch was full +of their dead, and at last they dared to attack no more. + +"Then we began to starve and they won the first wall. We went on +starving and they won the second wall, but the third wall they could +not climb. So we died; one by one we laid ourselves down in this cave +and died, till I alone was left, for while our people had food they +gave it to me who was the daughter of their captain. Yes, alone I +knelt at the foot of this crucifix by the body of my father, praying +to the blessed Son of Mary for the death that would not come, and +kneeling there I swooned. When I awoke again the Mambo and his men +stood about me, for now, knowing us to be dead, the tribes had gone, +and those who were in hiding across the river had returned and knew +how to climb the wall. They bore me from among the dead, they gave me +food so that my strength came back; but in the night I, who in my +wickedness would not live, escaped from them and climbed the pillar of +black rock, so that when the sun rose they saw me standing there. They +begged of me to come down, promising to protect me, but I said 'No,' +who in the evil of my heart only desired to die, that I might join my +father and my brother, and one who was dearer to me than all. They +asked of me where the great treasure was hidden." + +At these words Jacob gasped, then rapidly translated them, while the +figure before them became silent, as though it felt that for the +moment the power of his will was withdrawn. + +"Speak on, I bid you," he said, and she continued, the rich, slow +voice dropping word after word from the lips of Benita in the alien +speech that this Benita never knew. + +"I answered that it was where it was, and that if they gave it up to +any save the one appointed, then that fate which had befallen my +people would befall theirs also. Yes, I gave it into their keeping +until I came again, since with his dying breath my father had +commanded me to reveal it to none, and I believed that I who was about +to die should never come again. + +"Then I made my last prayer, I kissed the golden crucifix that now +hangs upon this breast wherein I dwell," and the hand of the living +Benita was lifted, and moving like the hand of a dead thing, slowly +drew out the symbol from beneath the cloak, held it for a moment in +the lamplight, and let it fall to its place again. "I put my hands +before my eyes that I might not see, and I hurled myself from the +pinnacle." + +Now the voice ceased, but from the lips came a dreadful sound, such as +might be uttered by one whose bones are shattered upon rocks, followed +by other sounds like those of one who chokes in water. They were so +horrible to hear that Mr. Clifford nearly fainted, and even Jacob +Meyer staggered and turned white as the white face of Benita. + +"Wake her! For God's sake, wake her!" said her father. "She is dying, +as that woman died hundreds of years ago." + +"Not till she has told us where the gold is. Be quiet, you fool. She +does not feel or suffer. It is the spirit within her that lives +through the past again." + +Once more there was silence. It seemed as though the story were all +told and the teller had departed. + +"Benita da Ferreira," said Meyer at length, "I command you, tell me, +are you dead?" + +"Oh! would that I were dead, as my body is dead!" wailed the lips of +Benita. "Alas! I cannot die who suffer this purgatory, and must dwell +on here alone until the destined day. Yes, yes, the spirit of her who +was Benita da Ferreira must haunt this place in solitude. This is her +doom, to be the guardian of that accursed gold which was wrung from +the earth by cruelty and paid for with the lives of men." + +"Is it still safe?" whispered Jacob. + +"I will look;" then after a pause, "I have looked. It is there, every +grain of it, in ox-hide bags; only one of them has fallen and burst, +that which is black and red." + +"Where is it?" he said again. + +"I may not tell you; never, never." + +"Is there anyone whom you may tell?" + +"Yes." + +"Whom?" + +"Her in whose breast I lie." + +"Tell her then." + +"I have told her; she knows." + +"And may she tell me?" + +"Let her guard the secret as she will. O my Guardian, I thank thee. My +burden is departed; my sin of self-murder is atoned." + +"Benita da Ferreira, are you gone?" + +No answer. + +"Benita Clifford, do you hear me?" + +"I hear you," said the voice of Benita, speaking in English, although +Jacob, forgetting, had addressed her in Portuguese. + +"Where is the gold?" + +"In my keeping." + +"Tell me, I command you." + +But no words came; though he questioned her many times no words came, +till at last her head sank forward upon her knees, and in a faint +voice she murmured: + +"Loose me, or I die." + + + +XIX + +THE AWAKING + +Still Jacob Meyer hesitated. The great secret was unlearned, and, if +this occasion passed, might never be learned. But if he hesitated, Mr. +Clifford did not. The knowledge of his child's danger, the sense that +her life was mysteriously slipping away from her under pressure of the +ghastly spell in which she lay enthralled, stirred him to madness. His +strength and manhood came back to him. He sprang straight at Meyer's +throat, gripped it with one hand, and with the other drew the knife he +wore. + +"You devil!" he gasped. "Wake her or you shall go with her!" and he +lifted the knife. + +Then Jacob gave in. Shaking off his assailant he stepped to Benita, +and while her father stood behind him with the lifted blade, began to +make strange upward passes over her, and to mutter words of command. +For a long while they took no effect; indeed, both of them were almost +sure that she was gone. Despair gripped her father, and Meyer worked +at his black art so furiously that the sweat burst out upon his +forehead and fell in great drops to the floor. + +Oh, at last, at last she stirred! Her head lifted itself a little, her +breast heaved. + +"Lord in Heaven, I have saved her!" muttered Jacob in German, and +worked on. + +Now the eyes of Benita opened, and now she stood up and sighed. But +she said nothing; only like a person walking in her sleep, she began +to move towards the entrance of the cave, her father going before her +with the lamp. On she went, and out of it straight to her tent, where +instantly she cast herself upon her bed and sank into deep slumber. It +was as though the power of the drug-induced oblivion, which for a +while was over-mastered by that other stronger power invoked by Jacob, +had reasserted itself. + +Meyer watched her for awhile; then said to Mr. Clifford: + +"Don't be afraid and don't attempt to disturb her. She will wake +naturally in the morning." + +"I hope so for both our sakes," he answered, glaring at him, "for if +not, you or I, or the two of us, will never see another." + +Meyer took no notice of his threats; indeed the man seemed so +exhausted that he could scarcely stand. + +"I am done," he said. "Now, as she is safe, I don't care what happens +to me. I must rest," and he staggered from the tent, like a drunken +man. + +Outside, at the place where they ate, Mr. Clifford heard him gulping +down raw gin from the bottle. Then he heard no more. + +All the rest of the night, and for some hours of the early morning, +did her father watch by the bed of Benita, although, lightly clad as +he was, the cold of dawn struck to his bones. At length, when the sun +was well up, she rose in her bed, and her eyes opened. + +"What are you doing here, father?" she said. + +"I have come to see where you were, dear. You are generally out by +now." + +"I suppose that I must have overslept myself then," she replied +wearily. "But it does not seem to have refreshed me much, and my head +aches. Oh! I remember," she added with a start. "I have had such a +horrid dream." + +"What about?" he asked as carelessly as he could. + +"I can't recall it quite, but it had to do with Mr. Meyer," and she +shivered. "It seemed as though I had passed into his power, as though +he had taken possession of me, body and soul, and forced me to tell +him all the secret things." + +"What secret things, Benita?" + +She shook her head. + +"I don't know now, but we went away among dead people, and I told him +there. Oh! father, I am afraid of that man--terribly afraid! Protect +me from him," and she began to cry a little. + +"Of course I will protect you, dear. Something has upset your nerves. +Come, dress yourself and you'll soon forget it all. I'll light the +fire." + +A quarter of an hour later Benita joined him, looking pale and shaken, +but otherwise much as usual. She was ravenously hungry, and ate of the +biscuits and dried meat with eagerness. + +"The coffee tastes quite different from that which I drank last +night," she said. "I think there must have been something in it which +gave me those bad dreams. Where is Mr. Meyer? Oh, I know!" and again +she put her hand to her head. "He is still asleep by the wall." + +"Who told you that?" + +"I can't say, but it is so. He will not come here till one o'clock. +There, I feel much better now. What shall we do, father?" + +"Sit in the sun and rest, I think, dear." + +"Yes, let us do that, on the top of the wall. We can see the Makalanga +from there, and it will be a comfort to be sure that there are other +human beings left in the world besides ourselves and Jacob Meyer." + +So presently they went, and from the spot whence Meyer used to shoot +at the Matabele camp, looked down upon the Makalanga moving about the +first enclosure far below. By the aid of the glasses Benita even +thought that she recognised Tamas, although of this it was difficult +to be sure, for they were all very much alike. Still, the discovery +quite excited her. + +"I am sure it is Tamas," she said. "And oh! how I wish that we were +down there with him, although it is true that then we should be nearer +to the Matabele. But they are better than Mr. Meyer, much better." + +Now for a while they were silent, till at length she said suddenly: + +"Father, you are keeping something back from me, and things begin to +come back. Tell me; did I go anywhere last night with Mr. Meyer--you +and he and I together?" + +He hesitated and looked guilty; Mr. Clifford was not a good actor. + +"I see that we did; I am sure that we did. Father, tell me. I must +know, I will know." + +Then he gave way. + +"I didn't want to speak, dear, but perhaps it is best. It is a very +strange story. Will you promise not to be upset?" + +"I will promise not to be more upset than I am at present," she +answered, with a sad little laugh. "Go on." + +"You remember that Jacob Meyer wanted to mesmerize you?" + +"I am not likely to forget it," she answered. + +"Well, last night he did mesmerize you." + +"What?" she said. "/What?/ Oh! how dreadful! Now I understand it all. +But when?" + +"When you were sound asleep, I suppose. At least, the first I knew of +it was that some noise woke me, and I came out of the hut to see you +following him like a dead woman, with a lamp in your hand." + +Then he told her all the story, while she listened aghast. + +"How dared he!" she gasped, when her father had finished the long +tale. "I hate him; I almost wish that you had killed him," and she +clenched her little hands and shook them in the air. + +"That is not very Christian of you, Miss Clifford," said a voice +behind her. "But it is past one o'clock, and as I am still alive I +have come to tell you that it is time for luncheon." + +Benita wheeled round upon the stone on which she sat, and there, +standing amidst the bushes a little way from the foot of the wall, was +Jacob Meyer. Their eyes met; hers were full of defiance, and his of +conscious power. + +"I do not want any luncheon, Mr. Meyer," she said. + +"But I am sure that you do. Please come down and have some. Please +come down." + +The words were spoken humbly, almost pleadingly, yet to Benita they +seemed as a command. At any rate, with slow reluctance she climbed +down the shattered wall, followed by her father, and without speaking +they went back to their camping place, all three of them, Jacob +leading the way. + +When they had eaten, or made pretence to eat, he spoke. + +"I see that your father has told you everything, Miss Clifford, and of +that I am glad. As for me, it would have been awkward, who must ask +your forgiveness for so much. But what could I do? I knew, as I have +always known, that it was only possible to find this treasure by your +help. So I gave you something to make you sleep, and then in your +sleep I hypnotized you, and--you know the rest. I have great +experience in this art, but I have never seen or heard of anything +like what happened, and I hope I never shall again." + +Hitherto Benita had sat silent, but now her burning indignation and +curiosity overcame her shame and hatred. + +"Mr. Meyer," she said, "you have done a shameful and a wicked thing, +and I tell you at once that I can never forgive you." + +"Don't say that. Please don't say that," he interrupted in tones of +real grief. "Make allowances for me. I had to learn, and there was no +other way. You are a born clairvoyante, one among ten thousand, my art +told me so, and you know all that is at stake." + +"By which you mean so many ounces of gold, Mr. Meyer." + +"By which I mean the greatness that gold can give, Miss Clifford." + +"Such greatness, Mr. Meyer, as a week of fever, or a Matabele spear, +or God's will can rob you of. But the thing is done, and soon or late +the sin must be paid for. Now I want to ask you a question. You +believe in nothing; you have told me so several times. You say that +there is no such thing as a spirit, that when we die, we die, and +there's an end. Do you not?" + +"Yes, I do." + +"Then tell me, what was it that spoke out of my lips last night, and +how came it that I, who know no Portuguese, talked to you in that +tongue?" + +He shrugged his shoulders. + +"You have put a difficult question, but one I think that can be +answered. There is no such thing as a spirit, an identity that +survives death. But there is such a thing as the subconscious self, +which is part of the animating principle of the universe, and, if only +its knowledge can be unsealed, knows all that has passed and all that +is passing in that universe. One day perhaps you will read the works +of my compatriot, Hegel, and there you will find it spoken of." + +"You explain nothing." + +"I am about to explain, Miss Clifford. Last night I gave to your sub- +conscious self--that which knows all--the strength of liberty, so that +it saw the past as it happened in this place. Already you knew the +story of the dead girl, Benita da Ferreira, and that story you +re-enacted, talking the tongue she used as you would have talked Greek +or any other tongue, had it been hers. It was not her spirit that +animated you, although at the time I called it so for shortness, but +your own buried knowledge, tricked out and furnished by the effort of +your human imagination. That her name, Benita, should have been yours +also is no doubt a strange coincidence, but no more. Also we have no +proof that it was so; only what you said in your trance." + +"Perhaps," said Benita, who was in no mood for philosophical argument. +"Perhaps also one day you will see a spirit, Mr. Meyer, and think +otherwise." + +"When I see a spirit and know that it is a spirit, then doubtless I +shall believe in spirits. But what is the good of talking of such +things? I do not seek spirits; I seek Portuguese gold. Now, I am sure +you can tell where that gold lies. You would have told us last night, +had not your nervous strength failed you, who are unaccustomed to the +state of trance. Speaking as Benita da Ferreira, you said that you saw +it and described its condition. Then you could, or would, say no more, +and it became necessary to waken you. Miss Clifford, you must let me +mesmerize you once again for a few minutes only, for then we will +waste no time on past histories, and we shall find the gold. Unless, +indeed," he added by an afterthought, and looking at her sharply, "you +know already where it is; in which case I need not trouble you." + +"I do not know, Mr. Meyer. I remember nothing about the gold." + +"Which proves my theory. What purported to be the spirit of Benita da +Ferreira said that it had passed the secret on to you, but in your +waking state you do not know that secret. In fact, she did not pass it +on because she had no existence. But in your sub-conscious state you +will know. Therefore I must mesmerize you again. Not at once, but in a +few days' time, when you have quite recovered. Let us say next +Wednesday, three days hence." + +"You shall never mesmerize me again, Mr. Meyer." + +"No, not while I live," broke in her father, who had been listening to +this discussion in silence. + +Jacob bowed his head meekly. + +"You think so now, but I think otherwise. What I did last night I did +against your will, and that I can do again, only much more easily. But +I had rather do it with your will, who work not for my own sake only, +but for the sake of all of us. And now let us talk no more of the +matter, lest we should grow angry." Then he rose and went away. + +The next three days were passed by Benita in a state of constant +dread. She knew in herself that Jacob Meyer had acquired a certain +command over her; that an invincible intimacy had sprung up between +them. She was acquainted with his thoughts; thus, before he asked for +it, she would find herself passing him some article at table or +elsewhere, or answering a question that he was only about to ask. +Moreover, he could bring her to him from a little distance. Thus, on +two or three occasions when she was wandering about their prison +enclosure, as she was wont to do for the sake of exercise, she found +her feet draw to some spot--now one place and now another--and when +she reached it there before her was Jacob Meyer. + +"Forgive me for bringing you here," he would say, smiling after his +crooked fashion, and lifting his hat politely, "but I wish to ask you +if you have not changed your mind as to being mesmerized?" + +Then for a while he would hold her with his eyes, so that her feet +seemed rooted to the ground, till at length it was as though he cut a +rope by some action of his will and set her free, and, choked with +wrath and blind with tears, Benita would turn and run from him as from +a wild beast. + +But if her days were evil, oh! what were her nights? She lived in +constant terror lest he should again drug her food or drink, and, +while she slept, throw his magic spell upon her. To protect herself +from the first danger she would swallow nothing that had been near +him. Now also she slept in the hut with her father, who lay near its +door, a loaded rifle at his side, for he had told Jacob outright that +if he caught him at his practices he would shoot him, a threat at +which the younger man laughed aloud, for he had no fear of Mr. +Clifford. + +Throughout the long hours of darkness they kept watch alternately, one +of them lying down to rest while the other peered and listened. Nor +did Benita always listen in vain, for twice at least she heard +stealthy footsteps creeping about the hut, and felt that soft and +dreadful influence flowing in upon her. Then she would wake her +father, whispering, "He is there, I can feel that he is there." But by +the time that the old man had painfully dragged himself to his feet-- +for now he was becoming very feeble and acute rheumatism or some such +illness had got hold of him--and crept from the hut, there was no one +to be seen. Only through the darkness he would hear the sound of a +retreating step, and of low, mocking laughter. + +Thus those miserable days went by, and the third morning came, that +dreaded Wednesday. Before it was dawn Benita and her father, neither +of whom had closed their eyes that night, talked over their strait +long and earnestly, and they knew that its crisis was approaching. + +"I think that I had better try to kill him, Benita," he said. "I am +growing dreadfully weak, and if I put it off I may find no strength, +and you will be at his mercy. I can easily shoot him when his back is +turned, and though I hate the thought of such a deed, surely I shall +be forgiven. Or if not, I cannot help it. I must think of my duty to +you, not of myself." + +"No, no," she answered. "I will not have it. It would be murder, +although he has threatened you. After all, father, I believe that the +man is half mad, and not responsible. We must take our chance and +trust to God to save us. If He does not," she added, "at the worst I +can always save myself," and she touched the pistol which now she wore +day and night. + +"So be it," said Mr. Clifford, with a groan. "Let us pray for +deliverance from this hell and keep our hands clean of blood." + + + +XX + +JACOB MEYER SEES A SPIRIT + +For a while they were silent, then Benita said: + +"Father, is it not possible that we might escape, after all? Perhaps +that stair on the rampart is not so completely blocked that we could +not climb over it." + +Mr. Clifford, thinking of his stiff limbs and aching back, shook his +head and answered: + +"I don't know; Meyer has never let me near enough to see." + +"Well, why do you not go to look? You know he sleeps till late now, +because he is up all night. Take the glasses and examine the top of +the wall from inside that old house near by. He will not see or hear +you, but if I came near, he would know and wake up." + +"If you like, love, I can try, but what are you going to do while I am +away?" + +"I shall climb the pillar." + +"You don't mean----" and he stopped. + +"No, no, nothing of that sort. I shall not follow the example of +Benita da Ferreira unless I am driven to it; I want to look, that is +all. One can see far from that place, if there is anything to see. +Perhaps the Matabele are gone now, we have heard nothing of them +lately." + +So they dressed themselves, and as soon as the light was sufficiently +strong, came out of the hut and parted, Mr. Clifford, rifle in hand, +limping off towards the wall, and Benita going towards the great cone. +She climbed it easily enough, and stood in the little cup-like +depression on its dizzy peak, waiting for the sun to rise and disperse +the mists which hung over the river and its banks. + +Now whatever may have been the exact ceremonial use to which the +ancients put this pinnacle, without doubt it had something to do with +sun-worship. This, indeed, was proved by the fact that, at any rate at +this season of the year, the first rays of the risen orb struck full +upon its point. Thus it came about that, as she stood there waiting, +Benita of a sudden found herself suffused in light so vivid and +intense that, clothed as she was in a dress which had once been white, +it must have caused her to shine like a silver image. For several +minutes, indeed, this golden spear of fire blinded her so that she +could see nothing, but stood quite still, afraid to move, and waiting +until, as the sun grew higher, its level rays passed over her. This +they did presently, and plunging into the valley, began to drive away +the fog. Now she looked down, along the line of the river. + +The Matabele camp was invisible, for it lay in a hollow almost at the +foot of the fortress. Beyond it, however, was a rising swell of +ground; it may have been half a mile from where she stood, and on the +crest of it she perceived what looked like a waggon tent with figures +moving round it. They were shouting also, for through the silence of +the African morn the sound of their voices floated up to her. + +As the mist cleared off Benita saw that without doubt it was a waggon, +for there stood the long row of oxen, also it had just been captured +by the Matabele, for these were about it in numbers. At the moment, +however, they appeared to be otherwise occupied, for they were +pointing with their spears to the pillar on Bambatse. + +Then it occurred to Benita that, placed as she was in that fierce +light with only the sky for background, she must be perfectly visible +from the plain below, and that it might be her figure perched like an +eagle between heaven and earth which excited their interest. Yes, and +not theirs only, for now a white man appeared, who lifted what might +have been a gun, or a telescope, towards her. She was sure from the +red flannel shirt and the broad hat which he wore that he must be a +white man, and oh! how her heart yearned towards him, whoever he might +be! The sight of an angel from heaven could scarcely have been more +welcome to Benita in her wretchedness. + +Yet surely she must be dreaming. What should a white man and a waggon +be doing in that place? And why had not the Matabele killed him at +once? She could not tell, yet they appeared to have no murderous +intentions, since they continued to gesticulate and talk whilst he +stared upwards with the telescope, if it were a telescope. So things +went on for a long time, for meanwhile the oxen were outspanned, +until, indeed, more Matabele arrived, who led off the white man, +apparently against his will, towards their camp, where he disappeared. +Then there was nothing more to be seen. Benita descended the column. + +At its foot she met her father, who had come to seek her. + +"What is the matter?" he asked, noting her excited face. + +"Oh!" she said or rather sobbed, "there is a waggon with a white man +below. I saw the Matabele capture him." + +"Then I am sorry for the poor devil," answered the father, "for he is +dead by now. But what could a white man have been doing here? Some +hunter, I suppose, who has walked into a trap." + +The face of Benita fell. + +"I hoped," she said, "that he might help us." + +"As well might he hope that we could help him. He is gone, and there +is an end. Well, peace to his soul, and we have our own troubles to +think of. I have been to look at that wall, and it is useless to think +of climbing it. If he had been a professional mason, Meyer could not +have built it up better; no wonder that we have seen nothing more of +the Molimo, for only a bird could reach us." + +"Where was Mr. Meyer," asked Benita. + +"Asleep in a blanket under a little shelter of boughs by the stair. At +least, I thought so, though it was rather difficult to make him out in +the shadow; at any rate, I saw his rifle set against a tree. Come, let +us go to breakfast. No doubt he will turn up soon enough." + +So they went, and for the first time since the Sunday Benita ate a +hearty meal of biscuits soaked in coffee. Although her father was so +sure that by now he must have perished on the Matabele spears, the +sight of the white man and his waggon had put new life into her, +bringing her into touch with the world again. After all, might it not +chance that he had escaped?" + +All this while there had been no sign of Jacob Meyer. This, however, +did not surprise them, for now he ate his meals alone, taking his food +from a little general store, and cooking it over his own fire. When +they had finished their breakfast Mr. Clifford remarked that they had +no more drinking water left, and Benita said that she would go to +fetch a pailful from the well in the cave. Her father suggested that +he should accompany her, but she answered that it was not necessary as +she was quite able to wind the chain by herself. So she went, carrying +the bucket in one hand and a lamp in the other. + +As she walked down the last of the zigzags leading to the cave, Benita +stopped a moment thinking that she saw a light, and then went on, +since on turning the corner there was nothing but darkness before her. +Evidently she had been mistaken. She reached the well and hung the +pail on to the great copper hook, wondering as she did so how many +folk had done likewise in the far, far past, for the massive metal of +that hook was worn quite thin with use. Then she let the roller run, +and the sound of the travelling chain clanked dismally in that +vaulted, empty place. At length the pail struck the water, and she +began to wind up again, pausing at times to rest, for the distance was +long and the chain heavy. The bucket appeared. Benita drew it to the +side of the well, and lifted it from the hook, then took up her lamp +to be gone. + +Feeling or seeing something, which she was not sure, she held the lamp +above her head, and by its light perceived a figure standing between +her and the entrance to the cave. + +"Who are you?" she asked, whereon a soft voice answered out of the +darkness, the voice of Jacob Meyer. + +"Do you mind standing still for a few minutes, Miss Clifford? I have +some paper here and I wish to make a sketch. You do not know how +beautiful you look with that light above your head illuminating the +shadows and the thorn-crowned crucifix beyond. You know, whatever +paths fortune may have led me into, by nature I am an artist, and +never in my life have I seen such a picture. One day it will make me +famous. + + 'How statue-like I see thee stand! + The agate lamp within thy hand.' + +That's what I should put under it; you know the lines, don't you?" + +"Yes, Mr. Meyer, but I am afraid you will have to paint your picture +from memory, as I cannot hold up this lamp any longer; my arm is +aching already. I do not know how you came here, but as you have +followed me perhaps you will be so kind as to carry this water." + +"I did not follow you, Miss Clifford. Although you never saw me I +entered the cave before you to take measurements." + +"How can you take measurements in the dark?" + +"I was not in the dark. I put out my light when I caught sight of you, +knowing that otherwise you would run away, and fate stood me in good +stead. You came on, as I willed that you should do. Now let us talk. +Miss Clifford, have you changed your mind? You know the time is up." + +"I shall never change my mind. Let me pass you, Mr. Meyer." + +"No, no, not until you have listened. You are very cruel to me, very +cruel indeed. You do not understand that, rather than do you the +slightest harm, I would die a hundred times." + +"I do not ask you to die; I ask you to leave me alone--a much easier +matter." + +"But how can I leave you alone when you are a part of me, when--I love +you? There, the truth is out, and now say what you will." + +Benita lifted the bucket of water; its weight seemed to steady her. +Then she put it down again, since escape was impracticable; she must +face the situation. + +"I have nothing to say, Mr. Meyer, except that /I/ do not love /you/ +or any living man, and I never shall. I thank you for the compliment +you have paid me, and there is an end." + +"Any living man," he repeated after her. "That means you love a dead +man--Seymour, he who was drowned. No wonder that I hated him when +first my eyes fell on him years ago, long before you had come into our +lives. Prescience, the sub-conscious self again. Well, what is the use +of loving the dead, those who no longer have any existence, who have +gone back into the clay out of which they were formed and are not, nor +evermore shall be? You have but one life; turn, turn to the living, +and make it happy." + +"I do not agree with you, Mr. Meyer. To me the dead are still living; +one day I shall find them. Now let me go." + +"I will not let you go. I will plead and wrestle with you as in the +old fable my namesake of my own race wrestled with the angel, until at +length you bless me. You despise me because I am a Jew, because I have +had many adventures and not succeeded; because you think me mad. But I +tell you that there is the seed of greatness in me. Give yourself to +me and I will make you great, for now I know that it was you whom I +needed to supply what is lacking in my nature. We will win the wealth, +and together we will rule----" + +"Until a few days hence we starve or the Matabele make an end of us. +No, Mr. Meyer, no," and she tried to push past him. + +He stretched out his arms and stopped her. + +"Listen," he said, "I have pleaded with you as man with woman. Now, as +you refuse me and as you alone stand between me and madness, I will +take another course. I am your master, your will is servant to my +will; I bid you obey me." + +He fixed his eyes upon hers, and Benita felt her strength begin to +fail. + +"Ah!" he said, "you are my servant now, and to show it I shall kiss +you on the lips; then I shall throw the sleep upon you, and you will +tell me what I want to know. Afterwards we can be wed when it pleases +me. Oh! do not think that your father will defend you, for if he +interferes I shall kill that foolish old man, whom until now I have +only spared for your sake. Remember that if you make me angry, I shall +certainly kill him, and your father's blood will be on your head. Now +I am going to kiss you." + +Benita lifted her hand to find the pistol at her waist. It fell back +again; she had no strength; it was as though she were paralysed as a +bird is paralysed by a snake so that it cannot open its wings and fly +away, but sits there awaiting death. She was given over into the hands +of this man whom she hated. Could Heaven allow such a thing? she +wondered dimly, and all the while his lips drew nearer to her face. + +They touched her own, and then, why or wherefore Benita never +understood, the spell broke. All his power was gone, she was as she +had been, a free woman, mistress of herself. Contemptuously she thrust +the man aside, and, not even troubling to run, lifted her pail of +water and walked away. + +Soon she saw the light again, and joyfully extinguished her lamp. +Indeed, the breast of Benita, which should have been so troubled after +the scene through which she had passed, strangely enough was filled +with happiness and peace. As that glorious sunlight had broken on her +eyes, so had another light of freedom arisen in her soul. She was no +longer afraid of Jacob Meyer; that coward kiss of his had struck off +the shackles which bound her to him. Her mind had been subject to his +mind, but now that his physical nature was brought into the play, his +mental part had lost its hold upon her. + +As she approached the hut she saw her father seated on a stone outside +it, since the poor old man was now so weak and full of pain that he +could not stand for very long, and seeing, remembered Meyer's threats +against him. At the thought all her new-found happiness departed. + +She might be safe; she felt sure that she was safe, but how about her +father? If Meyer could not get his way probably he would be as good as +his word, and kill him. She shivered at the thought, then, recovering +herself, walked forward steadily with her bucket of water. + +"You have been a long while gone, my love," said Mr. Clifford. + +"Yes, father, Mr. Meyer was in the cave, and kept me." + +"How did he get there, and what did he want?" + +"I don't know how he got there--crept in when we were not looking, I +suppose. But as for what he wanted--listen, dear," and word for word +she told him what had passed. + +Before she had finished, her father was almost choking with wrath. + +"The dirty Jew! The villain!" he gasped. "I never dreamed that he +would dare to attempt such an outrage. Well, thank Heaven! I can still +hold a rifle, and when he comes out----" + +"Father," she said gently, "that man is mad. He is not responsible for +his actions, and therefore, except in self-defence, you must not think +of such a thing. As for what he said about you, I believe it was only +an empty threat, and for me you need have no fear, his power over me +is gone; it went like a flash when his lips touched me," and she +rubbed her own as though to wipe away some stain. "I am afraid of +nothing more. I believe--yes, I believe the old Molimo was right, and +that all will end well----" + +As she was speaking Benita heard a shuffling sound behind her, and +turned to learn its cause. Then she saw a strange sight. Jacob Meyer +was staggering towards them, dragging one foot after the other through +the grass and stones. His face was ghastly pale, his jaw had dropped +like that of a dead man, and his eyes were set wide open and full of +horror. + +"What is the matter with you, man?" asked Mr. Clifford. + +"I--I--have seen a ghost," he whispered. "You did not come back into +the cave, did you?" he added, pointing at Benita, who shook her head. + +"What ghost?" asked Mr. Clifford. + +"I don't know, but my lamp went out, and then a light began to shine +behind me. I turned, and on the steps of that crucifix I saw a woman +kneeling. Her arms clasped the feet of the figure, her forehead rested +upon the feet, her long black hair flowed down, she was dressed in +white, and the light came from her body and her head. Very slowly she +turned and looked at me, and oh, Heaven! that face----" and he put his +hand before his eyes and groaned. "It was beautiful; yes, yes, but +fearful to see, like an avenging angel. I fled, and the light--only +the light--came with me down the cave, even at the mouth of it there +was a little. I have seen a spirit, I who did not believe in spirits, +I have seen a spirit, and I tell you that not for all the gold in the +world will I enter that place again." + +Then before they could answer, suddenly as though his fear had got +some fresh hold of him, Jacob sprang forward and fled away, crashing +through the bushes and leaping from rock to rock like a frightened +buck. + + + +XXI + +THE MESSAGE FROM THE DEAD + +"Meyer always said that he did not believe in spirits," remarked Mr. +Clifford reflectively. + +"Well, he believes in them now," answered Benita with a little laugh. +"But, father, the poor man is mad, that is the fact of it, and we must +pay no attention to what he says." + +"The old Molimo and some of his people--Tamas, for instance--declared +that they have seen the ghost of Benita da Ferreira. Are they mad +also, Benita?" + +"I don't know, father. Who can say? All these things are a mystery. +All I do know is that I have never seen a ghost, and I doubt if I ever +shall." + +"No, but when you were in that trance something that was not you spoke +out of your mouth, which something said that it was your namesake, the +other Benita. Well, as you say, we can't fathom these things, +especially in a haunted kind of place like this, but the upshot of it +is that I don't think we have much more to fear from Jacob." + +"I am not so sure, father. Mad people change their moods very +suddenly." + +As it happened Benita was quite right. Towards suppertime Jacob Meyer +reappeared, looking pale and shaken, but otherwise much as usual. + +"I had a kind of fit this morning," he explained, 'the result of an +hallucination which seized me when my light went out in that cave. I +remember that I thought I had seen a ghost, whereas I know very well +that no such thing exists. I was the victim of disappointment, +anxieties, and other still stronger emotions," and he looked at +Benita. "Therefore, please forget anything I said or did, and--would +you give me some supper?" + +Benita did so, and he ate in silence, with some heartiness. When he +had finished his food, and swallowed two or three tots of squareface, +he spoke again: + +"I have come here, where I know I am not welcome, upon business," he +said in a calm, matter-of-fact voice. "I am tired of this place, and I +think it is time that we attained the object of our journey here, +namely, to find the hidden gold. That, as we all know, can only be +done in a certain way, through the clairvoyant powers of one of us and +the hypnotic powers of another. Miss Clifford, I request that you will +allow me to throw you into a state of trance. You have told us +everything else, but you have not yet told us where the treasure is +hidden, and this it is necessary that we should know." + +"And if I refuse, Mr. Meyer?" + +"Then I am sorry, but I must take means to compel your obedience. +Under those circumstances, much against my will, I shall be obliged"-- +here his eye blazed out wildly--"to execute your father, whose +obstinacy and influence stand between us and splendid fortunes. No, +Clifford," he added, "don't stretch out your hand towards that rifle, +for I am already covering you with the pistol in my pocket, and the +moment your hand touches it I shall fire. You poor old man, do you +imagine for a single second that, sick as you are, and with your stiff +limbs, you can hope to match yourself against my agility, intellect, +and strength? Why, I could kill you in a dozen ways before you could +lift a finger against me, and by the God I do not believe in, unless +your daughter is more compliant, kill you I will!" + +"That remains to be seen, my friend," said Mr. Clifford with a laugh, +for he was a brave old man. "I am not certain that the God--whom you +do not believe in--will not kill you first." + +Now Benita, who had been taking counsel with herself, looked up and +said suddenly: + +"Very well, Mr. Meyer, I consent--because I must. To-morrow morning +you shall try to mesmerize me, if you can, in the same place, before +the crucifix in the cave." + +"No," he answered quickly. "It was not there, it was here, and here it +shall be again. The spot you mention is unpropitious to me; the +attempt would fail." + +"It is the spot that I have chosen," answered Benita stubbornly. + +"And this is the spot that I have chosen, Miss Clifford, and my will +must prevail over yours." + +"Because you who do not believe in spirits are afraid to re-enter the +cave, Mr. Meyer, lest you should chance----" + +"Never mind what I am or am not afraid of," he replied with fury. +"Make your choice between doing my will and your father's life. +To-morrow morning I shall come for your answer, and if you are still +obstinate, within half an hour he will be dead, leaving you and me +alone together. Oh! you may call me wicked and a villain, but it is +you who are wicked, you, you, /you/ who force me to this deed of +justice." + +Then without another word he sprang up and walked away from them +backwards, as he went covering Mr. Clifford with the pistol which he +had drawn from his pocket. The last that they saw of him were his +eyes, which glowered at them through the darkness like those of a +lion. + +"Father," said Benita, when she was sure that he had gone, "that +madman really means to murder you; there is no doubt of it." + +"None whatever, dear; if I am alive to-morrow night I shall be lucky, +unless I can kill him first or get out of his way." + +"Well," she said hurriedly, "I think you can. I have an idea. He is +afraid to go into that cave, I am sure. Let us hide ourselves there. +We can take food and shall have plenty of water, whereas, unless rain +falls, he can get nothing to drink." + +"But what then, Benita? We can't stop in the dark for ever." + +"No, but we can wait there until something happens. Something must and +will happen. His disease won't stand still. He may go raving mad and +kill himself. Or he may attempt to attack us, though that is not +likely, and then we must do what we can in self defence. Or help may +reach us from somewhere. At the worst we shall only die as we should +have died outside. Come, let us be quick, lest he should change his +mind, and creep back upon us." + +So Mr. Clifford gave way, knowing that even if he could steel himself +to do the deed of attempting to kill Jacob, he would have little +chance against that strong and agile man. Such a struggle would only +end in his own death, and Benita must then be left alone with Meyer +and his insane passions. + +Hurriedly they carried their few belongings into the cave. First they +took most of the little store of food that remained, the three hand- +lamps and all the paraffin; there was but one tin. Then returning they +fetched the bucket, the ammunition, and their clothes. Afterwards, as +there was still no sign of Meyer, they even dared to drag in the +waggon tent to make a shelter for Benita, and all the wood that they +had collected for firing. This proved a wearisome business, for the +logs were heavy, and in his crippled state Mr. Clifford could carry no +great burden. Indeed, towards the end Benita was forced to complete +the task alone, while he limped beside her with his rifle, lest Jacob +should surprise them. + +When at length everything was done it was long past midnight, and so +exhausted were they that, notwithstanding their danger, they flung +themselves down upon the canvas tent, which lay in a heap at the end +of the cave near the crucifix, and fell asleep. + +When Benita woke the lamp had gone out, and it was pitch dark. +Fortunately, however, she remembered where she had put the matches and +the lantern with a candle in it. She lit the candle and looked at her +watch. It was nearly six o'clock. The dawn must be breaking outside, +within an hour or two Jacob Meyer would find that they had gone. +Suppose that his rage should overcome his fear and that he should +creep upon them. They would know nothing of it until his face appeared +in the faint ring of light. Or he might even shoot her father out of +the darkness. What could she do that would give them warning? A +thought came to her. + +Taking one of the tent ropes and the lantern, for her father still +slept heavily, she went down to the entrance of the cave, and at the +end of the last zigzag where once a door had been, managed to make it +fast to a stone hinge about eighteen inches above the floor, and on +the other side to an eye opposite that was cut in the solid rock to +receive a bolt of wood or iron. Meyer, she knew, had no lamps or oil, +only matches and perhaps a few candles. Therefore if he tried to enter +the cave it was probable that he would trip over the rope and thus +give them warning. Then she went back, washed her face and hands with +some water that they had drawn on the previous night to satisfy their +thirst, and tidied herself as best she could. This done, as her father +still slept, she filled the lamps, lit one of them, and looked about +her, for she was loth to wake him. + +Truly it was an awful place in which to dwell. There above them +towered the great white crucifix; there in the corner were piled the +remains of the Portuguese. A skull with long hair still hanging to it +grinned at her, a withered hand was thrust forward as though to clutch +her. Oh, no wonder that in such a spot Jacob Meyer had seen ghosts! In +front, too, was the yawning grave where they had found the monk; +indeed, his bones wrapped in dark robes still lay within, for Jacob +had tumbled them back again. Then beyond and all around deep, dark, +and utter silence. + +At last her father woke, and glad enough was she of his human company. +They breakfasted upon some biscuits and water, and afterwards, while +Mr. Clifford watched near the entrance with his rifle, Benita set to +work to arrange their belongings. The tent she managed to prop up +against the wall of the cave by help of some of the wood which they +had carried in. Beneath it she spread their blankets, that it might +serve as a sleeping place for them both, and outside placed the food +and other things. + +While she was thus engaged she heard a sound at the mouth of the cave +--Jacob Meyer was entering and had fallen over her rope. Down it she +ran, lantern in hand, to her father, who, with his rifle raised, was +shouting: + +"If you come in here, I put a bullet through you!" + +Then came the answer in Jacob's voice, which rang hollow in that +vaulted place: + +"I do not want to come in; I shall wait for you to come out. You +cannot live long in there; the horror of the dark will kill you. I +have only to sit in the sunlight and wait." + +Then he laughed, and they heard the sound of his footsteps retreating +down the passage. + +"What are we to do?" asked Mr. Clifford despairingly. "We cannot live +without light, and if we have light he will certainly creep to the +entrance and shoot us. He is quite mad now; I am sure of it from his +voice." + +Benita thought a minute, then she answered: + +"We must build up the passage. Look," and she pointed to the lumps of +rock that the explosion of their mine had shaken down from the roof, +and the slabs of cement that they had broken from the floor with the +crowbar. "At once, at once," she went on; "he will not come back for +some hours, probably not till night." + +So they set to work, and never did Benita labour as it was her lot to +do that day. Such of the fragments as they could lift they carried +between them, others they rolled along by help of the crowbar. For +hour after hour they toiled at their task. Luckily for them, the +passage was not more than three feet wide by six feet six high, and +their material was ample. Before the evening they had blocked it +completely with a wall several feet in thickness, which wall they +supported on the inside with lengths of the firewood lashed across to +the old hinges and bolt-holes, or set obliquely against its face. + +It was done, and they regarded their work with pride, although it +seemed probable that they were building up their own tomb. Because of +its position at an angle of the passage, they knew that Meyer could +not get to it with a pole to batter it down. Also, there was no loose +powder left, so his only chance would be to pull it to pieces with his +hands, and this, they thought, might be beyond his power. At least, +should he attempt it, they would have ample warning. Yet that day was +not to pass without another trouble. + +Just as they had rolled up and levered into place a long fragment of +rock designed to prevent the ends of their supporting pieces of wood +from slipping on the cement floor, Mr. Clifford uttered an +exclamation, then said: + +"I have wrung my back badly. Help me to the tent. I must lie down." + +Slowly and with great pain they staggered up the cave, Mr. Clifford +leaning on Benita and a stick, till, reaching the tent at last, he +almost fell on to the blankets and remained there practically +crippled. + +Now began Benita's terrible time, the worst of all her life. Every +hour her father became more ill. Even before they took refuge in the +cave he was completely broken down, and now after this accident he +began to suffer very much. His rheumatism or sciatica, or whatever it +was, seemed to settle upon the hurt muscles of his back, causing him +so much pain that he could scarcely sleep for ten minutes at a +stretch. Moreover, he would swallow but little of the rough food which +was all Benita was able to prepare for him; nothing, indeed, except +biscuit soaked in black coffee, which she boiled over a small fire +made of wood that they had brought with them, and occasionally a +little broth, tasteless stuff enough, for it was only the essence of +biltong, or sun-dried flesh, flavoured with some salt. + +Then there were two other terrors against she must fight, the darkness +and the dread of Jacob Meyer. Perhaps the darkness was the worse of +them. To live in that hideous gloom in which their single lamp, for +she dared burn no more lest the oil should give out, seemed but as one +star to the whole night, ah! who that had not endured it could know +what it meant? There the sick man, yonder the grinning skeletons, +around the blackness and the silence, and beyond these again a +miserable death, or Jacob Meyer. But of him Benita saw nothing, though +once or twice she thought that she heard his voice raving outside the +wall which they had built. If so, either he did not try to pull it +down, or he failed in the attempt, or perhaps he feared that should he +succeed, he would be greeted by a bullet. So at last she gave up +thinking about him. Should he force his way into the cave she must +deal with the situation as best she could. Meanwhile, her father's +strength was sinking fast. + +Three awful days went by in this fashion, and the end drew near. +Although she tried to force herself to it, Benita could not swallow +enough food to keep up her strength. Now that the passage was closed +the atmosphere of this old vault, for it was nothing more, thickened +by the smoke of the fire which she was obliged to burn, grew poisonous +and choked her. Want of sleep exhausted her, dread of what the morrow +might bring forth crushed her strong spirit. She began to break down, +knowing that the hour was near when she and her father must die +together. + +Once, as she slept awhile at his side, being wakened by his groaning, +Benita looked at her watch. It was midnight. She rose, and going to +the embers of the little fire, warmed up some of her biltong broth +which she poured into a tin pannikin. With difficulty she forced him +to swallow a few mouthfuls of it, then, feeling a sudden weakness, +drank the rest herself. It gave her power to think, and her father +dozed off into an uneasy sleep. + +Alas! thinking was of no use, nothing could be done. There was no hope +save in prayer. Restlessness seized Benita, and taking the lantern she +wandered round the cave. The wall that they had built remained intact, +and oh! to think that beyond it flowed the free air and shone the +blessed stars! Back she came again, skirting the pits that Jacob Meyer +had dug, and the grave of the old monk, till she reached the steps of +the crucifix, and holding up her candle, looked at the thorn-crowned +brow of the Christ above. + +It was wonderfully carved; that dying face was full of pity. Would not +He Whom it represented pity her? She knelt down on the topmost step, +and clasping the pierced feet with her arms, began to pray earnestly, +not for herself but that she might save her father. She prayed as she +had never prayed before, and so praying, sank into a torpor or a +swoon. + +It seemed to Benita that this sleep of hers suddenly became alive; in +it she saw many things. For instance, she saw herself seated in a +state of trance upon that very step where now she knelt, while before +her stood her father and Jacob Meyer. Moreover, something spoke in +her; she could not hear a voice, but she seemed to see the words +written in the air before her. These were the words:-- + + "/Clasp the feet of the Christ and draw them to the left. The + passage beneath leads to the chamber where the gold is hid, and + thence to the river bank. That is the secret which ere I depart, I + the dead Benita, pass on to you, the living Benita, as I am + commanded. In life and death peace be to your soul./" + +Thrice did this message appear to repeat itself in the consciousness +of Benita. Then, suddenly as she had slept, she woke again with every +letter of it imprinted on her mind. Doubtless it was a dream, nothing +but a dream bred by the fact that her arms were clasping the feet of +the crucifix. What did it say? "Draw them to the left." + +She did so, but nothing stirred. Again she tried, and still nothing +stirred. Of course it was a dream. Why had such been sent to mock her? +In a kind of mad irritation she put out all her remaining strength and +wrestled with those stony feet. /They moved a little/--then of a +sudden, without any further effort on her part, swung round as high as +the knees where drapery hung, concealing the join in them. Yes, they +swung round, revealing the head of a stair, up which blew a cold wind +that it was sweet to breathe. + +Benita rose, gasping. Then she seized her lantern and ran to the +little tent where her father lay. + + + +XXII + +THE VOICE OF THE LIVING + +Mr. Clifford was awake again now. + +"Where have you been?" he asked querulously in a thin voice. "I wanted +you." Then as the light from the candle shone upon it, he noted the +change that had come over her pale face, and added: "What has +happened? Is Meyer dead? Are we free?" + +Benita shook her head. "He was alive a few hours ago, for I could hear +him raving and shouting outside the wall we built. But, father, it has +all come back to me; I believe that I have found it." + +"What has come back? What have you found? Are you mad, too, like +Jacob?" + +"What something told me when I was in the trance which afterwards I +forgot, but now remember. And I have found the passage which leads to +where they hid the gold. It begins behind the crucifix, where no one +ever thought of looking." + +This matter of the gold did not seem to interest Mr. Clifford. In his +state all the wealth beneath the soil of Africa would not have +appealed to him. Moreover, he hated the name of that accursed +treasure, which was bringing them to such a miserable end. + +"Where does the passage run? Have you looked?" he asked. + +"Not yet, but the voice in me said--I mean, I dreamed--that it goes +down to the river-side. If you leant on me do you think that you could +walk?" + +"Not one inch," he answered. "Here where I am I shall die." + +"No, no, don't talk like that. We may be saved now that I have found a +way. Oh, if only you could--if only you could walk, or if I had the +strength to carry you!" and she wrung her hands and began to weep, so +weak was she. + +Her father looked at her searchingly. Then he said: + +"Well, love, I cannot, so there's an end. But you can, and you had +better go." + +"What! And leave you? Never." + +"Yes, and leave me. Look, there is but a little oil left and only a +few candles. The biscuits are done and neither of us can swallow that +biltong any more. I suppose that I am dying, and your health and +strength are failing you quickly in this darkness; if you stop here +you must soon follow me. And what is the alternative? The madman +outside--that is, if you could find strength to pull down the wall, +which I doubt. You had best go, Benita." + +But still she said she would not. + +"Do you not see," he added, "that it is my only chance of life? If you +go you may be able to bring me help before the end comes. Should there +be a passage the probability is that, although they know nothing of +it, it finishes somewhere by the wall of the first enclosure where the +Makalanga are. If so, you may find the Molimo, or if he is dead, Tamas +or one of the others, and they will help us. Go, Benita, go at once." + +"I never thought of that," she answered in a changed voice. "Of +course, it may be so, if the passage goes down at all. Well, at least +I can look and come back to tell you." + +Then Benita placed the remainder of the oil close by her father's +side, so that he could refill the lamp, for the use of his hands still +remained to him. Also, she set there such crumbs of biscuit as were +left, some of the biltong, a flask of Hollands, and a pail of water. +This done, she put on her long cloak, filled one of its pockets with +biltong, and the other with matches and three of the four remaining +candles. The fourth she insisted on leaving beside her father's bed. +When everything was ready she knelt down at his side, kissed him, and +from her heart put up a prayer that they might both live to meet +again, although she knew well that this they could scarcely hope to +do. + +Had two people ever been in a more dreadful situation, she wondered, +as she looked at her father lying there, whom she must leave to fight +with Death alone in that awful place, while she went forth to meet him +in the unknown bowels of the earth! + +Mr. Clifford read her thoughts. "Yes," he said, "it is a strange +parting and a wild errand. But who knows? It may please Providence to +take you through, and if not--why, our troubles will soon be over." + +Then once more they kissed, and not daring to try to speak, Benita +tore herself away. Passing into the passage whereof the lower half of +the crucifix formed the door, she paused for a moment to examine it +and to place a fragment of rock in such fashion that it could not shut +again behind her. Her idea was that it worked by aid of some spring, +but now she saw that this was not so, as the whole mass hung upon +three stone hinges beautifully concealed. The dust and corrosion of +ages which had made this door so hard to open, by filling up the tiny +spaces between it and its framework, had also rendered these cracks +utterly imperceptible to the eye. So accurately was it fashioned, +indeed, that no one who did not know its secret would have discovered +it if they searched for months or years. + +Though at the time Benita took little note of such details, the +passage beyond and the stair descending from it showed the same +perfect workmanship. Evidently this secret way dated not from the +Portuguese period, but from that of the Phœnicians or other ancients, +to whose treasure-chamber it was the approach, opening as it did from +their holy of holies, to which none were admitted save the head +priests. The passage, which was about seven feet high by four wide, +had been hewn out of the live rock of the mountain, for thousands of +little marks left by the workmen's chisels were still discernible upon +its walls. So it was with the stair, that had been but little used, +and remained fresh as the day when it was finished. + +Down the steps, candle in hand, flitted Benita, counting them as she +went. The thirtieth brought her to a landing. Here it was that she saw +the first traces of that treasure which they had suffered so much to +find. Something glittered at her feet. She picked it up. It was a +little bar of gold weighing two or three ounces that doubtless had +been dropped there. Throwing it down again she looked in front of her, +and to her dismay saw a door of wood with iron bolts. But the bolts +had never been shot, and when she pulled at it the door creaked upon +its rusty hinges and opened. She was on the threshold of the treasure- +chamber! + +It was square and of the size of a small room, packed on either side +almost to the low, vaulted roof with small bags of raw hide, +carelessly arranged. Quite near to the door one of these bags had +slipped down and burst open. It was filled with gold, some in ingots +and some in raw nuggets, for there they lay in a shining, scattered +heap. As she stooped to look it came into the mind of Benita that her +father had said that in her trance she had told them that one of the +bags of treasure was burst, and that the skin of which it had been +made was black and red. Behold! before her lay the burst bag, and the +colour of the hide was black and red. + +She shivered. The thing was uncanny, terrible. Uncanny was it also to +see in the thick dust, which in the course of twenty or more of +centuries had gathered on the floor, the mark of footprints, those of +the last persons who had visited this place. There had been two of +them, a man and a woman, and they were no savages, for they wore +shoes. Benita placed her foot in the print left by that dead woman. It +filled it exactly, it might have been her own. Perhaps, she thought to +herself, that other Benita had descended here with her father, after +the Portuguese had hidden away their wealth, that she might be shown +where it was, and of what it consisted. + +One more glance at all this priceless, misery-working gold, and on she +went, she who was seeking the gold of life and liberty for herself and +him who lay above. Supposing that the stairway ended there? She +stopped, she looked round, but could see no other door. To see the +better she halted and opened the glass of her lantern. Still she could +perceive nothing, and her heart sank. Yet why did the candle flicker +so fiercely? And why was the air in this deep place so fresh? She +walked forward a pace or two, then noticed suddenly that those +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 down--one 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 expected--but +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 now--oh! 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 star--the 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 her--where the sheer face of the +cliff jutted out a little, at that very spot indeed on which tradition +said that the body of the Señora da Ferreira had struck in its fall, +and the necklace Benita wore to-day was torn from her--a 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 +finches--saccaboolas the natives call them--flew 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 not--for 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, 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 himself--surely 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 last--dead or living she cared not--she 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. "I--I--am starving. I didn't +feel it before, but now----" + +"Starving, you starving, while I--look, 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 her--never 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 then--you know what +happens when the Matabele are the stormers! But--as you still lived--I +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 us--you have set us to +cut through rock with spears and axes. Yes, to hoe at rock as though +it were soil--you 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 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-kaas--Chieftainess," 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 worse--tell 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 also--for 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 +lady--my wife--needs 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 was--the 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 were walking--or +rather, running--along the banks of the Zambesi. + +"Why do you not come quicker?" she asked impatiently. "Oh, I beg your +pardon, you are lame. Robert, what made you lame, and oh! why are you +not dead, as they all swore you were, you, you--hero, for I know that +part of the story?" + +"For a very simple reason, Benita: because I didn't die. When that +Kaffir took the watch from me I was insensible, that's all. The sun +brought me to life afterwards. Then some natives turned up, good +people in their way, although I could not understand a word they said. +They made a stretcher of boughs and carried me for some miles to their +kraal inland. It hurt awfully, for my thigh was broken, but I arrived +at last. There a Kaffir doctor set my leg in his own fashion; it has +left it an inch shorter than the other, but that's better than +nothing. + +"In that place I lay for two solid months, for there was no white man +within a hundred miles, and if there had been I could not have +communicated with him. Afterwards I spent another month limping up +towards Natal, until I could buy a horse. The rest is very short. +Hearing of my reported death, I came as fast as I could to your +father's farm, Rooi Krantz, where I learned from the old vrouw Sally +that you had taken to treasure-hunting, the same treasure that I told +you of on the /Zanzibar/. + +"So I followed your spoor, met the servants whom you had sent back, +who told me all about you, and in due course, after many adventures, +as they say in a book, walked into the camp of our friends, the +Matabele. + +"They were going to kill me at once, when suddenly you appeared upon +that point of rock, glittering like--like the angel of the dawn. I +knew that it must be you, for I had found out about your attempted +escape, and how you were hunted back to this place. But the Matabele +all thought that it was the Spirit of Bambatse, who has a great +reputation in these parts. Well, that took off their attention, and +afterwards, as I told you, it occurred to them that I might be an +engineer. You know the rest, don't you?" + +"Yes," answered Benita softly. "I know the rest." + +Then they plunged into the reeds and were obliged to stop talking, +since they must walk in single file. Presently Benita looked up and +saw that she was under the thorn which grew in the cleft of the rock. +Also, with some trouble she found the bunch of reeds that she had bent +down, to mark the inconspicuous hole through which she had crept, and +by it her lantern. It seemed weeks since she had left it there. + +"Now," she said, "light your candles, and if you see a crocodile, +please shoot." + + + +XXIV + +THE TRUE GOLD + +"Let me go first," said Robert. + +"No," answered Benita. "I know the way; but please do watch for that +horrible crocodile." + +Then she knelt down and crept into the hole, while after her came +Robert, and after him the two Zulus, who protested that they were not +ant-bears to burrow under ground. Lifting the lantern she searched the +cave, and as she could see no signs of the crocodile, walked on boldly +to where the stair began. + +"Be quick," she whispered to Robert, for in that place it seemed +natural to speak low. "My father is above and near his death. I am +dreadfully afraid lest we should be too late." + +So they toiled up the endless steps, a very strange procession, for +the two Zulus, bold men enough outside, were shaking with fright, till +at length Benita clambered out of the trap door on to the floor of the +treasure chamber, and turned to help Robert, whose lameness made him +somewhat slow and awkward. + +"What's all that?" he asked, pointing to the hide sacks, while they +waited for the two scared Kaffirs to join them. + +"Oh!" she answered indifferently, "gold, I believe. Look, there is +some of it on the floor, over Benita da Ferreira's footsteps." + +"Gold! Why, it must be worth----! And who on earth is Benita da +Ferreira?" + +"I will tell you afterwards. She has been dead two or three hundred +years; it was her gold, or her people's, and those are her footprints +in the dust. How stupid you are not to understand! Never mind the +hateful stuff; come on quickly." + +So they passed the door which she had opened that morning, and +clambered up the remaining stairway. So full was Benita of terrors +that she could never remember how she climbed them. Suppose that the +foot of the crucifix had swung to; suppose that her father were dead; +suppose that Jacob Meyer had broken into the cave? Well for herself +she was no longer afraid of Jacob Meyer. Oh, they were there! The +heavy door /had/ begun to close, but mercifully her bit of rock kept +it ajar. + +"Father! Father!" she cried, running towards the tent. + +No answer came. She threw aside the flap, held down the lantern and +looked. There he lay, white and still. She was too late! + +"He is dead, he is dead!" she wailed. Robert knelt down at her side, +and examined the old man, while she waited in an agony. + +"He ought to be," he said slowly; "but, Benita, I don't think he is. I +can feel his heart stir. No, don't stop to talk. Pour out some of that +squareface, and here, mix it with this milk." + +She obeyed, and while he held up her father's head, with a trembling +hand emptied a little of the drink into his mouth. At first it ran out +again, then almost automatically he swallowed some, and they knew that +he was alive, and thanked Heaven. Ten minutes later Mr. Clifford was +sitting up staring at them with dull and wondering eyes, while outside +the two Zulus, whose nerves had now utterly broken down, were +contemplating the pile of skeletons in the corner and the white +towering crucifix, and loudly lamenting that they should have been +brought to perish in this place of bones and ghosts. + +"Is it Jacob Meyer who makes that noise?" asked Mr. Clifford faintly. +"And, Benita, where have you been so long, and--who is this gentleman +with you? I seem to remember his face." + +"He is the white man who was in the waggon, father, an old friend come +to life again. Robert, can't you stop the howling of those Kaffirs? +Though I am sure I don't wonder that they howl; I should have liked to +do so for days. Oh! father, father, don't you understand me? We are +saved, yes, snatched out of hell and the jaws of death." + +"Is Jacob Meyer dead, then?" he asked. + +"I don't know where he is or what has happened to him, and I don't +care, but perhaps we had better find out. Robert, there is a madman +outside. Make the Kaffirs pull down that wall, would you? and catch +him." + +"What wall? What madman?" he asked, staring at her. + +"Oh, of course you don't know that, either. You know nothing. I'll +show you, and you must be prepared, for probably he will shoot at us." + +"It all sounds a little risky, doesn't it?" asked Robert doubtfully. + +"Yes, but we must take the risk. We cannot carry my father down that +place, and unless we can get him into light and air soon, he will +certainly die. The man outside is Jacob Meyer, his partner--you +remember him. All these weeks of hardship and treasure-hunting have +sent him off his head, and he wanted to mesmerize me and----" + +"And what? Make love to you?" + +She nodded, then went on: + +"So when he could not get his way about the mesmerism and so forth, he +threatened to murder my father, and that is why we had to hide in this +cave and build ourselves up, till at last I found the way out." + +"Amiable gentleman, Mr. Jacob Meyer, now as always," said Robert +flushing. "To think that you should have been in the power of a +scoundrel like that! Well, I hope to come square with him." + +"Don't hurt him, dear, unless you are obliged. Remember he is not +responsible. He thought he saw a ghost here the other day." + +"Unless he behaves himself he is likely to see a good many soon," +muttered Robert. + +Then they went down the cave, and as silently as possible began to +work at the wall, destroying in a few minutes what had been built up +with so much labour. When it was nearly down the Zulus were told that +there was an enemy outside, and that they must help to catch him if +necessary, but were not to harm him. They assented gladly enough; +indeed, to get out of that cave they would have faced half a dozen +enemies. + +Now there was a hole right through the wall, and Robert bade Benita +stand to one side. Then as soon as his eyes became accustomed to the +little light that penetrated there, he drew his revolver and beckoned +the Kaffirs to follow. Down the passage they crept, slowly, lest they +should be blinded when they came to the glare of the sunshine, while +Benita waited with a beating heart. + +A little time went by, she never knew how long, till suddenly a rifle +shot rang through the stillness. Benita was able to bear no more. She +rushed down the winding passage, and presently, just beyond its mouth, +in a blurred and indistinct fashion saw that the two white men were +rolling together on the ground, while the Kaffirs sprang round +watching for an opportunity to seize one of them. At that moment they +succeeded, and Robert rose, dusting his hands and knees. + +"Amiable gentleman, Mr. Jacob Meyer," he repeated. "I could have +killed him as his back was towards me, but didn't because you asked me +not. Then I stumbled with my lame leg, and he whipped round and let +drive with his rifle. Look," and he showed her where the bullet had +cut his ear. "Luckily I got hold of him before he could loose off +another." + +Benita could find no words, her heart was too full of thankfulness. +Only she seized Robert's hand and kissed it. Then she looked at Jacob. + +He was lying upon the broad of his back, the two big Zulus holding his +arms and legs; his lips were cracked, blue and swollen; his face was +almost black, but his eyes still shone bright with insanity and hate. + +"I know you," he screamed hoarsely to Robert. "You are another ghost, +the ghost of that man who was drowned. Otherwise my bullet would have +killed you." + +"Yes, Mr. Meyer," Seymour answered, "I am a ghost. Now, you boys, +here's a bit of rope. Tie his hands behind his back and search him. +There is a pistol in that pocket." + +They obeyed, and presently Meyer was disarmed and bound fast to a +tree. + +"Water," he moaned. "For days I have had nothing but the dew I could +lick off the leaves." + +Pitying his plight, Benita ran into the cave and returned presently +with a tin of water. One of the Kaffirs held it to his lips, and he +drank greedily. Then, leaving one Zulu to watch him, Robert, Benita, +and the other Zulu went back, and as gently as they could carried out +Mr. Clifford on his mattress, placing him in the shade of a rock, +where he lay blessing them feebly, because they had brought him into +the light again. At the sight of the old man Meyer's rage blazed up +afresh. + +"Ah," he screamed, "if only I had killed you long ago, she would be +mine now, not that fellow's. It was you who stood between us." + +"Look here, my friend," broke in Robert. "I forgive you everything +else, but, mad or sane, be good enough to keep Miss Clifford's name +off your lips, or I will hand you over to those Kaffirs to be dealt +with as you deserve." + +Then Jacob understood, and was silent. They gave him more water and +food to eat, some of the meat that they had brought with them, which +he devoured ravenously. + +"Are you sensible now?" asked Robert when he had done. "Then listen to +me; I have some good news for you. That treasure you have been hunting +for has been found. We are going to give you half of it, one of the +waggons and some oxen, and clear you out of this place. Then if I set +eyes on you again before we get to a civilized country, I shoot you +like a dog." + +"You lie!" said Meyer sullenly. "You want to turn me out into the +wilderness to be murdered by the Makalanga or the Matabele." + +"Very well," said Robert. "Untie him, boys, and bring him along. I +will show him whether I lie." + +"Where are they taking me to?" asked Meyer. "Not into the cave? I +won't go into the cave; it is haunted. If it hadn't been for the ghost +there I would have broken down their wall long ago, and killed that +old snake before her eyes. Whenever I went near that wall I saw it +watching me." + +"First time I ever heard of a ghost being useful," remarked Robert. +"Bring him along. No, Benita, he shall see whether I am a liar." + +So the lights were lit, and the two stalwart Zulus hauled Jacob +forward, Robert and Benita following. At first he struggled violently, +then, on finding that he could not escape, went on, his teeth +chattering with fear. + +"It is cruel," remonstrated Benita. + +"A little cruelty will not do him any harm," Robert answered. "He has +plenty to spare for other people. Besides, he is going to get what he +has been looking for so long." + +They led Jacob to the foot of the crucifix, where a paroxysm seemed to +seize him, then pushed him through the swinging doorway beneath, and +down the steep stairs, till once more they all stood in the treasure- +chamber. + +"Look," said Robert, and, drawing his hunting-knife, he slashed one of +the hide bags, whereon instantly there flowed out a stream of beads +and nuggets. "Now, my friend, am I a liar?" he asked. + +At this wondrous sight Jacob's terror seemed to depart from him, and +he grew cunning. + +"Beautiful, beautiful!" he said, "more than I thought--sacks and sacks +of gold. I shall be a king indeed. No, no, it is all a dream--like the +rest. I don't believe it's there. Loose my arms and let me feel it." + +"Untie him," said Robert, at the same time drawing his pistol and +covering the man; "he can't do us any hurt." + +The Kaffirs obeyed, and Jacob, springing at the slashed bag, plunged +his thin hands into it. + +"No lie," he screamed, "no lie," as he dragged the stuff out and smelt +at it. "Gold, gold, gold! Hundreds of thousands of pounds' worth of +gold! Let's make a bargain, Englishman, and I won't kill you as I +meant to do. You take the girl and give me all the gold," and in his +ecstasy he began to pour the glittering ingots over his head and body. + +"A new version of the tale of Danaë," began Robert in a sarcastic +voice, then suddenly paused, for a change had come over Jacob's face, +a terrible change. + +It turned ashen beneath the tan, his eyes grew large and round, he put +up his hands as though to thrust something from him, his whole frame +shivered, and his hair seemed to erect itself. Slowly he retreated +backwards, and would have fallen down the unclosed trap-hole had not +one of the Kaffirs pushed him away. Back he went, still back, till he +struck the further wall and stood there, perhaps for half a minute. He +lifted his hand and pointed first to those ancient footprints, some of +which still remained in the dust of the floor, and next, as they +thought, at Benita. His lips moved fast, he seemed to be pleading, +remonstrating, yet--and this was the ghastliest part of it--from them +there came no sound. Lastly, his eyes rolled up until only the whites +of them were visible, his face became wet as though water had been +poured over it, and, still without a sound, he fell forward and moved +no more. + +So terrible was the scene that with a howl of fear the two Kaffirs +turned and fled up the stairway. Robert sprang to the Jew, dragged him +over on to his back, put his hand upon his breast and lifted his +eyelids. + +"Dead," he said. "Stone dead. Privation, brain excitement, heart +failure--that's the story." + +"Perhaps," answered Benita faintly; "but really I think that I begin +to believe in ghosts also. Look, I never noticed them before, and I +didn't walk there, but those footsteps seem to lead right up to him." +Then she turned too and fled. + + + +Another week had gone by. The waggons were laden with a burden more +precious perhaps than waggons have often borne before. In one of them, +on a veritable bed of gold, slept Mr. Clifford, still very weak and +ill, but somewhat better than he had been, and with a good prospect of +recovery, at any rate for a while. They were to trek a little after +dawn, and already Robert and Benita were up and waiting. She touched +his arm and said to him: + +"Come with me. I have a fancy to see that place once more, for the +last time." + +So they climbed the hill and the steep steps in the topmost wall that +Meyer had blocked--re-opened now--and reaching the mouth of the cave, +lit the lamps which they had brought with them, and entered. There +were the fragments of the barricade that Benita had built with +desperate hands, there was the altar of sacrifice standing cold and +grey as it had stood for perhaps three thousand years. There was the +tomb of the old monk who had a companion now, for in it Jacob Meyer +lay with him, his bones covered by the /débris/ that he himself had +dug out in his mad search for wealth; and there the white Christ hung +awful on His cross. Only the skeletons of the Portuguese were gone, +for with the help of his Kaffirs Robert had moved them every one into +the empty treasure-chamber, closing the trap beneath, and building up +the door above, so that there they might lie in peace at last. + +In this melancholy place they tarried but a little while, then, +turning their backs upon it for ever, went out and climbed the granite +cone to watch the sun rise over the broad Zambesi. Up it came in +glory, that same sun which had shone upon the despairing Benita da +Ferreira, and upon the English Benita when she had stood there in +utter hopelessness, and seen the white man captured by the Matabele. + +Now, different was their state indeed, and there in that high place, +whence perhaps many a wretched creature had been cast to death, whence +certainly the Portuguese maiden had sought her death, these two happy +beings were not ashamed to give thanks to Heaven for the joy which it +had vouchsafed to them, and for their hopes of life full and long to +be travelled hand in hand. Behind them was the terror of the cave, +beneath them were the mists of the valley, but above them the light +shone and rolled and sparkled, and above them stretched the eternal +sky! + +They descended the pillar, and near the foot of it saw an old man +sitting. It was Mambo, the Molimo of the Makalanga: even when they +were still far away from him they knew his snow-white head and thin, +ascetic face. As they drew near Benita perceived that his eyes were +closed, and whispered to Robert that he was asleep. Yet he had heard +them coming, and even guessed her thought. + +"Maiden," he said in his gentle voice, "maiden who soon shall be a +wife, I do not sleep, although I dream of you as I have dreamt before. +What did I say to you that day when first we met? That for you I had +good tidings; that though death was all about you, you need not fear; +that in this place you who had known great sorrow should find +happiness and rest. Yet, maiden, you would not believe the words of +the Munwali, spoken by his prophet's lips, as he at your side, who +shall be your husband, would not believe me in years past when I told +him that we should meet again." + +"Father," she answered, "I thought your rest was that which we find +only in the grave." + +"You would not believe," he went on without heeding her, "and +therefore you tried to fly, and therefore your heart was torn with +terror and with agony, when it should have waited for the end in +confidence and peace." + +"Father, my trial was very sore." + +"Maiden, I know it, and because it was so sore that patient Spirit of +Bambatse bore with you, and through it all guided your feet aright. +Yes, with you has that Spirit gone, by day, by night, in the morning +and in the evening. Who was it that smote the man who lies dead yonder +with horror and with madness when he would have bent your will to his +and made you a wife to him? Who was it that told you the secret of the +treasure-pit, and what footsteps went before you down its stair? Who +was it that led you past the sentries of the Amandabele and gave you +wit and power to snatch your lord's life from Maduna's bloody hand? +Yes, with you it has gone and with you it will go. No more shall the +White Witch stand upon the pillar point at the rising of the sun, or +in the shining of the moon." + +"Father, I have never understood you, and I do not understand you +now," said Benita. "What has this spirit to do with me?" + +He smiled a little, then answered slowly: + +"That I may not tell you; that you shall learn one day, but never +here. When you also have entered into silence, then you shall learn. +But I say to you that this shall not be till your hair is as white as +mine, and your years are as many. Ah! you thought that I had deserted +you, when fearing for your father's life you wept and prayed in the +darkness of the cave. Yet it was not so, for I did but suffer the doom +which I had read to fulfil itself as it must do." + +He rose to his feet and, resting on his staff, laid one withered hand +upon the head of Benita. + +"Maiden," he said, "we meet no more beneath the sun. Yet because you +have brought deliverance to my people, because you are sweet and pure +and true, take with you the blessing of Munwali, spoken by the mouth +of his servant Mambo, the old Molimo of Bambatse. Though from time to +time you must know tears and walk in the shade of sorrows, long and +happy shall be your days with him whom you have chosen. Children shall +spring up about you, and children's children, and with them also shall +the blessing go. The gold you white folk love is yours, and it shall +multiply and give food to the hungry and raiment to those that are +a-cold. Yet in your own heart lies a richer store that cannot melt +away, the countless treasure of mercy and of love. When you sleep and +when you wake Love shall take you by the hand, till at length he leads +you through life's dark cave to that eternal house of purest gold +which soon or late those that seek it shall inherit," and with his +staff he pointed to the glowing morning sky wherein one by one little +rosy clouds floated upwards and were lost. + +To Robert and to Benita's misty eyes they looked like bright-winged +angels throwing wide the black doors of night, and heralding that +conquering glory at whose advent despair and darkness flee away. + + + + + +End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of Benita, by H. Rider Haggard + |