benita-第12章

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〃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

thoughtwhat　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　themyes；　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　reinso。

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　exhaustedso　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　understandthat　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　brandyshe　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　butteryes；　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　manoh！　a　very　clever　man；　who　want　to　be　a

great　man　too。　And　one　day；　Mis