benita-第35章

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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　benot　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　fullone　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

Oneyes；　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

saidthat　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

perilalthough　you　would　not　believe　me　when　I　told　you　sofor　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。