benita-第53章

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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　thoughtsacks　and　sacks

of　gold。　I　shall　be　a　king　indeed。　No；　no；　it　is　all　a　dreamlike　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　Dana？；〃　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；　yetand　this　was　the　ghastliest　part　of　itfrom　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

failurethat's　the　story。〃



〃Perhaps；〃　answered　Benita　faintly；　〃but　really　I　think　that　I　begin

to　believe　in　ghosts　also。　Look；　I　never　noticed