Part 30 (1/2)
”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 a.s.segaied you, the brutes,” and he drew her to him and kissed her pa.s.sionately 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 a.s.segais 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.”