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；　butMr。　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　catastropheas　though　there　were
  about　to　be　a　mighty　change；　and　beyond　it　another　life；　something　new
  and　unfamiliar。　It　came　over　me　at　dinnerthat　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
  takingI　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　lifeand　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；