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The Molimo seemed to guess the meaning of his words from his face； for
he answered：
〃I think not here。 The besiegers won this place and camped in it for
many weeks。 I could show you were they built their fires and tried to
undermine the last wall within which the Portuguese sat about until
hunger killed them； for they could not eat their gold。 Follow me
again。〃
So on they went up the slope till they came to the base of the third
wall； and as before； passed round it； and reached a point above the
river。 But now there was no passage； only some shallow and almost
precipitous steps cut from single stones leading from the foot of the
wall to its summit； more than thirty feet above。
〃Really；〃 said Benita； contemplating this perilous ascent with dismay；
〃the ways of treasure seekers are hard。 I don't think I can；〃 while
her father also looked at them and shook his head。
〃We must get a rope；〃 said Meyer to the Molimo angrily。 〃How can we
climb that place without one； with such a gulf below？〃
〃I am old； but I climb it；〃 said the aged man in mild surprise； since
to him； who had trodden it all his life； it seemed not difficult。
〃Still；〃 he added； 〃I have a rope above which I use upon dark nights。
I will ascend and let it down。〃
Ascend he did accordingly； indeed； it was a wondrous sight to see his
withered legs scrambling from step to step as unconcernedly as though
he were going upstairs。 No monkey could have been more agile； or more
absolutely impervious to the effects of height。 Soon he vanished in
or； rather； throughthe crest of the wall； and presently appeared
again on the top step； whence he let down a stout hide rope； remarking
that it was securely tied。 So anxious was Meyer to enter the hidden
place of which he had dreamed so long that he scarcely waited for it
to reach his hand before he began the climb； which he accomplished
safely。 Then； sitting on the top of the wall； he directed Mr。 Clifford
to fasten the end of the rope round Benita's waist； and her turn came。
It was not so bad as she expected； for she was agile； and the
knowledge that the rope would prevent disaster gave her confidence。 In
a very little while she had grasped Meyer's outstretched hand； and
been drawn into safety through a kind of aperture above the top step。
Then the rope was let down again for her father； who tied it about his
middle。 Well was it that he did so； since when he was about half…way
up； awkwardness； or perhaps loss of nerveneither of them wonderful
in an old mancaused his foot to slip； and had it not been for the
rope which Meyer and the Molimo held； he would certainly have fallen
into the river some hundreds of feet below。 As it was； he recovered
himself； and presently arrived panting and very pale。 In her relief
Benita kissed him； and even as she did so thought again that she had
been very near to being left alone with Jacob Meyer。
〃All's well that ends well； my dear；〃 he said。 〃But upon my word I am
beginning to wish that I had been content with the humble profits of
horse…breeding。〃
Benita made no answer； it seemed too late for any useful consideration
of the point。
〃Clever men； those ancients；〃 said Meyer。 〃See；〃 and he pointed out to
her how； by drawing a heavy stone which still lay close by over the
aperture through which they had crept； the ascent of the wall could be
made absolutely impossible to any enemy； since at its crest it was
battened outwards； not inwards； as is usual in these ancient ruins。
〃Yes；〃 she answered； 〃we ought to feel safe enough inside here； and
that's as well since I do not feel inclined to go out again at
present。〃
Then they paused to look about them； and this was what they saw：
The wall； built like those below； of unmortared blocks of stone；
remained in a wonderfully good state of preservation； for its only
enemies had been time； the tropical rains； and the growth of shrubs
and trees which here and there had cracked and displaced the stones。
It enclosed all the top of the hill； perhaps three acres of ground；
and on it at intervals were planted soap…stone pillars； each of them
about twelve feet in height； and fashioned at the top to a rude
resemblance of a vulture。 Many of these columns； however had been
blown down； or perhaps struck by lightning； and lay broken upon the
wall； or if they had fallen inward； at its foot； but some； six or
eight perhaps； were still standing。
Benita learned afterwards that they must have been placed there by the
ancient Ph？nicians； or whatever people constructed this gigantic
fortification； and had something to do with the exact recordings of
the different seasons of the year； and their sub…divisions； by means
of the shadows which they cast。 As yet； however； she did not pay much
attention to them； for she was engaged in considering a more
remarkable relic of antiquity which stood upon the very verge of the
precipice； the wall； indeed； being built up to its base on either
side。
It was the great cone of which Richard Seymour had told her； fifty
feet high or more； such as once was found in the Ph？nician temples。
But in this case it was not built of masonry； but shaped by the hand
of man out of a single gigantic granite monolith of the sort that are
sometimes to be met with in Africa； that thousands or millions of
years ago had been left standing thus when the softer rock around it
was worn away by time and weather。 On the inner side of this cone were
easy steps whereby it could be ascended； and its top； which might have
been six feet in diameter； was fashioned in the shape of a cup；
probably for the purposes of acts of worship and of sacrifice。 This
extraordinary monument； which； except on the river side； could not be
seen from below on account of the slope of the hill； leaned slightly
outwards； so that a stone dropped from its crest would fall into the
waters of the stream。
〃Thence it was；〃 said the Molimo； 〃that my forefathers saw the last of
the Portuguese； the fair daughter of the great Captain Ferreira； hurl
herself to death after she had given the gold into our keeping； and
laid the curse upon it； until she came again。 So in my dreams have I
seen and heard her also； ay； and others have seen her； but these only
from by the river far below。〃
He paused awhile； looking at Benita with his queer； dreamy eyes； then
said suddenly：
〃Say； Lady； do you remember nothing of that matter？〃
Now Benita grew vexed； for the whole thing was uncanny and jarred upon
her。
〃How can I remember；〃 she asked； 〃who was born not five and twenty
years ago？〃
〃I do not know；〃 he answered。 〃How should I know； who am but an
ignorant old black man； who was born not much more than eighty years
ago？ Yet； Lady； tell me； for I seek your wisdom； where were you born
from？ Out of the earth； or out of the heavens？ What？ You shake your
head； you who do not remember？ Well； neither do I remember。 Yet it is
true that a