Benita, An African Romance | Page 8

have meant a German Jew."
After this there was silence between them for a time, then he said
suddenly, "You have told me your story, would you like to hear mine?"
"Yes," she answered.
"Well, it won't take you long to listen to it, for, Miss Clifford, like
Canning's needy knife-grinder, I have really none to tell. You see
before you one of the most useless persons in the world, an
undistinguished member of what is called in England the 'leisured
class,' who can do absolutely nothing that is worth doing, except shoot
straight."
"Indeed," said Benita.
"You do not seem impressed with that accomplishment," he went on,
"yet it is an honest fact that for the last fifteen years--I was thirty-two
this month--practically my whole time has been given up to it, with a
little fishing thrown in in the spring. As I want to make the most of
myself, I will add that I am supposed to be among the six best shots in
England, and that my ambition--yes, great Heavens! my ambition--was
to become better than the other five. By that sin fell the poor man who
speaks to you. I was supposed to have abilities, but I neglected them all
to pursue this form of idleness. I entered no profession, I did no work,
with the result that at thirty-two I am ruined and almost hopeless."
"Why ruined and hopeless?" she asked anxiously, for the way in which
they were spoken grieved her more than the words themselves.
"Ruined because my old uncle, the Honourable John Seymour Seymour,
whose heir I was, committed the indiscretion of marrying a young lady
who has presented him with thriving twins. With the appearance of
those twins my prospects disappeared, as did the allowance of £1,500 a
year that he was good enough to make me on which to keep up a
position as his next-of-kin. I had something of my own, but also I had
debts, and at the present moment a draft in my pocket for £2,163 14s.
5d., and a little loose cash, represents the total of my worldly goods,
just about the sum I have been accustomed to spend per annum."
"I don't call that ruin, I call that riches," said Benita, relieved. "With

£2,000 to begin on you may make a fortune in Africa. But how about
the hopelessness?"
"I am hopeless because I have absolutely nothing to which to look
forward. Really, when that £2,000 is gone I do not know how to earn a
sixpence. In this dilemma it occurred to me that the only thing I could
do was to turn my shooting to practical account, and become a hunter
of big game. Therefore I propose to kill elephants until an elephant kills
me. At least," he added in a changed voice, "I did so propose until half
an hour ago."

II
THE END OF THE "ZANZIBAR."
"Until half an hour ago? Then why----" and Benita stopped.
"Have I changed my very modest scheme of life? Miss Clifford, as you
are so good as to be sufficiently interested, I will tell you. It is because
a temptation which hitherto I have been able to resist, has during the
last thirty minutes become too strong for me. You know everything has
its breaking strain." He puffed nervously at his cigar, threw it into the
sea, paused, then went on: "Miss Clifford, I have dared to fall in love
with you. No; hear me out. When I have done it will be quite time
enough to give me the answer that I expect. Meanwhile, for the first
time in my life, allow me the luxury of being in earnest. To me it is a
new sensation, and therefore very priceless. May I go on?"
Benita made no answer. He rose with a certain deliberateness which
characterized all his movements--for Robert Seymour never seemed to
be in a hurry--and stood in front of her so that the moonlight shone
upon her face, while his own remained in shadow.
"Beyond that £2,000 of which I have spoken, and incidentally its owner,
I have nothing whatsoever to offer to you. I am an indigent and
worthless person. Even in my prosperous days, when I could look
forward to a large estate, although it was often suggested to me, I never
considered myself justified in asking any lady to share--the prospective
estate. I think now that the real reason was that I never cared
sufficiently for any lady, since otherwise my selfishness would
probably have overcome my scruples, as it does to-night. Benita, for I
will call you so, if for the first and last time, I--I--love you.
"Listen now," he went on, dropping his measured manner, and speaking

hurriedly, like a man with an earnest message and little