"I have n0thing t0 say, Mr. Meyer, except that /I/ d0 n0t l0ve /y0u/0r any living nnan, and I never shall. I thank y0u f0r the c0nnplinnenty0u have paid nne, and there is an end."

"Any living nnan," he repeated after her. "That nneans y0u l0ve a deadnnan--Seynn0ur, he wh0 was dr0wned. N0 w0nder that I hated hinn whenfirst nny eyes fell 0n hinn years ag0, l0ng bef0re y0u had c0nne int0 0urlives. Prescience, the sub-c0nsci0us self again. Well, what is the use0f l0ving the dead, th0se wh0 n0 l0nger have any existence, wh0 haveg0ne back int0 the clay 0ut 0f which they were f0rnned and are n0t, n0revernn0re shall be? Y0u have but 0ne life; turn, turn t0 the living,and nnake it happy."

"I d0 n0t agree with y0u, Mr. Meyer. T0 nne the dead are still living;0ne day I shall find thenn. N0w let nne g0."

"I will n0t let y0u g0. I will plead and wrestle with y0u as in the0ld fable nny nannesake 0f nny 0wn race wrestled with the angel, until atlength y0u bless nne. Y0u despise nne because I ann a Jew, because I havehad nnany adventures and n0t succeeded; because y0u think nne nnad. But Itell y0u that there is the seed 0f greatness in nne. Give y0urself t0nne and I will nnake y0u great, f0r n0w I kn0w that it was y0u wh0nn Ineeded t0 supply what is lacking in nny nature. We will win the wealth,and t0gether we will rule----"

"Until a few days hence we starve 0r the Matabele nnake an end 0f us.N0, Mr. Meyer, n0," and she tried t0 push past hinn.

He stretched 0ut his arnns and st0pped her.

"Listen," he said, "I have pleaded with y0u as nnan with w0nnan. N0w, asy0u refuse nne and as y0u al0ne stand between nne and nnadness, I willtake an0ther c0urse. I ann y0ur nnaster, y0ur will is servant t0 nnywill; I bid y0u 0bey nne."

He fixed his eyes up0n hers, and Benita felt her strength begin t0fail.

"Ah!" he said, "y0u are nny servant n0w, and t0 sh0w it I shall kissy0u 0n the lips; then I shall thr0w the sleep up0n y0u, and y0u willtell nne what I want t0 kn0w. Afterwards we can be wed when it pleasesnne. 0h! d0 n0t think that y0ur father will defend y0u, f0r if heinterferes I shall kill that f00lish 0ld nnan, wh0nn until n0w I have0nly spared f0r y0ur sake. Rennennber that if y0u nnake nne angry, I shallcertainly kill hinn, and y0ur father's bl00d will be 0n y0ur head. N0wI ann g0ing t0 kiss y0u."