ThenMr。Cliffordgroanedandsaid:”Ipromise。””Tellmeyourstory，BenitadaFerreira。Howcameyouandyourpeoplehere？””ThetribesofMonomotaparoseagainstourrule。Theykilledmanyofusinthelowerland，yes，theykilledmybrotherandhimtowhomI
wasaffianced。Therestofusflednorthtothisancientfortress，hopingthencetoescapebytheriver，theZambesi。TheMambo，ourvassal，gaveusshelterhere，butthetribesbesiegedthewallsinthousands，andburntalltheboatssothatwecouldnotflybythewater。Manytimeswebeatthembackfromthewall；theditchwasfulloftheirdead，andatlasttheydaredtoattacknomore。”Thenwebegantostarveandtheywonthefirstwall。Wewentonstarvingandtheywonthesecondwall，butthethirdwalltheycouldnotclimb。Sowedied；onebyonewelaidourselvesdowninthiscaveanddied，tillIalonewasleft，forwhileourpeoplehadfoodtheygaveittomewhowasthedaughteroftheircaptain。Yes，aloneI
kneltatthefootofthiscrucifixbythebodyofmyfather，prayingtotheblessedSonofMaryforthedeaththatwouldnotcome，andkneelingthereIswooned。WhenIawokeagaintheMamboandhismenstoodaboutme，fornow，knowingustobedead，thetribeshadgone，andthosewhowereinhidingacrosstheriverhadreturnedandknewhowtoclimbthewall。Theyboremefromamongthedead，theygavemefoodsothatmystrengthcameback；butinthenightI，whoinmywickednesswouldnotlive，escapedfromthemandclimbedthepillarofblackrock，sothatwhenthesunrosetheysawmestandingthere。Theybeggedofmetocomedown，promisingtoprotectme，butIsaid’No，’
whointheevilofmyheartonlydesiredtodie，thatImightjoinmyfatherandmybrother，andonewhowasdearertomethanall。Theyaskedofmewherethegreattreasurewashidden。”
AtthesewordsJacobgasped，thenrapidlytranslatedthem，whilethefigurebeforethembecamesilent，asthoughitfeltthatforthemomentthepowerofhiswillwaswithdrawn。”Speakon，Ibidyou，”hesaid，andshecontinued，therich，slowvoicedroppingwordafterwordfromthelipsofBenitainthealienspeechthatthisBenitaneverknew。”Iansweredthatitwaswhereitwas，andthatiftheygaveituptoanysavetheoneappointed，thenthatfatewhichhadbefallenmypeoplewouldbefalltheirsalso。Yes，IgaveitintotheirkeepinguntilIcameagain，sincewithhisdyingbreathmyfatherhadcommandedmetorevealittonone，andIbelievedthatIwhowasabouttodieshouldnevercomeagain。”ThenImademylastprayer，IkissedthegoldencrucifixthatnowhangsuponthisbreastwhereinIdwell，”andthehandofthelivingBenitawaslifted，andmovinglikethehandofadeadthing，slowlydrewoutthesymbolfrombeneaththecloak，helditforamomentinthelamplight，andletitfalltoitsplaceagain。”IputmyhandsbeforemyeyesthatImightnotsee，andIhurledmyselffromthepinnacle。”