marie- 第27部分

mother。



At　any　rate；　the　effect　of　the　old　lady's　words　upon　Marais　was　quite

remarkable。　　Suddenly　he　went　into　one　of　his　violent　and　constitutional

rages。　　He　cursed　Vrouw　Prinsloo。　　He　cursed　everybody　else；　assuring

them　severally　and　collectively　that　Heaven　would　come　even　with　them。　

He　said　there　was　a　plot　against　him　and　his　nephew；　and　that　I　was　at

the　bottom　of　it；　I　who　had　made　his　daughter　fond　of　my　ugly　little

face。　　So　furious　were　his　words；　whereof　there　were　many　more　which　I

have　forgotten；　that　at　length　Marie　began　to　cry　and　ran　away。　

Presently；　too；　the　Boers　strolled　off；　shrugging　their　shoulders；　one

of　them　saying　audibly　that　Marais　had　gone　quite　mad　at　last；　as　he

always　thought　he　would。



Then　Marais　followed　them；　throwing　up　his　arms　and　still　cursing　as　he

went；　and；　slipping　over　the　tail　of　the　pack…ox；　Pereira　followed　him。　

So　the　Vrouw　Prinsloo　and　I　were　left　alone；　for　the　coloured　men　had

departed；　as　they　always　do　when　white　people　begin　to　quarrel。



〃There；　Allan；　my　boy；〃　said　the　vrouw　in　triumph；　〃I　have　found　the

sore　place　on　the　mule's　back；　and　didn't　I　make　him　squeal　and　kick；

although　on　most　days　of　the　week　he　seems　to　be　such　a　good　and　quiet

muleat　any　rate；　of　late。〃



〃I　dare　say　you　did；　vrouw；〃　I　said　wrathfully；　〃but　I　wish　you　would

leave　Mynheer　Marais's　sore　places　alone；　seeing　that　if　the　squeals　are

for　you；　the　kicks　are　for　me。〃



〃What　does　that　matter；　Allan？〃　she　asked。　　〃He　always　was　your　enemy；

so　that　it　is　just　as　well　you　should　see　his　heels　when　you　are　out　of

reach　of　them。　　My　poor　boy；　I　think　you　will　have　a　bad　time　of　it

between　the　stinkcat　and　the　mule；　although　you　have　done　so　much　for

both　of　them。　　Well；　there　is　one　thingMarie　has　a　true　heart。　　She

will　never　marry　any　man　except　yourself；　Allaneven　if　you　are　not

here　to　marry；〃　she　added　by　an　afterthought。



The　old　lady　paused　a　little；　staring　at　the　ground。　　Then　she　looked　up

and　said：



〃Allan；　my　dear〃　（for　she　was　really　fond　of　me；　and　called　me　thus　at

times）；　〃you　didn't　take　the　advice　I　gave　you；　namely；　to　look　for

Pereira　and　not　to　find　him。　　Well；　I　will　give　you　some　more；　which　you

_will_　take　if　you　are　wise。〃



〃What　is　it？〃　I　asked　doubtfully；　for；　although　she　was　upright　enough

in　her　own　way；　the　Vrouw　Prinsloo　could　bring　herself　to　look　at　things

in　strange　lights。　　Like　many　other　women；　she　judged　of　moral　codes　by

the　impulses　of　her　heart；　and　was　quite　prepared　to　stretch　them　to

suit　circumstances　or　to　gain　an　end　which　she　considered　good　in

itself。



〃Just　this；　lad。　　Do　you　make　a　two　days'　march　with　Marie　into　the

bush。　　I　want　a　little　change；　so　I　will　come；　too；　and　marry　you　there；

for　I　have　got　a　prayer…book；　and　can　spell　out　the　service　if　we　go

through　it　once　or　twice　first。〃



Now；　the　vision　of　Marie　and　myself　being　married　by　the　Vrouw　Prinsloo

in　the　vast　and　untrodden　veld；　although　attractive；　was　so　absurd　that

I　laughed。



〃Why　do　you　laugh；　Allan？　　Anyone　can　marry　people　if　there　is　no　one

else　there；　indeed；　I　believe　that　they　can　marry　themselves。〃



〃I　dare　say；〃　I　answered；　not　wishing　to　enter　into　a　legal　argument

with　the　vrouw。　　〃But　you　see；　Tante；　I　solemnly　promised　her　father

that　I　would　not　marry　her　until　she　was　of　age；　and　if　I　broke　my　word

I　should　not　be　an　honest　man。〃



〃An　honest　man！〃　she　exclaimed　with　the　utmost　contempt；　〃an　honest　man！

　Well；　are　Marais　and　Hernan　Pereira　honest　men？　　Why　do　you　not　cut

your　stick　the　same　length　as　theirs；　Allan　Quatermain？　　I　tell　you　that

your　verdomde　honesty　will　be　your　ruin。　　You　remember　my　words　later

on；〃　and　she　marched　off　in　high　dudgeon。



When　she　had　gone　I　went　to　my　wagons；　where　Hans　was　waiting　for　me

with　a　detailed　and　interminable　report　of　everything　that　had　happened

in　my　absence。　　Glad　was　I　to　find　that；　except　for　the　death　of　one

sickly　ox；　nothing　had　gone　wrong。　　When　at　length　he　had　ended　his　long

story；　I　ate　some　food　which　Marie　sent　over　for　me　ready　cooked；　for　I

was　too　tired　to　join　any　of　the　Boers　that　night。　　Just　as　I　had

finished　my　meal　and　was　thinking　of　turning　in；　Marie　herself　appeared

within　the　circle　of　the　camp…fire's　light。　　I　sprang　up　and　ran　to　her；

saying　that　I　had　not　expected　to　see　her　that　evening；　and　did　not　like

to　come　to　the　house。



〃No；〃　she　answered；　drawing　me　back　into　the　shadows；　〃I　understand。　　My

father　seems　very　much　upset；　almost　mad；　indeed。　　If　the　Vrouw

Prinsloo's　tongue　had　been　a　snake's　fang；　it　could　not　have　stung　him

worse。〃



〃And　where　is　Pereira？〃　I　asked。



〃Oh！　my　cousin　sleeps　in　the　other　room。　　He　is　weak　and　worn　out。　　All

the　same；　Allan；　he　wanted　to　kiss　me。　　So　I　told　him　at　once　how

matters　stood　between　you　and　me；　and　that　we　were　to　be　married　in　six

months。〃



〃What　did　he　say　to　that？〃　I　asked。



〃He　turned　to　my　father　and　said：　'Is　this　true；　my　uncle？'　And　my

father　answered：　'Yes；　that　is　the　best　bargain　I　could　make　with　the

Englishman；　seeing　that　you　were　not　here　to　make　a　better。'〃



〃And　what　happened　then；　Marie？〃



〃Oh；　then　Hernan　thought　a　while。　　At　last　he　looked　up　and　said：　'I

understand。　　Things　have　gone　badly。　　I　acted　for　the　best；　who　went

away　to　try　to　find　help　for　all　of　you。　　I　failed。　　Meanwhile　the

Englishman　came　and　saved　you。　　Afterwards　he　saved　me　also。　　Uncle；　in

all　this　I　see　God's　hand；　had　it　not　been　for　this　Allan　none　of　us

would　be　alive。　　Yes；　God　used　him　that　we　might　be　kept　alive。　　Well；

he　has　promised　that　he　will　not　marry　Marie　for　six　months。　　And　you

know；　my　uncle；　that　some　of　these　English　are　great　fools；　they　keep

their　promises　even　to　their　own　loss。　　Now；　in　six　months　much　may

happen；　who　knows　what　will　happen？'〃



〃Were　you　present　when　you　heard　all　this；　Marie？〃　I　asked。



〃No；　Allan；　I　was　the　other　side　of　the　reed　partition。　　But　at　those

words　I　entered　and　said：　'My　father　and　Cousin　Hernan；　please

understand　that　there　is　one　thing　which　will　never　happen。'



〃'What　is　that？'　asked　my　cousin。



〃'It　will　never　happen　that　I　shall　marry　you；　Hernan；'　I　replied。



〃'Who　knows；　Marie；　who　knows？'　he　said。



〃'I　do；　Hernan；'　I　answered。　　'Even　if　Allan　were　to　die　to…morrow；　I

would　not　marry　you；　either　then　or　twenty　years　hence。　　I　am　glad　that

he　has　saved　your　life；　but　henceforth　we　are　cousins；　nothing　more。'



〃'You　hear　what　the　girl　tells　us；'　said　my　father；　'why　do　you　not　give

up　the　business？　　What　is　the　use　of　kicking　against　the　pricks？'



〃'If　one　wears　stout　boots　and　kicks　hard　enough；　the　pricks　give　way；'

said　Hernan。　　'Six　months　is　a　long　time；　my　uncle。'



〃'It　may　be　so；　cousin；'　I　said；　'but　remember　that　neither　six　months

nor　six　years；　nor　six　thousand　years；　are　long　enough　to　make　me　marry

any　man　except　Allan　Quatermain；　who　has　just　rescued　you　from　death。　

Do　you　understand？'



〃'Yes；'　he　replied；　'I　understand　that　you　will　not　marry　me。　　Only　then

I　promise　that　you　shall　not　marry　either　Allan　Quatermain　or　any　other

man。'



〃'God　will　decide　that；'　I　answered；　and　came　away；　leaving　him　and　my

father　together。　　And　now；　Allan；　tell　me　all　that　has　happened　since　we

parted。〃



So　I　told　her　everything；　including　the　Vrouw　Prinsloo's　advice。



〃Of　course；　Allan；　you　were　quite　right；〃　she　remarked　when　I　had

finished；　〃but　I　am　not　sure　that　the　Vrouw　Prinsloo　was　not　also　right

in　her　own　fashion。　　I　am　afraid　of　my　cousin　Hernan；　who　holds　my

father　in　his　handfast；　fast。　　Still；　we　have　promised；　and　must　keep

our　word。〃







CHAPTER　XI









THE　SHOT　IN　THE　KLOOF











I　think　it　was　about　three　weeks　after　these　events　that　we　began　our

southward　trek。　　On　the　morning　subsequent　to　our　arrival　at　Marais's

camp；　Pereira　came　up　to　me　when　several　people　were　present；　and；

taking　my　hand；　thanked　me　in　a　loud　voice　for　having　saved　his　life。　

Thenceforward；　he　declared；　I　should　be　dearer　to　him　than　a　brother；

for　was　there　not　a　blood　bond　between　us？



I　answered　I　did　not　think　any　such　bond　existed；　indeed；　I　was　not　sure

what　it　meant。　　I　had　done　my　duty　by　him；　neither　less　nor　more；　and

there　was　nothing　further　to　be　said。



It　turned　out；　however；　that　there　was　a　great　deal　further　to　be　said；

since　Pereira　desired　to　borrow　money；　or；　rather；　goods；　from　me。　　He

explained　that　owing　to　the　prejudices　of　the　vulgar　Boers　who　remained

alive　in　that　camp；　and　especially　of　the　scandalous…tongued　Vrouw

Prinsloo；　both　he　and　his　uncle　had　come　to　the　conclusion　that　it　would

be　wise　for　him　to　remove　himself　as　soon　as　possible。　　Therefore　he

proposed　to　trek　away　alone。



I　answered　that　I　should　have　thought　he　had　done　enough　solitary

travelling　in　this　veld；　seeing　how　his　last　expedition　had　ended。　　He

replied　that　he　had；　indeed；　but　everyone　here　was　so　bitter　against　him

that　no　choice　was　left。　　Then　he　added　with　an　outburst　of　truth：



〃Allemachte！　Mynheer　Quatermain；　do　you　suppose　that　it　is　pleasant　for

me　to　see　you　making　love　all　day　to　the　maid　who　was　my　betrothed；　and

to　see　her　paying　back　the　love　with　her　eyes？　　Yes；　and　doubtless　with

her　lips；　too；　from　all　I　hear。〃



〃You　could　leave　her　whom　you　called　your　betrothed；　but　who　never　was

betrothed　to　anyone　but　me　with　her　own　will；　to　starve　in　the　veld；

mynheer。　　Why；　then；　should　you　be　angry　because　I　picked　up　that　which

you　threw　away；　that；　too；　which　was　always　my　own　and　not　yours？　　Had

it　not　been　for　me；　there　would　now　be　no　maid　left　for　us　to　quarrel

over；　as；　had　it　not　been　for　me；　there　would　be　no　man　left　for　me　to

quarrel　with　about　the　maid。〃



〃Are　you　God；　then；　Englishman；　that　you　dispose　of　the　lives　of　men　and

women　at　your　will？　　It　was　He　Who　saved　us；　not　you。