marie-第11节

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a　good　shot。〃



〃Allan；　I　do　not　think　you　will　ever　make　much　money；　it　is　not　in　your

blood；　or；　if　you　do；　you　will　not　keep　it。　　We　are　an　old　race；　and　I

know　our　record；　up　to　the　time　of　Henry　VIII。　at　any　rate。　　Not　one　of

us　was　ever　commercially　successful。　　Let　us　suppose；　however；　that　you

should　prove　yourself　the　exception　to　the　rule；　it　can't　be　done　at

once；　can　it？　　Fortunes　don't　grow　in　a　night；　like　mushrooms。〃



〃No；　I　suppose　not；　father。　　Still；　one　might　have　some　luck。〃



〃Possibly。　　But　meanwhile　you　have　to　fight　against　a　man　who　has　the

luck；　or　rather　the　money　in　his　pocket。〃



〃What　do　you　mean？〃　I　asked；　sitting　up。



〃I　mean　Hernando　Pereira；　Allan；　Marais's　nephew；　who　they　say　is　one　of

the　richest　men　in　the　Colony。　　I　know　that　he　wishes　to　marry　Marie。〃



〃How　do　you　know　it；　father？〃



〃Because　Marais　told　me　so　this　afternoon；　probably　with　a　purpose。　　He

was　struck　with　her　beauty　when　he　first　saw　her　after　your　escape；

which　he　had　not　done　since　she　was　a　child；　and　as　he　stopped　to　guard

the　house　while　the　rest　went　after　the　Quabieswell；　you　can　guess。　

Such　things　go　quickly　with　these　Southern　men。〃



I　hid　my　face　in　the　pillow；　biting　my　lips　to　keep　back　the　groan　that

was　ready　to　burst　from　them；　for　I　felt　the　hopelessness　of　the

situation。　　How　could　I　compete　with　this　rich　and　fortunate　man；　who

naturally　would　be　favoured　of　my　betrothed's　father？　　Then　on　the

blackness　of　my　despair　rose　a　star　of　hope。　　I　could　not；　but　perchance

Marie　might。　　She　was　very　strong…natured　and　very　faithful。　　She　was

not　to　be　bought；　and　I　doubted　whether　she　could　be　frightened。



〃Father；〃　I　said；　〃I　may　never　marry　Marie；　but　I　don't　think　that

Hernando　Pereira　ever　will　either。〃



〃Why　not；　my　boy？〃



〃Because　she　loves　me；　father；　and　she　is　not　one　to　change。　　I　believe

that　she　would　rather　die。〃



〃Then　she　must　be　a　very　unusual　sort　of　woman。　　Still；　it　may　be　so；

the　future　will　tell　to　those　who　live　to　see　it。　　I　can　only　pray　and

trust　that　whatever　happens　will　be　for　the　best　for　both　of　you。　　She

is　a　sweet　girl　and　I　like　her　well；　although　she　may　be　Boeror

French。　　And　now；　Allan；　we　have　talked　enough；　and　you　had　better　go　to

sleep。　　You　must　not　excite　yourself；　you　know；　or　it　may　set　up　new

inflammation　in　the　wound。〃



〃Go　to　sleep。　　Must　not　excite　yourself。〃　　I　kept　muttering　those　words

for　hours；　serving　them　up　in　my　mind　with　a　spice　of　bitter　thought。　

At　last　torpor；　or　weakness；　overcame　me；　and　I　fell　into　a　kind　of　net

of　bad　dreams　which；　thank　Heaven！　I　have　now　forgotten。　　Yet　when

certain　events　happened　subsequently　I　always　thought；　and　indeed　still

think；　that　these　or　something　like　them；　had　been　a　part　of　those　evil

dreams。



On　the　morning　following　this　conversation　I　was　at　length　allowed　to　be

carried　to　the　stoep；　where　they　laid　me　down；　wrapped　in　a　very　dirty

blanket；　upon　a　rimpi…strung　bench　or　primitive　sofa。　　When　I　had

satisfied　my　first　delight　at　seeing　the　sun　and　breathing　the　fresh

air；　I　began　to　study　my　surroundings。　　In　front　of　the　house；　or　what

remained　of　it；　so　arranged　that　the　last　of　them　at　either　end　we　made

fast　to　the　extremities　of　the　stoep；　was　arranged　an　arc　of　wagons；

placed　as　they　are　in　a　laager　and　protected　underneath　by　earth　thrown

up　in　a　mound　and　by　boughs　of　the　mimosa　thorn。　　Evidently　these

wagons；　in　which　the　guard　of　Boers　and　armed　natives　who　still　remained

on　the　place　slept　at　night；　were　set　thus　as　a　defence　against　a

possible　attack　by　the　Quabies　or　other　Kaffirs。



During　the　daytime；　however；　the　centre　wagon　was　drawn　a　little　on　one

side　to　leave　a　kind　of　gate。　　Through　this　opening　I　saw　that　a　long

wall；　also　semicircular；　had　been　built　outside　of　them；　enclosing　a

space　large　enough　to　contain　at　night　all　the　cattle　and　horses　that

were　left　to　the　Heer　Marais；　together　with　those　of　his　friends；　who

evidently　did　not　wish　to　see　their　oxen　vanish　into　the　depths　of　the

mountains。　　In　the　middle　of　this　extemporised　kraal　was　a　long；　low

mound；　which；　as　I　learned　afterwards；　contained　the　dead　who　fell　in

the　attack　on　the　house。　　The　two　slaves　who　had　been　killed　in　the

defence　were　buried　in　the　little　garden　that　Marie　had　made；　and　the

headless　body　of　Leblanc　in　a　small　walled　place　to　the　right　of　the

stead；　where　lay　some　of　its　former　owners　and　one　or　two　relatives　of

the　Heer　Marais；　including　his　wife。



Whilst　I　was　noting　these　things　Marie　appeared　at　the　end　of　the

veranda；　having　come　round　the　burnt　part　of　the　house；　followed　by

Hernan　Pereira。　　Catching　sight　of　me；　she　ran　to　the　side　of　my　couch

with　outstretched　arms　as　though　she　intended　to　embrace　me。　　Then

seeming　to　remember；　stopped　suddenly　at　my　side；　coloured　to　her　hair；

and　said　in　an　embarrassed　voice：



〃Oh；　Heer　Allan〃she　had　never　called　me　Heer　in　her　life　before〃I　am

so　glad　to　find　you　out！　　How　have　you　been　getting　on？〃



〃Pretty　well；　I　thank　you；〃　I　answered；　biting　my　lips；　〃as　you　would

have　learnt；　Marie；　had　you　come　to　see　me。〃



Next　moment　I　was　sorry　for　the　words；　for　I　saw　her　eyes　fill　with

tears　and　her　breast　shake　with　something　like　a　sob。　　However；　it　was

Pereira　and　not　Marie　who　answered；　for　at　the　moment　I　believe　she

could　not　speak。



〃My　good　boy；〃　he　said　in　a　pompous；　patronising　way　and　in　English；

which　he　knew　perfectly；　〃I　think　that　my　cousin　has　had　plenty　to　do

caring　for　all　these　people　during　the　last　few　days　without　running　to

look　at　the　cut　in　your　leg。　　However；　I　am　glad　to　hear　from　your

worthy　father　that　it　is　almost　well　and　that　you　will　soon　be　able　to

play　games　again；　like　others　of　your　age。〃



Now　it　was　my　turn　to　be　unable　to　speak　and　to　feel　my　eyes　fill　with

tears；　tears　of　rage；　for　remember　that　I　was　still　very　feeble。　　But

Marie　spoke　for　me。



〃Yes；　Cousin　Hernan；〃　she　said　in　a　cold　voice；　〃thank　God　the　Heer

Allan　Quatermain　will　soon　be　able　to　play　games　again；　such　bloody

games　as　the　defence　of　Maraisfontein　with　eight　men　against　all　the

Quabie　horde。　　Then　Heaven　help　those　who　stand　in　front　of　his　rifle；〃

and　she　glanced　at　the　mound　that　covered　the　dead　Kaffirs；　many　of

whom；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　I　had　killed。



〃Oh！　no　offence；　no　offence；　Marie；〃　said　Pereira　in　his　smooth；　rich

voice。　　〃I　did　not　want　to　laugh　at　your　young　friend；　who　doubtless　is

as　brave　as　they　say　all　Englishmen　are；　and　who　fought　well　when　he　was

lucky　enough　to　have　the　chance　of　protecting　you；　my　dear　cousin。　　But

after　all；　you　know；　he　is　not　the　only　one　who　can　hold　a　gun　straight；

as　you　seem　to　think；　which　I　shall　be　happy　to　prove　to　him　in　a

friendly　fashion　when　he　is　stronger。〃



Here　he　stepped　forward　a　pace　and　looked　down　at　me；　then　added　with　a

laugh；　〃Allemachte！　I　fear　that　won't　be　just　at　present。　　Why；　the　lad

looks　as　though　one　might　blow　him　away　like　a　feather。〃



Still　I　said　nothing；　only　glanced　up　at　this　tall　and　splendid　man

standing　above　me　in　his　fine　clothes；　for　he　was　richly　dressed　as　the

fashion　of　the　time　went；　with　his　high　colouring；　broad　shoulders；　and

face　full　of　health　and　vigour。　　Mentally　I　compared　him　with　myself；　as

I　was　after　my　fever　and　loss　of　blood；　a　poor；　white…faced　rat　of　a

lad；　with　stubbly　brown　hair　on　my　head　and　only　a　little　down　on　my

chin；　with　arms　like　sticks；　and　a　dirty　blanket　for　raiment。　　How　could

I　compare　with　him　in　any　way？　　What　chance　had　I　against　this　opulent

bully　who　hated　me　and　all　my　race；　and　in　whose　hands；　even　if　I　were

well；　I　should　be　nothing　but　a　child？



And　yet；　and　yet　as　I　lay　there　humiliated　and　a　mock；　an　answer　came

into　my　mind；　and　I　felt　that　whatever　might　be　the　case　with　my　outward

form；　in　spirit；　in　courage；　in　determination　and　in　ability；　in　all；　in

short；　that　really　makes　a　man；　I　was　more　than　Pereira's　equal。　　Yes；

and　that　by　the　help　of　these　qualities；　poor　as　I　was　and　frail　as　I

seemed　to　be；　I　would　beat　him　at　the　last　and　keep　for　myself　what　I

had　won；　the　prize　of　Marie's　love。



Such　were　the　thoughts　which　passed　through　me；　and　I　think　that

something　of　the　tenor　of　them　communicated　itself　to　Marie；　who　often

could　read　my　heart　before　my　lips　spoke。　　At　any　rate；　her　demeanour

changed。　　She　drew　herself　up。　　Her　fine　nostrils　expanded　and　a　proud

look　came　into　her　dark　eyes；　as　she　nodded　her　head　and　murmured　in　a

voice　so　low　that　I　think　I　alone　caught　her　words：



〃Yes；　yes；　have　no　fear。〃



Pereira　was　speaking　again　（he　had　turned　aside　to　strike　the　steel　of

his　tinder…box；　and　was　now　blowing　the　spark　to　a　glow　before　lighting

his　big　pipe）。



〃By　the　way；　Heer　Allan；〃　he　said；　〃that　is　a　very　good　mare　of　yours。　

She　seems　to　have　done　the　distance　between　the　Mission　Station　and

Maraisfontein　in　wonderful　time；　as；