marie-第19节

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_he_　is　really　mad　also；　might　not　wish　for　him　as　a　son…in…law。〃



〃Oh！　go　to　the　devil　if　you　are　not　there　already；〃　I　replied；　and

turned　over　as　though　to　sleep。





There　was　no　need　for　me　to　have　instructed　that　faithful　creature；　the

astute　but　immoral　Hans；　to　call　me　early；　as　the　lady　did　her　mother　in

the　poem；　for　I　do　not　think　that　I　closed　an　eye　that　night。　　I　spare

my　reflections；　for　they　can　easily　be　imagined　in　the　case　of　an

earnest…natured　lad　who　was　about　to　be　bereft　of　his　first　love。



Long　before　the　dawn　I　stood　in　the　peach　orchard；　that　orchard　where　we

had　first　met；　and　waited。　　At　length　Marie　came　stealing　between　the

tree　trunks　like　a　grey　ghost；　for　she　was　wrapped　in　some

light…coloured　garment。　　Oh！　once　more　we　were　alone　together。　　Alone　in

the　utter　solitude　and　silence　which　precede　the　African　dawn；　when　all

creatures　that　love　the　night　have　withdrawn　to　their　lairs　and　hiding

places；　and　those　that　love　the　day　still　sleep　their　soundest。



She　saw　me　and　stood　still；　then　opened　her　arms　and　clasped　me　to　her

breast；　uttering　no　word。　　A　while　later　she　spoke　almost　in　a　whisper；

saying：



〃Allan；　I　must　not　stay　long；　for　I　think　that　if　my　father　found　us

together；　he　would　shoot　you　in　his　madness。〃



Now　as　always　it　was　of　me　she　thought；　not　of　herself。



〃And　you；　my　sweet？〃　I　asked。



〃Oh！〃　she　answered；　〃that　matters　nothing。　　Except　for　the　sin　of　it　I

wish　he　would　shoot　me；　for　then　I　should　have　done　with　all　this　pain。　

I　told　you；　Allan；　when　the　Kaffirs　were　on　us　yonder；　that　it　might　be

better　to　die；　and　see；　my　heart　spoke　truly。〃



〃Is　there　no　hope？〃　I　gasped。　　〃Will　he　really　separate　us　and　take　you

away　into　the　wilderness？〃



〃Certainly；　nothing　can　turn　him。　　Yet；　Allan；　there　is　this　hope。　　In

two　years；　if　I　live；　I　shall　be　of　full　age；　and　can　marry　whom　I　will；

and　this　I　swear；　that　I　will　marry　none　but　you；　no；　not　even　if　you

were　to　die　to…morrow。〃



〃I　bless　you　for　those　words；〃　I　said。



〃Why？〃　she　asked　simply。　　〃What　others　could　I　speak？　　Would　you　have　me

do　outrage　to　my　own　heart　and　go　through　life　faithless　and　ashamed？〃



〃And　I；　I　swear　also；〃　I　broke　in。



〃Nay；　swear　nothing。　　While　I　live　I　know　that　you　will　love　me；　and　if

I　should　be　taken；　it　is　my　wish　that　you　should　marry　some　other　good

woman；　since　it　is　not　well　or　right　that　man　should　live　alone。　　With

us　maids　it　is　different。　　Listen；　Allan；　for　the　cocks　are　beginning　to

crow；　and　soon　there　will　be　light。　　You　must　bide　here　with　your

father。　　If　possible；　I　will　write　to　you　from　time　to　time；　telling　you

where　we　are　and　how　we　fare。　　But　if　I　do　not　write；　know　that　it　is

because　I　cannot；　or　because　I　can　find　no　messenger；　or　because　the

letters　have　miscarried；　for　we　go　into　wild　countries；　amongst

savages。〃



〃Whither　do　you　go？〃　I　asked。



〃I　believe　up　towards　the　great　harbour　called　Delagoa　Bay；　where　the

Portuguese　rule。　　My　cousin　Hernan；　who　accompanies　us〃and　she

shivered　a　little　in　my　arms〃is　half　Portuguese。　　He　tells　the　Boers

that　he　has　relations　there　who　have　written　him　many　fine　promises；

saying　they　will　give　us　good　country　to　dwell　in　where　we　cannot　be

followed　by　the　English；　whom　he　and　my　father　hate　so　much。〃



〃I　have　heard　that　is　all　fever　veld；　and　that　the　country　between　is

full　of　fierce　Kaffirs；〃　I　said　with　a　groan。



〃Perhaps。　　I　do　not　know；　and　I　do　not　care。　　At　least；　that　is　the

notion　in　my　father's　head；　though；　of　course；　circumstances　may　change

it。　　I　will　try　to　let　you　know；　Allan；　or　if　I　do　not；　perhaps　you　will

be　able　to　find　out　for　yourself。　　Then；　then；　if　we　both　live　and　you

still　care　for　me；　who　will　always　care　for　you；　when　I　am　of　age；　you

will　join　us　and；　say　and　do　what　they　may；　I　will　marry　no　other　man。　

And　if　I　die；　as　may　well　happen；　oh！　then　my　spirit　shall　watch　over

you　and　wait　for　you　till　you　join　me　beneath　the　wings　of　God。　　Look；

it　grows　light。　　I　must　go。　　Farewell；　my　love；　my　first　and　only　love；

till　in　life　or　death　we　meet　again；　as　meet　we　shall。〃



Once　more　we　clung　together　and　kissed；　muttering　broken　words；　and　then

she　tore　herself　from　my　embrace　and　was　gone。　　But　oh！　as　I　heard　her

feet　steal　through　the　dew…laden　grass；　I　felt　as　though　my　heart　were

being　rent　from　my　breast。　　I　have　suffered　much　in　life；　but　I　do　not

think　that　ever　I　underwent　a　bitterer　anguish　than　in　this　hour　of　my

parting　from　Marie。　　For　when　all　is　said　and　done；　what　joy　is　there

like　the　joy　of　pure；　first　love；　and　what　bitterness　like　the

bitterness　of　its　loss？





Half　an　hour　later　the　flowering　trees　of　Maraisfontein　were　behind　us；

while　in　front　rolled　the　fire…swept　veld；　black　as　life　had　become　for

me。







CHAPTER　VII









ALLAN'S　CALL











A　fortnight　later　Marais；　Pereira　and　their　companions；　a　little　band　in

all　of　about　twenty　men；　thirty　women　and　children；　and　say　fifty

half…breeds　and　Hottentot　after…riders；　trekked　from　their　homes　into

the　wilderness。　　I　rode　to　the　crest　of　a　table…topped　hill　and　watched

the　long　line　of　wagons；　one　of　them　containing　Marie；　crawl　away

northward　across　the　veld　a　mile　or　more　beneath。



Sorely　was　I　tempted　to　gallop　after　them　and　seek　a　last　interview　with

her　and　her　father。　　But　my　pride　forbade　me。　　Henri　Marais　had　given

out　that　if　I　came　near　his　daughter　he　would　have　me　beaten　back　with

〃sjambocks〃　or　hide　whips。　　Perhaps　he　had　gained　some　inkling　of　our

last　farewell　in　the　peach　orchard。　　I　do　not　know。　　But　I　do　know　that

if　anyone　had　lifted　a　sjambock　on　me　I　should　have　answered　with　a

bullet。　　Then　there　would　have　been　blood　between　us；　which　is　worse　to

cross　than　whole　rivers　of　wrath　and　jealousy。　　So　I　just　watched　the

wagons　until　they　vanished；　and　galloped　home　down　the　rock…strewn

slope；　wishing　that　the　horse　would　stumble　and　break　my　neck。



When　I　reached　the　station；　however；　I　was　glad　that　it　had　not　done　so；

as　I　found　my　father　sitting　on　the　stoep　reading　a　letter　that　had　been

brought　by　a　mounted　Hottentot。



It　was　from　Henri　Marais；　and　ran　thus：





〃'REVEREND　HEER　AND　FRIEND　QUATERMAIN；I　send　this　to　bid　you　farewell；

for　although　you　are　English　and　we　have　quarrelled　at　times；　I　honour

you　in　my　heart。　　Friend；　now　that　we　are　starting；　your　warning　words

lie　on　me　like　lead；　I　know　not　why。　　But　what　is　done　cannot　be　undone；

and　I　trust　that　all　will　come　right。　　If　not；　it　is　because　the　Good

Lord　wills　it　otherwise。'〃





Here　my　father　looked　up　and　said：　〃When　men　suffer　from　their　own

passion　and　folly；　they　always　lay　the　blame　on　the　back　of　Providence。〃



Then　he　went　on；　spelling　out　the　letter：





〃'I　fear　your　boy　Allan；　who　is　a　brave　lad；　as　I　have　reason　to　know；

and　honest；　must　think　that　I　have　treated　him　harshly　and　without

gratitude。　　But　I　have　only　done　what　I　must　do。　　True；　Marie；　who；　like

her　mother；　is　very　strong　and　stubborn　in　mind；　swears　that　she　will

marry　no　one　else；　but　soon　Nature　will　make　her　forget　all　that；

especially　as　such　a　fine　husband　waits　for　her　hand。　　So　bid　Allan

forget　all　about　her　also；　and　when　he　is　old　enough　choose　some　English

girl。　　I　have　sworn　a　great　oath　before　my　God　that　he　shall　never　marry

my　daughter　with　my　consent。



〃'Friend；　I　write　to　ask　you　something　because　I　trust　you　more　than

these　slim　agents。　　Half　the　price；　a　very　poor　one；　that　I　have　for　my

farm　is　still　unpaid　to　me　by　Jacobus　van　der　Merve；　who　remains　behind

and　buys　up　all　our　lands。　　It　is　#100　English；　due　this　day　year；　and　I

enclose　you　power　of　attorney　to　receive　and　give　receipt　for　the　same。　

Also　there　is　due　to　me　from　your　British　Government　#253　on　account　of

slaves　liberated　which　were　worth　quite　#1；000。　　This　also　the　paper

gives　you　authority　to　receive。　　As　regards　my　claims　against　the　said

cursed　Government　because　of　the　loss　brought　on　me　by　the　Quabie

Kaffirs；　it　will　not　acknowledge　them；　saying　that　the　attack　was　caused

by　the　Frenchman　Leblanc；　one　of　my　household。'〃





〃And　with　good　reason；〃　commented　my　father。





〃'When　you　have　received　these　monies；　if　ever；　I　pray　you　take　some

safe　opportunity　of　sending　them　to　me；　wherever　I　may　be；　which

doubtless　you　will　hear　in　due　course；　although　by　that　time　I　hope　to

be　rich　again　and　not　to　need　money。　　Farewell　and　God　be　with　you；　as　I

hope　He　will　be　with　me　and　Marie　and　the　rest　of　us　trek…Boers。　　The

bearer　will　overtake　us　with　your　answer　at　our　first　outspan。



〃'HENRI　MARAIS。'〃





〃Well；〃　said　my　father　with　a　sigh；　〃I　suppose　I　must　accept　his　trust；

though　why　he　should　choose　an　'accursed　Englishman'　with　whom　he　has

quarrelled　violently　to　collect　his　debts　instead　of　one　of　his　own

beloved　Boers；　I　am　sure　I　do　not　know。　　I　will