marie-第6节

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thirty　hours；　and；　of　course；　had　not　eaten　or　drunk　since　sunset。　

Therefore　being　in　fine　fettle；　they　were　keen　for　the　business；　also　we

were　light　weights。



I　held　in　the　mare　as　she　spurted　up　the　rise；　and　the　horse　kept　his

pace　to　hers。　　We　reached　its　crest；　and　before　us　lay　the　great　level

plain；　eleven　miles　of　it；　and　then　two　miles　down　hill　to

Maraisfontein。



〃Now；〃　I　said　to　Hans；　shaking　loose　the　reins；　〃keep　up　if　you　can！〃



Away　sped　the　mare　till　the　keen　air　of　the　night　sung　past　my　ears；　and

behind　her　strained　the　good　roan　horse　with　the　Hottentot　monkey　on　its

back。　　Oh！　what　a　ride　was　that！



Further　I　have　gone　for　a　like　cause；　but　never　at　such　speed；　for　I

knew　the　strength　of　the　beasts　and　how　long　it　would　last　them。　　Half

an　hour　of　it　they　might　endure；　more；　and　at　this　pace　they　must

founder　or　die。



And　yet　such　was　the　agony　of　my　fear；　that　it　seemed　to　me　as　though　I

only　crept　along　the　ground　like　a　tortoise。



The　roan　was　left　behind；　the　sound　of　his　foot…beats　died　away；　and　I

was　alone　with　the　night　and　my　fear。　　Mile　added　itself　to　mile；　for

now　and　again　the　starlight　showed　me　a　stone　or　the　skeleton　of　some

dead　beast　that　I　knew。　　Once　I　dashed　into　a　herd　of　trekking　game　so

suddenly；　that　a　springbok；　unable　to　stop　itself；　leapt　right　over　me。　

Once　the　mare　put　her　foot　in　an　ant…bear　hole　and　nearly　fell；　but

recovered　herselfthanks　be　to　God；　unharmedand　I　worked　myself　back

into　the　saddle　whence　I　had　been　almost　shaken。　　If　I　had　fallen；　oh！

if　I　had　fallen！



We　were　near　the　end　of　the　flat；　and　she　began　to　fail。　　I　had

over…pressed　her；　the　pace　was　too　tremendous。　　Her　speed　lessened　to　an

ordinary　fast　gallop　as　she　faced　the　gentle　rise　that　led　to　the　brow。　

And　now；　behind　me；　once　more　I　heard　the　sound　of　the　hoofs　of　the

roan。　　The　tireless　beast　was　coming　up。　　By　the　time　we　reached　the

edge　of　the　plateau　he　was　quite　near；　not　fifty　yards　behind；　for　I

heard　him　whinny　faintly。



Then　began　the　descent。　　The　morning　star　was　setting；　the　east　grew

grey　with　light。　　Oh！　could　we　get　there　before　the　dawn？　　Could　we　get

there　before　the　dawn？　　That　is　what　my　horse's　hoofs　beat　out　to　me。



Now　I　could　see　the　mass　of　the　trees　about　the　stead。　　And　now　I　dashed

into　something；　though　until　I　was　through　it；　I　did　not　know　that　it

was　a　line　of　men；　for　the　faint　light　gleamed　upon　the　spear　of　one　of

them　who　had　been　overthrown！



So　it　was　no　lie！　　The　Kaffirs　were　there！　　As　I　thought　it；　a　fresh

horror　filled　my　heart；　perhaps　their　murdering　work　was　already　done

and　they　were　departing。



The　minute　of　suspenseor　was　it　but　seconds？seemed　an　eternity。　　But

it　ended　at　last。　　Now　I　was　at　the　door　in　the　high　wall　that　enclosed

the　outbuildings　at　the　back　of　the　house；　and　there；　by　an　inspiration；

pulled　up　the　mareglad　enough　she　was　to　stop；　poor　thingfor　it

occurred　to　me　that　if　I　rode　to　the　front　I　should　very　probably　be

assegaied　and　of　no　further　use。　　I　tried　the　door；　which　was　made　of

stout　stinkwood　planks。　　By　design；　or　accident；　it　had　been　left

unbolted。　　As　I　thrust　it　open　Hans　arrived　with　a　rush；　clinging　to　the

roan　with　his　face　hidden　in　its　mane。　　The　beast　pulled　up　by　the　side

of　the　mare　which　it　had　been　pursuing；　and　in　the　faint　light　I　saw

that　an　assegai　was　fixed　in　its　flank。



Five　seconds　later　we　were　in　the　yard　and　locking　and　barring　the　door

behind　us。　　Then；　snatching　the　saddle…bags　of　ammunition　from　the

horses；　we　left　them　standing　there；　and　I　ran　for　the　back　entrance　of

the　house；　bidding　Hans　rouse　the　natives；　who　slept　in　the

outbuildings；　and　follow　with　them。　　If　any　one　of　them　showed　signs　of

treachery　he　was　to　shoot　him　at　once。　　I　remember　that　as　I　went　I　tore

the　spear　out　of　the　stallion's　flank　and　brought　it　away　with　me。



Now　I　was　hammering　upon　the　back　door　of　the　house；　which　I　could　not

open。　　After　a　pause　that　seemed　long；　a　window　was　thrown　wide；　and　a

voiceit　was　Marie'sasked　in　frightened　tones　who　was　there。



〃I；　Allan　Quatermain；〃　I　answered。　　〃Open　at　once；　Marie。　　You　are　in

great　danger；　the　Red　Kaffirs　are　going　to　attack　the　house。〃



She　flew　to　the　door　in　her　nightdress；　and　at　length　I　was　in　the

place。



〃Thank　God！　you　are　still　safe；〃　I　gasped。　　〃Put　on　your　clothes　while　I

call　Leblanc。　　No；　stay；　do　you　call　him；　I　must　wait　here　for　Hans　and

your　slaves。〃



Away　she　sped　without　a　word；　and　presently　Hans　arrived；　bringing　with

him　eight　frightened　men；　who　as　yet　scarcely　knew　whether　they　slept　or

woke。



〃Is　that　all？〃　I　asked。　　〃Then　bar　the　door　and　follow　me　to　the

'sitkammer'；　where　the　baas　keeps　his　guns。〃



Just　as　we　reached　it；　Leblanc　entered；　clad　in　his　shirt　and　trousers；

and　was　followed　presently　by　Marie　with　a　candle。



〃What　is　it？〃　he　asked。



I　took　the　candle　from　Marie's　hand；　and　set　it　on　the　floor　close　to

the　wall；　lest　it　should　prove　a　target　for　an　assegai　or　a　bullet。　

Even　in　those　days　the　Kaffirs　had　a　few　firearms；　for　the　most　part

captured　or　stolen　from　white　men。　　Then　in　a　few　words　I　told　them　all。



〃And　when　did　you　learn　all　this？〃　asked　Leblanc　in　French。



〃At　the　Mission　Station　a　little　more　than　half　an　hour　ago；〃　I

answered；　looking　at　my　watch。



〃At　the　station　a　little　more　than　half　an　hour　ago！　　Peste！　it　is　not

possible。　　You　dream　or　are　drunken；〃　he　cried　excitedly。



〃All　right；　monsieur；　we　will　argue　afterwards；〃　I　answered。　　〃Meanwhile

the　Kaffirs　are　here；　for　I　rode　through　them；　and　if　you　want　to　save

your　life；　stop　talking　and　act。　　Marie；　how　many　guns　are　there？〃



〃Four；〃　she　answered；　〃of　my　father's；　two　'roers'　and　two　smaller

ones。〃



〃And　how　many　of　these　men〃and　I　pointed　to　the　Kaffirs〃can　shoot？〃



〃Three　well　and　one　badly；　Allan。〃



〃Good；〃　I　said。　　〃Let　them　load　the　guns　with　'loopers'〃that　is；

slugs；　not　bullets〃and　let　the　rest　stand　in　the　passage　with　their

assegais；　in　case　the　Quabies　should　try　to　force　the　back　door。〃



Now；　in　this　house　there　were　in　all　but　six　windows；　one　to　each

sitting…room；　one　to　each　of　the　larger　bedrooms；　these　four　opening　on

to　the　veranda；　and　one　at　either　end　of　the　house；　to　give　light　and

air　to　the　two　small　bedrooms；　which　were　approached　through　the　larger

bedrooms。　　At　the　back；　fortunately；　there　were　no　windows；　for　the

stead　was　but　one　room　deep　with　passage　running　from　the　front　to　the

back　door；　a　distance　of　little　over　fifteen　feet。



As　soon　as　the　guns　were　loaded　I　divided　up　the　men；　a　man　with　a　gun

at　each　window。　　The　right…hand　sitting…room　window　I　took　myself　with

two　guns；　Marie　coming　with　me　to　load；　which；　like　all　girls　in　that

wild　country；　she　could　do　well　enough。　　So　we　arranged　ourselves　in　a

rough…and…ready　fashion；　and　while　we　were　doing　it　felt　quite

cheerfulthat　is；　all　except　Monsieur　Leblanc；　who；　I　noticed；　seemed

very　much　disturbed。



I　do　not　for　one　moment　mean　to　suggest　that　he　was　afraid；　as　he　might

well　have　been；　for　he　was　an　extremely　brave　and　even　rash　man；　but　I

think　the　knowledge　that　his　drunken　act　had　brought　this　terrible

danger　upon　us　all　weighed　on　his　mind。　　Also　there　may　have　been　more；

some　subtle　fore…knowledge　of　the　approaching　end　to　a　life　that；　when

all　allowances　were　made；　could　scarcely　be　called　well　spent。　　At　any

rate　he　fidgeted　at　his　window…place　cursing　beneath　his　breath；　and

soon；　as　I　saw　out　of　the　corner　of　my　eye；　began　to　have　recourse　to

his　favourite　bottle　of　peach　brandy；　which　he　fetched　out　of　a

cupboard。



The　slaves；　too；　were　gloomy；　as　all　natives　are　when　suddenly　awakened

in　the　night；　but　as　the　light　grew　they　became　more　cheerful。　　It　is　a

poor　Kaffir　that　does　not　love　fighting；　especially　when　he　has　a　gun

and　a　white　man　or　two　to　lead　him。



Now　that　we　had　made　such　little　preparations　as　we　could；　which；　by　the

way；　I　supplemented　by　causing　some　furniture　to　be　piled　up　against　the

front　and　back　doors；　there　came　a　pause；　which；　speaking　for　my　own

partbeing；　after　all；　only　a　lad　at　the　timeI　found　very　trying　to

the　nerves。　　There　I　stood　at　my　window　with　the　two　guns；　one　a

double…barrel　and　one　a　single　〃roer〃；　or　elephant　gun；　that　took　a

tremendous　charge；　but　both；　be　it　remembered；　flint　locks；　for；

although　percussion　caps　had　been　introduced；　we　were　a　little　behind

the　times　in　Cradock。　　There；　too；　crouched　on　the　ground　beside　me；

holding　the　ammunition　ready　for　re…loading；　her　long；　black　hair

flowing　about　her　shoulders；　was　Marie　Marais；　now　a　well…grown　young

woman。　　In　the　intense　silence　she　whispered　to　me：



〃Why　did　you　come　here；　Allan？　　You　were　safe　yonder；　and　now　you　will

probably　be　killed。〃



〃To　try　to　save　you；〃　I　answered　simply。　　〃What　would　you　have　had　me

do？〃



〃To　try　to　save　me？