marie-第13章

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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；　for　the　matter　of　that；　the　roan

did　too。　　I　have　taken　a　fancy　to　her；　after　a　gallop　on　her　back

yesterday　just　to　give　her　some　exercise；　and　although　I　don't　know　that

she　is　quite　up　to　my　weight；　I'll　buy　her。〃



〃The　mare　is　not　for　sale；　Heer　Pereira；〃　I　said；　speaking　for　the　first

time；　〃and　I　do　not　remember　giving　anyone　leave　to　exercise　her。〃



〃No；　your　father　did；　or　was　it　that　ugly　little　beast　of　a　Hottentot？　

I　forget　which。　　As　for　her　not　being　for　salewhy；　in　this　world

everything　is　for　sale；　at　a　price。　　I'll　give　youlet　me　seeoh；　what

does　the　money　matter　when　one　has　plenty？　　I'll　give　you　a　hundred

English　pounds　for　that　mare；　and　don't　you　think　me　a　fool。　　I　tell　you

I　mean　to　get　it　back；　and　more；　at　the　great　races　down　in　the　south。　

Now　what　do　you　say？〃



〃I　say　that　the　mare　is　not　for　sale；　Heer　Pereira。〃　　Then　a　thought

struck　me；　or　an　inspiration；　and；　as　has　always　been　my　fashion；　I

acted　on　it　at　once。　　〃But；〃　I　added　slowly；　〃if　you　like；　when　I　am　a

bit　stronger　I'll　shoot　you　a　match　for　her；　you　staking　your　hundred

pounds　and　I　staking　the　mare。〃



Pereira　burst　out　laughing。



〃Here；　friends；〃　he　called　to　some　of　the　Boers　who　were　strolling　up　to

the　house　for　their　morning　coffee。　　〃This　little　Englishman　wants　to

shoot　a　match　with　me；　staking　that　fine　mare　of　his　against　a　hundred

pounds　British；　against　me；　Hernando　Pereira；　who　have　won　every　prize

at　shooting　that　ever　I　entered　for。　　No；　no；　friend　Allan；　I　am　not　a

thief；　I　will　not　rob　you　of　your　mare。〃



Now　among　those　Boers　chanced　to　be　the　celebrated　Heer　Pieter　Retief；　a

very　fine　man　of　high　character；　then　in　the　prime　of　life；　and　of

Huguenot　descent　like　Heer　Marais。　　He　had　been　appointed　by　the

Government　one　of　the　frontier　commandants；　but　owing　to　some　quarrel

with　the　Lieutenant…Governor；　Sir　Andries　Stockenstrom；　had　recently

resigned　that　office；　and　at　this　date　was　engaged　in　organizing　the

trek　from　the　Colony。　　I　now　saw　Retief　for　the　first　time；　and　ah！　then

little　did　I　think　how　and　where　I　should　see　him　for　the　last。　　But　all

that　is　a　matter　of　history；　of　which　I　shall　have　to　tell　later。



Now；　while　Pereira　was　mocking　and　bragging　of　his　prowess；　Pieter

Retief　looked　at　me；　and　our　eyes　met。



〃Allemachte！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃is　that　the　young　man　who；　with　half　a

dozen　miserable　Hottentots　and　slaves；　held　this　stead　for　five　hours

against　all　the　Quabie　tribe　and　kept　them　out？〃



Somebody　said　that　it　was；　remarking　that　I　had　been　about　to　shoot

Marie　Marais　and　myself　when　help　came。



〃Then；　Heer　Allan　Quatermain；〃　said　Retief；　〃give　me　your　hand；〃　and　he

took　my　poor　wasted　fingers　in　his　big　palm；　adding；　〃Your　father　must

be　proud　of　you　to…day；　as　I　should　be　if　I　had　such　a　son。　　God　in

Heaven！　where　will　you　stop　if　you　can　go　so　far　while　you　are　yet　a

boy？　Friends；　since　I　came　here　yesterday　I　have　got　the　whole　story　for

myself　from　the　Kaffirs　and　from　this　'mooi　meisje'〃　（pretty　young

lady）；　and　he　nodded　towards　Marie。　　〃Also　I　have　gone　over　the　ground

and　the　house；　and　have　seen　where　each　man　fellit　is　easy　by　the

blood　marksmost　of　them　shot　by　yonder　Englishman；　except　one　of　the

last　three；　whom　he　killed　with　a　spear。　　Well；　I　tell　you　that　never　in

all　my　experience　have　I　known　a　better　arranged　or　a　more　finely

carried　out　defence　against　huge　odds。　　Perhaps　the　best　part　of　it；

too；　was　the　way　in　which　this　young　lion　acted　on　the　information　he

received　and　the　splendid　ride　he　made　from　the　Mission　Station。　　Again

I　say　that　his　father　should　be　proud　of　him。〃



〃Well；　if　it　comes　to　that；　I　am；　mynheer；〃　said　my　father；　who　just

then　joined　us　after　his　morning　walk；　〃although　I　beg　you　to　say　no

more　lest　the　lad　should　grow　vain。〃



〃Bah！〃　replied　Retief；　〃fellows　of　his　stamp　are　not　vain；　it　is　your

big　talkers　who　are　vain；〃　and　he　glanced　out　of　the　corner　of　his

shrewd　eye　at　Pereira；　〃your　turkey　cocks　with　all　their　tails　spread。　

I　think　this　little　chap　must　be　such　another　as　that　great　sailor　of

yourswhat　do　you　call　him；　Nelson？who　beat　the　French　into　frothed

eggs　and　died　to　live　for　ever。　　He　was　small；　too；　they　say；　and　weak

in　the　stomach。〃



I　must　confess　I　do　not　think　that　praise　ever　sounded　sweeter　in　my

ears　than　did　these　words　of　the　Commandant　Retief；　uttered　as　they　were

just　when　I　felt　crushed　to　the　dirt。　　Moreover；　as　I　saw　by　Marie's

and；　I　may　add；　by　my　father's　face；　there　were　other　ears　to　which　they

were　not　ungrateful。　　The　Boers　also；　brave　and　honest　men　enough；

evidently　appreciated　them；　for　they　said：



〃Ja！　ja！　das　ist　recht〃　（That　is　right）。



Only　Pereira　turned　his　broad　back　and　busied　himself　with　relighting

his　pipe；　which　had　gone　out。



Then　Retief　began　again。



〃What　is　it　you　were　ca