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第59章

marie-第59章

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thrown in。〃



〃The king has just told me that is you intention;〃 I remarked quietly;

looking him full in the eyes。  Then I walked on; leaving him staring

after me; apparently without a word to say。



I went straight to the hut that was allotted to Retief in the little

outlying guard…kraal; which had been given to us for a camp。  Here I

found the commandant seated on a Kaffir stool engaged in painfully

writing a letter; using a bit of board placed on his knees as a desk。



He looked up; and asked me how I had got on with Dingaan; not being

sorry; as I think; of an excuse to pause in his clerical labours。



〃Listen; commandant;〃 I said; and; speaking in a low voice; so as not to

be overheard; I told him every word that had passed in the interviews I

had just had with Dingaan; with Thomas Halstead; and with Pereira。



He heard me out in silence; then said:



〃This is a strange and ugly story; Allan; and if it is true; Pereira

must be an even bigger scoundrel than I thought him。  But I can't

believe that it is true。  I think that Dingaan has been lying to you for

his own purposes; I mean about the plot to kill you。〃



〃Perhaps; commandant。  I don't know; and I don't much care。  But I am

sure that he was not lying when he said he meant to steal away my wife

either for himself or for Pereira。〃



〃What; then; do you intend to do; Allan?〃



〃I intend; commandant; with your permission to send Hans; my

after…rider; back to the camp with a letter for Marie; telling her to

remove herself quietly to the farm I have chosen down on the river; of

which I told you; and there to lie hid till I come back。〃



〃I think it needless; Allan。  Still; if it will ease your mind; do so;

since I cannot spare you to go yourself。  Only you must not send this

Hottentot; who would talk and frighten the people。  I am despatching a

messenger to the camp to tell them of our safe arrival and good

reception by Dingaan。  He can take your letter; in which I order you to

say to your wife that if she and the Prinsloos and the Meyers go to this

farm of yours; they are to go without talking; just as though they

wanted a change; that is all。  Have the letter ready by dawn to…morrow

morning; as I trust mine may be;〃 he added with a groan。



〃It shall be ready; commandant; but what about Hernan Pereira and his

tricks?〃



〃This about the accursed Hernan Pereira;〃 exclaimed Retief; striking the

writing…board with his fist。  〃On the first opportunity I will myself

take the evidence of Dingaan and of the English lad; Halstead。  If I

find they tell me the same story they have told you; I will put Pereira

on his trial; as I threatened to do before; and should he be found

guilty; by God! I will have him shot。  But for the present it is best to

do nothing; except keep an eye on him; lest we should cause fear and

scandal in the camp; and; after all; not prove the case。  Now go and

write your letter; and leave me to write mine。〃



So I went and wrote; telling Marie something; but by no means all of

that I have set down。  I bade her; and the Prinsloos and the Meyers; if

they would accompany her; as I was sure they would; move themselves off

at once to the farm I had beaconed out thirty miles away from the

Bushman's River; under pretence of seeing how the houses that were being

built there were getting on。  Or if they would not go; I bade her go

alone with a few Hottentot servants; or any other companions she could

find。



This letter I took to Retief; and read it to him。  At my request; also;

he scrawled at the foot of it:





〃I have seen the above and approve it; knowing all the story; which may

be true or false。  Do as your husband bids you; but do not talk of it in

the camp except to those whom he mentions。PIETER RETIEF。〃





So the messenger departed at dawn; and in due course delivered my letter

to Marie。



The next day was Sunday。  In the morning I went to call upon the

Reverend Mr。 Owen; the missionary; who was very glad to see me。  He

informed me that Dingaan was in good mind towards us; and had been

asking him if he would write the treaty ceding the land which the Boers

wanted。  I stopped for service at the huts of Mr。 Owen; and then

returned to the camp。  In the afternoon Dingaan celebrated a great war

dance for us to witness; in which about twelve thousand soldiers took

part。



It was a wonderful and awe…inspiring spectacle; and I remember that each

of the regiments employed had a number of trained oxen which manoeuvred

with them; apparently at given words of command。  We did not see Dingaan

that day; except at a distance; and after the dance was over returned to

our camp to eat the beef which he had provided for us in plenty。



On the third daythat was Monday; the 5th of February; there were more

dancings and sham fights; so many more; indeed; that we began to weary

of this savage show。  Late in the afternoon; however; Dingaan sent for

the commandant and his men to come to see him; saying that he wished to

talk with him about the matter of the treaty。  So we went; but only

three or four; of whom I was one; were admitted to Dingaan's presence;

the rest remaining at a little distance; where they could see us but

were out of earshot。



Dingaan then produced a paper which had been written by the Reverend Mr。

Owen。  This document; which I believe still exists; for it was found

afterwards; was drawn up in legal or semi…legal form; beginning like a

proclamation; 〃Know all men。〃



It ceded 〃the place called Port Natal; together with all the land

annexedthat is to say; from Tugela to the Umzimvubu River westward;

and from the sea to the north〃to the Boers; 〃for their everlasting

property。〃  At the king's request; as the deed was written in English by

Mr。 Owen; I translated it to him; and afterwards the lad Halstead

translated it also; being called in to do so when I had finished。



This was done that my rendering might be checked; and the fact impressed

all the Boers very favourably。  It showed them that the king desired to

understand exactly what he was to sign; which would not have been the

case had he intended any trick or proposed to cheat them afterwards。 

From that moment forward Retief and his people had no further doubts as

to Dingaan's good faith in this matter; and foolishly relaxed all

precautions against treachery。



When the translating was finished; the commandant asked the king if he

would sign the paper then and there。  He answered; 〃No; he would sign it

on the following morning; before the commission returned to Natal。〃  It

was then that Retief inquired of Dingaan; through Thomas Halstead;

whether it was a true story which he had heard; that the Boer called

Pereira; who had been staying with him; and whom the Zulus knew by the

name of 〃Two…faces;〃 had again asked him; Dingaan; to have me; Allan

Quatermain; whom they called Macumazahn; killed。  Dingaan laughed and

answered:



〃Yes; that is true enough; for he hates this Macumazahn。  But let the

little white Son of George have no fear; since my heart is soft towards

him; and I swear by the head of the Black One that he shall come to no

harm in Zululand。  Is he not my guest; as you are?〃



He then went on to say that if the commandant wished it; he would have

〃Two…faces〃 seized and killed because he had dared to ask for my life。 

Retief answered that he would look into that matter himself; and after

Thomas Halstead had confirmed the king's story as to Pereira's conduct;

he rose and said good…bye to Dingaan。



Of this matter of Hernan Pereira; Retief said little as we went back to

the camp outside the Kraal; though the little that he did say showed his

deep anger。  When we arrived at the camp; however; he sent for Pereira

and Marais and several of the older Boers。  I remember that among these

were Gerrit Bothma; Senior; Hendrik Labuschagne and Matthys Pretorius;

Senior; all of them persons of standing and jud

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