marie-第9章

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had　taught　them　a　bitter　lesson；　of　which　the　fruit　was　evident　in　the

crippled　or　dying　men　who　rolled　to　and　fro　baked　in　the　hot　sun　within

a　few　yards　of　the　stoep；　not　to　speak　of　those　who　would　never　stir

again。　　Now；　the　space　around　the　house　being　quite　open　and　bare　of

cover；　it　was　obvious　that　it　could　not　be　stormed　without　further　heavy

losses。　　In　order　to　avoid　such　losses　a　civilised　people　would　have

advanced　by　means　of　trenches；　but　of　these　the　Quabies　knew　nothing；

moreover；　digging　tools　were　lacking　to　them。



So　it　came　about　that　they　hit　upon　another；　and　in　the　circumstances　a

not　inefficient　expedient。　　The　cattle　kraal　was　built　of　rough；

unmortared　stones。　　Those　stones　they　took；　each　man　carrying　two　or

three；　which；　rushing　forward；　they　piled　up　into　scattered　rough

defences　of　about　eighteen　inches　or　two　feet　high。　　These　defences　were

instantly　occupied　by　as　many　warriors　as　could　take　shelter　behind

them；　lying　one　on　top　of　the　other。　　Of　course；　those　savages　who

carried　the　first　stones　were　exposed　to　our　fire；　with　the　result　that

many　of　them　fell；　but　there　were　always　plenty　more　behind。　　As　they

were　being　built　at　a　dozen　different　points；　and　we　had　but　seven　guns；

before　we　could　reload；　a　particular　schanz；　of　which　perhaps　the　first

builders　had　fallen；　would　be　raised　so　high　that　our　slugs　could　no

longer　hurt　those　who　lay　behind　it。　　Also；　our　supply　of　ammunition　was

limited；　and　the　constant　expenditure　wasted　it　so　much　that　at　length

only　about　six　charges　per　man　remained。　　At　last；　indeed；　I　was　obliged

to　order　the　firing　to　cease；　so　that　we　might　reserve　ourselves　for　the

great　rush　which　could　not　now　be　much　delayed。



Finding　that　they　were　no　longer　harassed　by　our　bullets；　the　Quabies

advanced　more　rapidly；　directing　their　attack　upon　the　south　end　of　the

house；　where　there　was　but　one　window；　and　thus　avoiding　the　fire　that

might　be　poured　upon　them　from　the　various　openings　under　the　veranda。　

At　first　I　wondered　why　they　selected　this　end；　till　Marie　reminded　me

that　this　part　of　the　dwelling　was　thatched　with　reeds；　whereas　the　rest

of　the　building；　which　had　been　erected　more　recently；　was　slated。



Their　object　was　to　fire　the　roof。　　So　soon　as　their　last　wall　was　near

enough　（that　is；　about　half…past　ten　of　the　clock）　they　began　to　throw

into　the　thatch　assegais　to　which　were　attached　bunches　of　burning

grass。　　Many　of　these　went　out；　but　at　length；　as　we　gathered　from　their

shouts；　one　caught。　　Within　ten　minutes　this　part　of　the　house　was

burning。



Now　our　state　became　desperate。　　We　retreated　across　the　central

passage；　fearing　lest　the　blazing　rafters　should　fall　upon　our　natives；

who　were　losing　heart　and　would　no　longer　stay　beneath　them。　　But　the

Quabies；　more　bold；　clambered　in　through　the　south　window；　and　attacked

us　in　the　doorway　of　the　larger　sitting…room。



Here　the　final　fight　began。　　As　they　rushed　at　us　we　shot；　till　they

went　down　in　heaps。　　Almost　at　our　last　charge　they　gave　back；　and　just

then　the　roof　fell　upon　them。



Oh；　what　a　terrible　scene　was　that！　　The　dense　clouds　of　smoke；　the

screams　of　the　trapped　and　burning　men；　the　turmoil；　the　agony！



The　front　door　was　burst　in　by　a　flank　onslaught。



Leblanc　and　a　slave　who　was　near　him　were　seized　by　black；　claw…like

hands　and　dragged　out。　　What　became　of　the　Frenchman　I　do　not　know；　for

the　natives　hauled　him　away；　but　I　fear　his　end　must　have　been　dreadful；

as　he　was　taken　alive。　　The　servant　I　saw　them　assegai；　so　at　least　he

died　at　once。　　I　fired　my　last　shot；　killing　a　fellow　who　was

flourishing　a　battle…axe；　then　dashed　the　butt　of　the　gun　into　the　face

of　the　man　behind　him；　felling　him；　and；　seizing　Marie　by　the　hand；

dragged　her　back　into　the　northernmost　roomthat　in　which　I　was

accustomed　to　sleepand　shut　and　barred　the　door。



〃Allan；〃　she　gasped；　〃　Allan　dear；　it　is　finished。　　I　cannot　fall　into

the　hands　of　those　men。　　Kill　me；　Allan。〃



〃All　right；〃　I　answered；　〃I　will。　　I　have　my　pistol。　　One　barrel　for　you

and　one　for　me。〃



〃No；　no！　　Perhaps　you　might　escape　after　all；　but；　you　see；　I　am　a

woman；　and　dare　not　risk　it。　　Come　now；　I　am　ready；〃　and　she　knelt　down；

opening　her　arms　to　receive　the　embrace　of　death；　and　looked　up　at　me

with　her　lovely；　pitiful　eyes。



〃It　doesn't　do　to　kill　one's　love　and　live　on　oneself；〃　I　answered

hoarsely。　　〃We　have　got　to　go　together；〃　and　I　cocked　both　barrels　of

the　pistol。



The　Hottentot；　Hans；　who　was　in　the　place　with　us；　saw　and　understood。



〃It　is　right；　it　is　best！〃　he　said；　and　turning；　he　hid　his　eyes　with

his　hand。



〃Wait　a　little；　Allan；〃　she　exclaimed；　〃it　will　be　time　when　the　door　is

down；　and　perhaps　God　may　still　help　us。〃



〃He　may；〃　I　answered　doubtfully；　〃but　I　would　not　count　on　it。　　Nothing

can　save　us　now　unless　the　others　come　to　rescue　us；　and　that's　too　much

to　hope　for。〃



Then　a　thought　struck　me；　and　I　added　with　a　dreadful　laugh：　〃I　wonder

where　we　shall　be　in　five　minutes。〃



〃Oh！　together；　dear；　together　for　always　in　some　new　and　beautiful

world；　for　you　do　love　me；　don't　you；　as　I　love　you？　　Maybe　that's

better　than　living　on　here　where　we　should　be　sure　to　have　troubles　and

perhaps　be　separated　at　last。〃



I　nodded　my　head；　for　though　I　loved　life；　I　loved　Marie　more；　and　I

felt　that　we　were　making　a　good　end　after　a　brave　fight。　　They　were

battering　at　the　door　now；　but；　thank　Heaven；　Marais　had　made　strong

doors；　and　it　held　a　while。



The　wood　began　to　give　at　last；　an　assegai　appeared　through　a　shattered

plank；　but　Hans　stabbed　along　the　line　of　it　with　the　spear　he　held；

that　which　I　had　snatched　from　the　flank　of　the　horse；　and　it　was

dropped　with　a　scream。　　Black　hands　were　thrust　through　the　hole；　and

the　Hottentot　hacked　and　cut　at　them　with　the　spear。　　But　others　came；

more　than　he　could　pierce；　and　the　whole　door…frame　began　to　be　dragged

outwards。



〃Now；　Marie；　be　ready；〃　I　gasped；　lifting　the　pistol。



〃Oh；　Christ　receive　me！〃　she　answered　faintly。　　〃It　won't　hurt　much；

will　it；　Allan？〃



〃You　will　never　feel　anything；〃　I　whispered；　as　with　the　cold　sweat

pouring　from　me　I　placed　the　muzzle　within　an　inch　of　her　forehead　and

began　to　press　the　trigger。　　My　God！　yes；　I　actually　began　to　press　the

trigger　softly　and　steadily；　for　I　wished　to　make　no　mistake。



It　was　at　this　very　moment；　above　the　dreadful　turmoil　of　the　roaring

flames；　the　yells　of　the　savages　and　the　shrieks　and　groans　of　wounded

and　dying　men；　that　I　heard　the　sweetest　sound　which　ever　fell　upon　my

earsthe　sound　of　shots　being　fired；　many　shots；　and　quite　close　by。



〃Great　Heaven！〃　I　screamed；　〃the　Boers　are　here　to　save　us。　　Marie；　I

will　hold　the　door　while　I　can。　　If　I　fall；　scramble　through　the

windowyou　can　do　it　from　the　chest　beneathdrop　to　the　ground；　and

run　towards　the　firing。　　There's　a　chance　for　you　yet；　a　good　chance。〃



〃And　you；　you；〃　she　moaned。　　〃I　would　rather　die　with　you。〃



〃Do　what　I　bid　you；〃　I　answered　savagely；　and　bounded　forward　towards

the　rocking　door。



It　was　falling　outward；　it　fell；　and　on　the　top　of　it　appeared　two　great

savages　waving　broad　spears。　　I　lifted　the　pistol；　and　the　bullet　that

had　been　meant　for　Marie's　brain　scattered　that　of　the　first　of　them；

and　the　bullet　which　had　been　meant　for　my　heart　pierced　that　of　the

second。　　They　both　went　down　dead；　there　in　the　doorway。



I　snatched　up　one　of　their　spears　and　glanced　behind　me。　　Marie　was

climbing　on　to　the　chest；　I　could　just　see　her　through　the　thickening

smoke。　　Another　Quabie　rushed　on。　　Hans　and　I　received　him　on　the　points

of　our　assegais；　but　so　fierce　was　his　charge　that　they　went　through　him

as　though　he　were　nothing；　and　being　but　light；　both　of　us　were　thrown

backwards　to　the　ground。　　I　scrambled　to　my　feet　again；　defenceless　now；

for　the　spear　was　broken　in　the　Kaffir；　and　awaited　t