marie-第14部分

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yards　in　the　air。　　He　struck　it　right　enough；　for　the　feathers　flew　from

its　breast；　but　to　my　astonishment　the　bird；　after　swooping　down　as

though　it　were　going　to　fall；　recovered　itself　and　flew　away　straight

out　of　sight。



〃Tough　birds；　these　geese！〃　exclaimed　Pereira。　　〃They　can　carry　as　much

lead　as　a　sea…cow。〃



〃Very　tough　indeed；〃　answered　Retief　doubtfully。　　〃Never　before　did　I

see　a　bird　fly　away　with　an　ounce　ball　through　its　middle。〃



〃Oh！　he　will　drop　dead　somewhere；〃　replied　Pereira　as　he　rammed　his

powder　down。



Within　four　minutes　more　Pereira　had　fired　his　two　remaining　shots；

selecting；　as　he　was　entitled　to　do；　low　and　easy　young　geese　that　came

over　him　slowly。　　He　killed　them　both；　although　the　last　of　them；　after

falling；　waddled　along　the　ground　into　a　tuft　of　high　grass。



Now　murmurs　of　stifled　applause　broke　from　the　audience；　to　which

Pereira　bowed　in　acknowledgment。



〃You　will　have　to　shoot　very　well；　Mynheer　Allan；〃　said　Retief　to　me；

〃if　you　want　to　beat　that。　　Even　if　I　rule　out　one　of　the　two　birds　that

fell　to　a　single　shot；　as　I　think　I　shall；　Hernan　has　killed　five　out　of

six；　which　can　scarcely　be　bettered。〃



〃Yes；〃　I　answered；　〃but；　mynheer；　be　so　good　as　to　have　those　geese

collected　and　put　upon　one　side。　　I　don't　want　them　mixed　up　with　mine；

if　I　am　lucky　enough　to　bring　any　down。〃



He　nodded；　and　some　Kaffirs　were　sent　to　bring　in　the　geese。　　Several　of

these；　I　noted；　were　still　flapping　and　had　to　have　their　necks　twisted；

but　at　the　time　I　did　not　go　to　look　at　them。　　While　this　was　being　done

I　called　to　Retief；　and　begged　him　to　examine　the　powder　and　bullets　I

was　about　to　use。



〃What's　the　good？〃　he　asked；　looking　at　me　curiously。　　〃Powder　is

powder；　and　a　bullet　is　a　bullet。〃



〃None；　I　dare　say。　　Still；　oblige　me　by　looking　at　them；　my　uncle。〃



Then　at　my　bidding　Hans　took　six　bullets　and　placed　them　in　his　hand；

begging　him　to　return　them　to　us　as　they　were　wanted。



〃They　must　be　a　great　deal　smaller　than　Hernan's；〃　said　Retief；　〃who；

being　stronger；　uses　a　heavier　gun。〃



〃Yes；〃　I　answered　briefly；　as　Hans　put　the　charge　of　powder　into　the

rifle；　and　drove　home　the　wad。　　Then；　taking　a　bullet　from　Retief's

hand；　he　rammed　that　down　on　to　the　top　of　it；　capped　the　gun；　and

handed　it　to　me。



By　now　the　geese　were　coming　thick；　for　the　flight　was　at　its　full。　

Only；　either　because　some　of　those　that　had　already　passed　had　sighted

the　Kaffirs　collecting　the　fallen　birds　and　risenan　example　which　the

others　noted　from　afar　and　followedor　because　in　an　unknown　way

warning　of　their　danger　had　been　conveyed　to　them；　they　were　flying

higher　and　faster　than　the　first　arrivals。



〃You　will　have　the　worst　of　it；　Allan；〃　said　Retief。　　〃It　should　have

been　shot　and　shot　about。〃



〃Perhaps；〃　I　answered；　〃but　that　can't　be　helped　now。〃



Then　I　rose　from　my　stool；　the　rifle　in　my　hand。　　I　had　not　long　to

wait；　for　presently　over　came　a　wedge　of　geese　nearly　a　hundred　yards

up。　　I　aimed　at　the　first　fellow；　holding　about　eight　yards　ahead　of　him

to　allow　for　his　pace；　and　pressed。　　Next　second　I　heard　the　clap　of　the

bullet；　but　alas！　it　had　only　struck　the　outstretched　beak；　of　which　a

small　portion　fell　to　the　ground。　　The　bird　itself；　after　wavering　a

second；　resumed　its　place　as　leader　of　the　squad　and　passed　away

apparently　unharmed。



〃Baas；　baas；〃　whispered　Hans　as　he　seized　the　rifle　and　began　to

re…load；　〃you　were　too　far　in　front。　　These　big　water…birds　do　not

travel　as　fast　as　the　rock　pigeons。〃



I　nodded；　wishing　to　save　my　breath。　　Then；　quivering　with　excitement；

for　if　I　missed　the　next　shot　the　match　appeared　to　be　lost；　presently　I

took　the　rifle　from　his　hand。



Scarcely　had　I　done　so　when　a　single　goose　came　over　quite　as　high　as

the　others　and　travelling　〃as　though　the　black　devil　had　kicked　it；〃　as

Retief　said。　　This　time　I　allowed　the　same　space　to　compensate　for　the

object's　increased　speed　and　pressed。



Down　it　came　like　a　stone；　falling　but　a　little　way　behind　me　with　its

head　knocked　off。



〃Baas；　baas；〃　whispered　Hans；　〃still　too　far　in　front。　　Why　aim　at　the

eye　when　you　have　the　whole　body？〃



Again　I　nodded；　and　at　the　same　time　heaved　a　sigh　of　relief。　　At　least

the　match　was　still　alive。　　Soon　a　large　flight　came　over；　mixed　up　with

mallard　and　widgeon。　　I　took　the　right…hand　angle　bird；　so　that　it　could

not　be　supposed　I　had　〃browned　the　lot；〃　as　here　in　England　they　say　of

one　who　fires　at　a　covey　and　not　at　a　particular　partridge。　　Down　he

came；　shot　straight　through　the　breast。　　Then　I　knew　that　I　had　got　my

nerve；　and　felt　no　more　fear。



To　cut　a　long　story　short；　although　two　of　them　were　extremely　difficult

and　high；　one　being；　I　should　say；　quite　a　hundred　and　twenty　yards

above　me；　and　the　other　by　no　means　easy；　I　killed　the　next　three　birds

one　after　the　other；　and　I　verily　believe　could　have　killed　a　dozen　more

without　a　miss；　for　now　I　was　shooting　as　I　had　never　shot　before。



〃Say；　nephew　Allan；〃　asked　Retief　curiously　in　the　pause　between　the

fifth　and　sixth　shots；　〃why　do　your　geese　fall　so　differently　to

Hernan's？〃



〃Ask　him！　don't　talk　to　me；〃　I　answered；　and　next　instant　brought　down

number　five；　the　finest　shot　of　the　lot。



A　sound　of　wonder　and　applause　came　from　all　the　audience；　and　I　saw

Marie　wave　a　white　handkerchief。



〃That's　the　end；〃　said　the　referee。



〃One　minute　before　you　stir；〃　I　answered。　　〃I　want　to　shoot　at　something

else　that　is　not　in　the　match；　just　to　see　if　I　can　kill　two　birds　with

one　bullet　like　the　Heer　Pereira。〃



He　granted　my　request　with　a　nod；　holding　up　his　hand　to　prevent　the

audience　from　moving；　and　bidding　Pereira；　who　tried　to　interrupt；　to　be

silent。



Now；　while　the　match　was　in　progress　I　had　noticed　two　falcons　about　the

size　of　the　British　peregrine　wheeling　round　and　round　high　over　the

kloof；　in　which　doubtless　they　bred；　apparently　quite　undisturbed　by　the

shooting。　　Or；　perhaps；　they　had　their　eyes　upon　some　of　the　fallen

geese。　　I　took　the　rifle　and　waited　for　a　long　while；　till　at　last　my

opportunity　came。　　I　saw　that　the　larger　hen　falcon　was　about　to　cross

directly　over　the　circle　of　its　mate；　there　being　perhaps　a　distance　of

ten　yards　between　them。　　I　aimed；　I　judgedfor　a　second　my　mind　was　a

kind　of　calculating　machinethe　different　arcs　and　speeds　of　the　birds

must　be　allowed　for；　and　the　lowest　was　ninety　yards　away。　　Then；　with

something　like　a　prayer　upon　my　lips；　I　pressed　while　every　eye　stared

upwards。



Down　came　the　lower　falcon；　a　pause　of　half　a　second；　and　down　came　the

higher　one　also；　falling　dead　upon　its　dead　mate！



Now；　even　from　those　Boers；　who　did　not　love　to　see　an　Englishman　excel；

there　broke　a　shout　of　acclamation。　　Never　had　they　beheld　such　a　shot

as　this；　nor　in　truth　had　I。



〃Mynheer　Retief；〃　I　said；　〃I　gave　you　notice　that　I　intended　to　try　to

kill　both　of　them；　did　I　not？〃



〃You　did。　　Allemachte！　you　did！　　But　tell　me；　Allan　Quatermain；　are　your

eye　and　hand　quite　human？〃



〃You　must　ask　my　father；〃　I　answered　with　a　shrug　as　I　sat　myself　down

upon　my　stool　and　mopped　my　brow。



The　Boers　came　up　with　a　rush；　Marie　flying　ahead　of　them　like　a

swallow；　and　their　stout　womenfolk　waddling　behind；　and　formed　a　circle

round　us；　all　talking　at　once。　　I　did　not　listen　to　their　conversation；

till　I　heard　Pereira；　who　was　engaged　in　some　eye…play　with　Marie；　say

in　a　loud　voice：



〃Yes；　it　was　pretty；　very　pretty；　but　all　the　same；　Uncle　Retief；　I

claim　the　match；　as　I　shot　six　geese　against　five。〃



〃Hans；〃　I　said；　〃bring　my　geese；〃　and　they　were　brought；　each　with　a

neat　hole　through　it；　and　laid　down　near　those　that　Pereira　had　shot。　

〃Now；〃　I　said　to　Retief；　〃examine　the　wounds　in　these　birds；　and　then

that　on　the　second　bird　which　the　Heer　Pereira　killed　when　he　brought

down　two　at　once。　　I　think　it　will　be　found　that　his　bullet　must　have

splintered。〃



Retief　went　and　studied　all　the　birds；　taking　them　up　one　by　one。　　Then

he　threw　down　the　last　with　a　curse　and　cried　in　a　great　voice：



〃Mynheer　Pereira；　why　do　you　bring　shame　on　us　before　these　two

Englishmen？　　I　say　that　you　have　been　using　loopers；　or　else　bullets

that　were　sawn　in　quarters　and　glued　or　tied　with　thread。　　Look；　look！〃

and　he　pointed　to　the　wounds；　of　which　in　one　case　there　were　as　many　as

three　on　a　single　bird。



〃Why　not？〃　answered　Pereira　coolly。　　〃The　bargain　was　that　we　were　to

use　bullets；　but　it　was　never　said　that　they　should　not　be　cut。　

Doubtless　the　Heer　Allan's　were　treated　in　the　same　way。〃



〃No；〃　I　answered；　〃when　I　said　that　I　would　shoot　with　a　bullet　I　meant

a　whole　bullet；　not　one　that　had　been　sawn　in　pieces　and　fixed　together

again；　so　that　after　it　left　the　muzzle　it　might　spread　out　like　shot。　

But　I　do　not　wish　to　talk　about　the　matter。　　It　is　in　the　hands　of　the

Heer　Pieter　Retief；　who　will　give　judgment　as　it　pleases　him。〃



Now；　much　excited　argument　ensued　among　the　Boers；　in　the　midst　of　which

Marie　managed　to　whisper　to　me　unheard：



〃Oh！　I　am　glad；　Allan；　for　whatever　they　may　decide；　you　won；　and　the

omen　is　good。〃



〃I　don't　see　what　geese　have　to　do　with　omens；　sweetheart；〃　I

answered〃that　is；　since　the　time　of　the　ancient　Romans。　　Anyhow；　I

should　say　that　the　omens　are　bad；　for　there　is　going　to　be　a　row

presently。〃



Just　then　Retief　put　up　his　hand；　calling　out：



〃Silence！　I　have　decided。　　The　writing　of　the　match　did　not　say　that　the

bullets　were　not　to　be　cut；　and　therefore　Hernan　Pereira's　birds　must

count。　　But　that　writing　does　say　that　any　bird　accidentally　killed

should　not　count；　and　therefore　one　goose　must　be　subtracted　from

Pereira's　total；　which　leaves　the　two　shooters　equal。　　So　either　the

match　is　dead　or；　since　the　geese　have　ceased　to　come；　it　must　be　shot

off