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

off　another　day。〃



〃Oh！　if　there　is　any　question；〃　said　Pereira；　who　felt　that　public

opinion　was　much　against　him；　〃let　the　Englishman　take　the　money。　　I

dare　say　that　he　needs　it；　as　the　sons　of　missionaries　are　not　rich。〃



〃There　is　no　question；〃　I　said；　〃since；　rich　or　poor；　not　for　a　thousand

pounds　would　I　shoot　again　against　one　who　plays　such　tricks。　　Keep　your

money；　Mynheer　Pereira；　and　I　will　keep　my　mare。　　The　umpire　has　said

that　the　match　is　dead；　so　everything　is　finished。〃



〃Not　quite；〃　interrupted　Retief；　〃for　I　have　a　word　to　say。　　Friend

Allan；　you　have　played　fair；　and　I　believe　that　there　is　no　one　who　can

shoot　like　you　in　Africa。〃



〃That　is　so；〃　said　the　audience　of　Boers。



〃Mynheer　Pereira；〃　went　on　Retief；　〃although　you；　too；　are　a　fine　shot；

as　is　well　known；　I　believe　that　had　you　played　fair　also　you　would　have

been　beaten；　but　as　it　is　you　have　saved　your　hundred　pounds。　　Mynheer

Pereira；〃　he　added　in　a　great　voice；　〃you　are　a　cheat；　who　have　brought

disgrace　upon　us　Boers；　and　for　my　part　I　never　want　to　shake　your　hand

again。〃



Now；　at　these　outspoken　words；　for　when　his　indignation　was　aroused

Retief　was　no　measurer　of　language；　Pereira's　high…coloured　face　went

white　as　a　sheet。



〃Mein　Gott；　mynheer；〃　he　said；　〃I　am　minded　to　make　you　answer　for　such

talk；〃　and　his　hand　went　to　the　knife　at　his　girdle。



〃What！〃　shouted　Retief；　〃do　you　want　another　shooting　match？　　Well；　if

so　I　am　ready　with　whole　bullets　or　with　split　ones。　　None　shall　say

that　Pieter　Retief　was　afraid　of　any　man；　and；　least　of　all；　of　one　who

is　not　ashamed　to　try　to　steal　a　prize　as　a　hyena　steals　a　bone　from　a

lion。　　Come　on；　Hernan　Pereira；　come　on！〃



Now；　I　am　sure　I　cannot　say　what　would　have　happened；　although　I　am

quite　certain　that　Pereira　had　no　stomach　for　a　duel　with　the

redoubtable　Retief；　a　man　whose　courage　was　as　proverbial　throughout　the

land　as　was　his　perfect　uprightness　of　character。　　At　any　rate；　seeing

that　things　looked　very　black；　Henri　Marais；　who　had　been　listening　to

this　altercation　with　evident　annoyance；　stepped　forward　and　said：



〃Mynheer　Retief　and　nephew　Hernan；　you　are　both　my　guests；　and　I　will

not　permit　quarrelling　over　this　foolishness；　especially　as　I　am　sure

that　Hernan　never　intended　to　cheat；　but　only　to　do　what　he　thought　was

allowed。　　Why　should　he；　who　is　one　of　the　finest　shots　in　the　Colony；

though　it　may　be　that　young　Allan　Quatermain　here　is　even　better？　　Will

you　not　say　so；　too；　friend　Retief；　especially　just　now　when　it　is

necessary　that　we　should　all　be　as　brothers？〃　he　added　pleadingly。



〃No；〃　thundered　Retief；　〃I　will　not　tell　a　lie　to　please　you　or　anyone。〃



Then；　seeing　that　the　commandant　was　utterly　uncompromising；　Marais　went

up　to　his　nephew　and　whispered　to　him　for　a　while。　　What　he　said　I　do

not　know。　　The　result　of　it　was；　however；　that　after　favouring　both

Retief　and　myself　with　an　angry　scowl；　Pereira　turned　and　walked　to

where　his　horse　stood；　mounted　it；　and　rode　off；　followed　by　two

Hottentot　after…riders。



That　was　the　last　I　saw　of　Hernan　Pereira　for　a　long　while　to　come；　and

heartily　do　I　wish　that　it　had　been　the　last　I　ever　saw　of　him。　　But

this　was　not　to　be。







CHAPTER　VI









THE　PARTING











The　Boers；　who　ostensibly　had　come　to　the　kloof　to　see　the　shooting

match；　although；　in　fact；　for　a　very　different　purpose；　now　began　to

disperse。　　Some　of　them　rode　straight　away；　while　some　went　to　wagons

which　they　had　outspanned　at　a　distance；　and　trekked　off　to　their

separate　homes。　　I　am　glad　to　say　that　before　they　left　quite　a　number

of　the　best　of　them　came　up　and　congratulated　me　both　on　the　defence　of

Maraisfontein　and　on　my　shooting。　　Also　not　a　few　expressed　their　views

concerning　Pereira　in　very　straightforward　language。



Now；　the　arrangement　was　that　my　father　and　I　were　to　sleep　that　night

at　Marais's　stead；　returning　home　on　the　following　morning。　　But　my

father；　who　had　been　a　silent　but　not　unobservant　witness　of　all　this

scene；　coming　to　the　conclusion　that　after　what　had　happened　we　should

scarcely　be　welcome　there；　and　that　the　company　of　Pereira　was　to　be

avoided　just　now；　went　up　to　Marais　and　bade　him　farewell；　saying　that

we　would　send　for　my　mare。



〃Not　so；　not　so；〃　he　answered；　〃you　are　my　guests　to…night。　　Also；　fear

not；　Hernan　will　be　away。　　He　has　gone　a　journey　upon　some　business。〃



As　my　father　hesitated；　Marais　added：　〃Friend；　I　pray　you　to　come；　for　I

have　some　important　words　to　say　to　you；　which　cannot　be　said　here。〃



Then　my　father　gave　way；　to　my　delight　and　relief。　　For　if　he　had　not；

what　chance　would　there　have　been　of　my　getting　some　still　more

important　words　with　Marie？　　So　having　collected　the　geese　and　the　two

falcons；　which　I　proposed　to　skin　for　Marie；　I　was　helped　into　the　cart；

and　we　drove　off；　reaching　Maraisfontein　just　as　night　set　in。



That　evening；　after　we　had　eaten；　Heer　Marais　asked　my　father　and　myself

to　speak　with　him　in　the　sitting…room。　　By　an　afterthought　also；　or　so

it　seemed　to　me；　he　told　his　daughter；　who　had　been　clearing　away　the

dishes　and　with　whom　as　yet　I　had　found　no　opportunity　to　talk；　to　come

in　with　us　and　close　the　door　behind　her。



When　all　were　seated　and　we　men　had　lit　our　pipes；　though　apprehension

of　what　was　to　follow　quite　took　away　my　taste　for　smoking；　Marais　spoke

in　English；　which　he　knew　to　a　certain　extent。　　This　was　for　the　benefit

of　my　father；　who　made　it　a　point　of　honour　not　to　understand　Dutch；

although　he　would　answer　Marais　in　that　language　when　_he_　pretended　not

to　understand　English。　　To　me　he　spoke　in　Dutch；　and　occasionally　in

French　to　Marie。　　It　was　a　most　curious　and　polyglot　conversation。



〃Young　Allan；〃　he　said；　〃and　you；　daughter　Marie；　I　have　heard　stories

concerning　you　that；　although　I　never　gave　you　leave　to　'opsit'〃　（that

is；　to　sit　up　alone　at　night　with　candles；　according　to　the　Boer　fashion

between　those　who　are　courting）；　〃you　have　been　making　love　to　each

other。〃



〃That　is　true；　mynheer；〃　I　said。　　〃I　only　waited　an　opportunity　to　tell

you　that　we　plighted　our　troth　during　the　attack　of　the　Quabies　on　this

house。〃



〃Allemachte！　　Allan；　a　strange　time　to　choose；〃　answered　Marais；　pulling

at　his　beard；〃　the　troth　that　is　plighted　in　blood　is　apt　to　end　in

blood。〃



〃A　vain　superstition　to　which　I　cannot　consent；〃　interrupted　my　father。



〃Perhaps　so；〃　I　answered。　　〃I　know　not；　God　alone　knows。　　I　only　know

that　we　plighted　our　troth　when　we　thought　ourselves　about　to　die；　and

that　we　shall　keep　that　troth　till　death　ends　it。〃



〃Yes；　my　father；〃　added　Marie；　leaning　forward　across　the　scored

yellow…wood　table；　her　chin　resting　on　her　hand　and　her　dark；　buck…like

eyes　looking　him　in　the　face。　　〃Yes；　my　father；　that　is　so；　as　I　have

told　you　already。〃



〃And　I　tell　you；　Marie；　what　I　have　told　you　already；　and　you　too；

Allan；　that　this　thing　may　not　be；〃　answered　Marais；　hitting　the　table

with　his　fist。　　〃I　have　nothing　to　say　against　you；　Allan；　indeed；　I

honour　you；　and　you　have　done　me　a　mighty　service；　but　it　may　not　be。〃



〃Why　not；　mynheer？〃　I　asked。



〃For　three　reasons；　Allan；　each　of　which　is　final。　　You　are　English；　and

I　do　not　wish　my　daughter　to　marry　an　Englishman；　that　is　the　first。　

You　are　poor；　which　is　no　discredit　to　you；　and　since　I　am　now　ruined　my

daughter　cannot　marry　a　poor　man；　that　is　the　second。　　You　live　here；

and　my　daughter　and　I　are　leaving　this　country；　therefore　you　cannot

marry　her；　that　is　the　third；〃　and　he　paused。



〃Is　there　not　a　fourth；〃　I　asked；　〃which　is　the　real　reason？　　Namely；

that　you　wish　your　daughter　to　marry　someone　else。〃



〃Yes；　Allan；　since　you　force　me　to　it；　there　is　a　fourth。　　I　have

affianced　my　daughter　to　her　cousin；　Hernando　Pereira；　a　man　of

substance　and　full　age；　no　lad；　but　one　who　knows　his　own　mind　and　can

support　a　wife。〃



〃I　understand；〃　I　answered　calmly；　although　within　my　heart　a　very　hell

was　raging。　　〃But　tell　me；　mynheer；　has　Marie　affianced　herselfor

perhaps　she　will　answer　with　her　own　lips？〃



〃Yes；　Allan；〃　replied　Marie　in　her　quiet　fashion；　〃I　have　affianced

myselfto　you　and　no　other　man。〃



〃You　hear；　mynheer；〃　I　said　to　Marais。



Then　he　broke　out　in　his　usual　excitable　manner。　　He　stormed；　he　argued；

he　rated　us　both。　　He　said　that　he　would　never　allow　it；　that　first　he

would　see　his　daughter　in　her　grave。　　That　I　had　abused　his　confidence

and　violated　his　hospitality；　that　he　would　shoot　me　if　I　came　near　his

girl。　　That　she　was　a　minor；　and　according　to　the　law　he　could　dispose

of　her　in　marriage。　　That　she　must　accompany　him　whither　he　was　going；

that　certainly　I　should　not　do　so；　and　much　more　of　the　same　sort。



When　at　last　he　had　tired　himself　out　and　smashed　his　favourite　pipe

upon　the　table；　Marie　spoke；　saying：



〃My　father；　you　know　that　I　love　you　dearly；　for　since　my　mother's　death

we　have　been　everything　to　each　other；　have　we　not？〃



〃Surely；　Marie；　you　are　my　life；　and　more　than　my　life。〃



〃Very　well；　my　father。　　That　being　so；　I　acknowledge　your　authority　over

me；　whatever　the　law　may　say。　　I　acknowledge　that　you　have　the　right　to

forbid　me　to　marry　Allan；　and　if　you　do　forbid　mewhile　I　am　under　age；

at　any　rateI　shall　not　marry　him　because　of　my　duty　to　you。　

But〃here　she　rose　and　looked　him　full　in　the　eyes；　and　oh！　how　stately

she　seemed　at　that　moment　in　her　simple　strength　and　youthful

grace！〃there　is　one　thing；　my　father；　that　I　do　not　acknowledgeyour

right　to　force　me　to　marry　any　other　man。　　As　a　woman　with　power　over

herself；　I　deny　that　right；　and　much　as　it　pains　me；　my　father；　to

refuse　you　anything；　I　say　that　first　I　will　die。　　To　Allan　here　I　have

given　myself　for　good　or　for　evil；　and　if　I