marie-第6部分

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〃What　is　it？〃　he　asked。



I　took　the　candle　from　Marie's　hand；　and　set　it　on　the　floor　close　to

the　wall；　lest　it　should　prove　a　target　for　an　assegai　or　a　bullet。　

Even　in　those　days　the　Kaffirs　had　a　few　firearms；　for　the　most　part

captured　or　stolen　from　white　men。　　Then　in　a　few　words　I　told　them　all。



〃And　when　did　you　learn　all　this？〃　asked　Leblanc　in　French。



〃At　the　Mission　Station　a　little　more　than　half　an　hour　ago；〃　I

answered；　looking　at　my　watch。



〃At　the　station　a　little　more　than　half　an　hour　ago！　　Peste！　it　is　not

possible。　　You　dream　or　are　drunken；〃　he　cried　excitedly。



〃All　right；　monsieur；　we　will　argue　afterwards；〃　I　answered。　　〃Meanwhile

the　Kaffirs　are　here；　for　I　rode　through　them；　and　if　you　want　to　save

your　life；　stop　talking　and　act。　　Marie；　how　many　guns　are　there？〃



〃Four；〃　she　answered；　〃of　my　father's；　two　'roers'　and　two　smaller

ones。〃



〃And　how　many　of　these　men〃and　I　pointed　to　the　Kaffirs〃can　shoot？〃



〃Three　well　and　one　badly；　Allan。〃



〃Good；〃　I　said。　　〃Let　them　load　the　guns　with　'loopers'〃that　is；

slugs；　not　bullets〃and　let　the　rest　stand　in　the　passage　with　their

assegais；　in　case　the　Quabies　should　try　to　force　the　back　door。〃



Now；　in　this　house　there　were　in　all　but　six　windows；　one　to　each

sitting…room；　one　to　each　of　the　larger　bedrooms；　these　four　opening　on

to　the　veranda；　and　one　at　either　end　of　the　house；　to　give　light　and

air　to　the　two　small　bedrooms；　which　were　approached　through　the　larger

bedrooms。　　At　the　back；　fortunately；　there　were　no　windows；　for　the

stead　was　but　one　room　deep　with　passage　running　from　the　front　to　the

back　door；　a　distance　of　little　over　fifteen　feet。



As　soon　as　the　guns　were　loaded　I　divided　up　the　men；　a　man　with　a　gun

at　each　window。　　The　right…hand　sitting…room　window　I　took　myself　with

two　guns；　Marie　coming　with　me　to　load；　which；　like　all　girls　in　that

wild　country；　she　could　do　well　enough。　　So　we　arranged　ourselves　in　a

rough…and…ready　fashion；　and　while　we　were　doing　it　felt　quite

cheerfulthat　is；　all　except　Monsieur　Leblanc；　who；　I　noticed；　seemed

very　much　disturbed。



I　do　not　for　one　moment　mean　to　suggest　that　he　was　afraid；　as　he　might

well　have　been；　for　he　was　an　extremely　brave　and　even　rash　man；　but　I

think　the　knowledge　that　his　drunken　act　had　brought　this　terrible

danger　upon　us　all　weighed　on　his　mind。　　Also　there　may　have　been　more；

some　subtle　fore…knowledge　of　the　approaching　end　to　a　life　that；　when

all　allowances　were　made；　could　scarcely　be　called　well　spent。　　At　any

rate　he　fidgeted　at　his　window…place　cursing　beneath　his　breath；　and

soon；　as　I　saw　out　of　the　corner　of　my　eye；　began　to　have　recourse　to

his　favourite　bottle　of　peach　brandy；　which　he　fetched　out　of　a

cupboard。



The　slaves；　too；　were　gloomy；　as　all　natives　are　when　suddenly　awakened

in　the　night；　but　as　the　light　grew　they　became　more　cheerful。　　It　is　a

poor　Kaffir　that　does　not　love　fighting；　especially　when　he　has　a　gun

and　a　white　man　or　two　to　lead　him。



Now　that　we　had　made　such　little　preparations　as　we　could；　which；　by　the

way；　I　supplemented　by　causing　some　furniture　to　be　piled　up　against　the

front　and　back　doors；　there　came　a　pause；　which；　speaking　for　my　own

partbeing；　after　all；　only　a　lad　at　the　timeI　found　very　trying　to

the　nerves。　　There　I　stood　at　my　window　with　the　two　guns；　one　a

double…barrel　and　one　a　single　〃roer〃；　or　elephant　gun；　that　took　a

tremendous　charge；　but　both；　be　it　remembered；　flint　locks；　for；

although　percussion　caps　had　been　introduced；　we　were　a　little　behind

the　times　in　Cradock。　　There；　too；　crouched　on　the　ground　beside　me；

holding　the　ammunition　ready　for　re…loading；　her　long；　black　hair

flowing　about　her　shoulders；　was　Marie　Marais；　now　a　well…grown　young

woman。　　In　the　intense　silence　she　whispered　to　me：



〃Why　did　you　come　here；　Allan？　　You　were　safe　yonder；　and　now　you　will

probably　be　killed。〃



〃To　try　to　save　you；〃　I　answered　simply。　　〃What　would　you　have　had　me

do？〃



〃To　try　to　save　me？　　Oh！　that　is　good　of　you；　but　you　should　have

thought　of　yourself。〃



〃Then　I　should　still　have　thought　of　you；　Marie。〃



〃Why；　Allan？〃



〃Because　you　are　myself　and　more　than　myself。　　If　anything　happened　to

you；　what　would　my　life　be　to　me？〃



〃I　don't　quite　understand；　Allan；〃　she　replied；　staring　down　at　the

floor。　　〃Tell　me；　what　do　you　mean？〃



〃Mean；　you　silly　girl；〃　I　said；　〃what　can　I　mean；　except　that　I　love

you；　which　I　thought　you　knew　long　ago。〃



〃Oh！〃　she　said；　〃_now_　I　understand。〃　　Then　she　raised　herself　upon　her

knees；　and　held　up　her　face　to　me　to　kiss；　adding；　〃There；　that's　my

answer；　the　first　and　perhaps　the　last。　　Thank　you；　Allan　dear；　I　am

glad　to　have　heard　that；　for　you　see　one　or　both　of　us　may　die　soon。〃



As　she　spoke　the　words；　an　assegai　flashed　through　the　window…place；

passing　just　between　our　heads。　　So　we　gave　over　love…making　and　turned

our　attention　to　war。



Now　the　light　was　beginning　to　grow；　flowing　out　of　the　pearly　eastern

sky；　but　no　attack　had　yet　been　delivered；　although　that　one　was

imminent　that　spear　fixed　in　the　plaster　of　the　wall　behind　us　showed

clearly。　　Perhaps　the　Kaffirs　had　been　frightened　by　the　galloping　of

horses　through　their　line　in　the　dark；　not　knowing　how　many　of　them

there　might　have　been。　　Or　perhaps　they　were　waiting　to　see　better　where

to　deliver　their　onset。　　These　were　the　ideas　that　occurred　to　me；　but

both　were　wrong。



They　were　staying　their　hands　until　the　mist　lifted　a　little　from　the

hollow　below　the　stead　where　the　cattle　kraals　were　situated；　for　while

the　fog　remained　they　could　not　see　to　get　the　beasts　out。　　These　they

wished　to　make　sure　of　and　drive　away　before　the　fight　began；　lest

during　its　progress　something　should　happen　to　rob　them　of　their　booty。



Presently；　from　these　kraals；　where　the　Heer　Marais's　horned　beasts　and

sheep　were　penned　at　night；　about　one　hundred　and　fifty　of　the　former

and　some　two　thousand　of　the　latter；　to　say　nothing　of　the　horses；　for

he　was　a　large　and　prosperous　farmer；　there　arose　a　sound　of　bellowing；

neighing；　and　baaing；　and　with　it　that　of　the　shouting　of　men。



〃They　are　driving　off　the　stock；〃　said　Marie。　　〃Oh！　my　poor　father；　he

is　ruined；　it　will　break　his　heart。〃



〃Bad　enough；〃　I　answered；　〃but　there　are　things　that　might　be　worse。　

Hark！〃



As　I　spoke　there　came　a　sound　of　stamping　feet　and　of　a　wild　war　chant。　

Then　in　the　edge　of　the　mist　that　hung　above　the　hollow　where　the　cattle

kraals　were；　figures　appeared；　moving　swiftly　to　and　fro；　looking

ghostly　and　unreal。　　The　Kaffirs　were　marshalling　their　men　for　the

attack。　　A　minute　more　and　it　had　begun。　　On　up　the　slope　they　came　in

long；　wavering　lines；　several　hundreds　of　them；　whistling　and　screaming；

shaking　their　spears；　their　war…plumes　and　hair　trappings　blown　back　by

the　breeze；　the　lust　of　slaughter　in　their　rolling　eyes。　　Two　or　three

of　them　had　guns；　which　they　fired　as　they　ran；　but　where　the　bullets

went　I　do　not　know；　over　the　house　probably。



I　called　out　to　Leblanc　and　the　Kaffirs　not　to　shoot　till　I　did；　for　I

knew　that　they　were　poor　marksmen　and　that　much　depended　upon　our　first

volley　being　effective。　　Then　as　the　captain　of　this　attack　came　within

thirty　yards　of　the　stoepfor　now　the　light；　growing　swiftly；　was

strong　enough　to　enable　me　to　distinguish　him　by　his　apparel　and　the

rifle　which　he　heldI　loosed　at　him　with　the　〃roer〃　and　shot　him　dead。　

Indeed　the　heavy　bullet　passing　through　his　body　mortally　wounded

another　of　the　Quabies　behind。　　These　were　the　first　men　that　I　ever

killed　in　war。



As　they　fell；　Leblanc　and　the　rest　of　our　people　fired　also；　the　slugs

from　their　guns　doing　great　execution　at　that　range；　which　was　just　long

enough　to　allow　them　to　scatter。　　When　the　smoke　cleared　a　little　I　saw

that　nearly　a　dozen　men　were　down；　and　that　the　rest；　dismayed　by　this

reception；　had　halted。　　If　they　had　come　on　then；　while　we　were　loading；

doubtless　they　might　have　rushed　the　place；　but；　being　unused　to　the

terrible　effects　of　firearms；　they　paused；　amazed。　　A　number　of　them；

twenty　or　thirty　perhaps；　clustered　about　the　bodies　of　the　fallen

Kaffirs；　and；　seizing　my　second　gun；　I　fired　both　barrels　at　these　with

such　fearful　effect　that　the　whole　regiment　took　to　their　heels　and

fled；　leaving　their　dead　and　wounded　on　the　ground。　　As　they　ran　our

servants　cheered；　but　I　called　to　them　to　be　silent　and　load　swiftly；

knowing　well　that　the　enemy　would　soon　return。



For　a　time；　however；　nothing　happened；　although　we　could　hear　them

talking　somewhere　near　the　cattle　kraal；　about　a　hundred　and　fifty　yards

away。　　Marie　took　advantage　of　this　pause；　I　remember；　to　fetch　food　and

distribute　it　among　us。　　I；　for　one；　was　glad　enough　to　get　it。



Now　the　sun　was　up；　a　sight　for　which　I　thanked　Heaven；　for；　at　any

rate；　we　could　no　longer　be　surprised。　　Also；　with　the　daylight；　some　of

my　fear　passed　away；　since　darkness　always　makes　danger　twice　as

terrible　to　man　and　beast。　　Whilst　we　were　still　eating　and　fortifying

the　window…places　as　best　we　could；　so　as　to　make　them　difficult　to

enter；　a　single　Kaffir　appeared；　waving　above　his　head　a　stick　to　which

was　tied　a　white　ox…tail　as　a　sign　of　truce。　　I　ordered　that　no　one

should　fire；　and　when　the　man；　who　was　a　bold　fellow；　had　reached　the

spot　where　the　dead　captain　lay；　called　to　him；　asking　his　business；　for

I　could　speak　his　language　well。



He　answered　that　he　had　come　with　a　message　from　Quabie。　　This　was　the

message：　that　Quabie's　eldest　son　had　been　cruelly　murdered　by　the　fat

white　man　called　〃Vulture〃　who　lived　with　the　Heer　Marais；　and　that　he；

Quabie；　would　have　blood　for　blood。　　Still；　he　did　not　wish　to　kill　the

young　white　chieftainess　（that　was　Marie）　or　the　others　in　the　house；

with　whom　he　had　no　quarrel。　　Therefore　if　we