marie-第13章

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〃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　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