marie-第15章

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The　words　were　spoken　at　random；　a　kind　of　ejaculation　from　the　heart；

caused　by　the　sting　of　Marais's　cruelty　and　insults；　like　the　cry　of　a

beast　beneath　a　blow。　　Little　did　I　know　how　true　they　would　prove；　but

at　times　it　is　thus　that　truth　is　mysteriously　drawn　from　some　well　of

secret　knowledge　hidden　in　our　souls。



〃When　I　want　your　help　I　will　ask　for　it；〃　raved　Marais；　who；　knowing

himself　to　be　in　the　wrong；　strove　to　cover　up　that　wrong　with　violence。



〃Asked　or　unasked；　if　I　live　it　shall　be　given　in　the　future　as　in　the

past；　Mynheer　Marais。　　God　pardon　you　for　the　woe　you　are　bringing　on

Marie　and　on　me。〃



Now　Marie　began　to　weep　a　little；　and；　unable　to　bear　that　sight；　I

covered　my　eyes　with　my　hand。　　Marais；　who；　when　he　was　not　under　the

influence　of　his　prejudices　or　passion；　had　a　kind　heart；　was　moved

also；　but　tried　to　hide　his　feelings　in　roughness。　　He　swore　at　Marie；

and　told　her　to　go　to　bed；　and　she　obeyed；　still　weeping。　　Then　my

father　rose　and　said：



〃Henri　Marais；　we　cannot　leave　here　to…night　because　the　horses　are

kraaled；　and　it　would　be　difficult　to　find　them　in　this　darkness；　so　we

must　ask　your　hospitality　till　dawn。〃



〃_I_　do　not　ask　it；〃　I　exclaimed。　　〃I　go　to　sleep　in　the　cart；〃　and　I

limped　from　the　room　and　the　house；　leaving　the　two　men　together。



What　passed　afterwards　between　them　I　do　not　quite　know。　　I　gathered

that　my　father；　who；　when　roused；　also　had　a　temper　and　was　mentally　and

intellectually　the　stronger　man；　told　Marais　his　opinion　of　his

wickedness　and　folly　in　language　that　he　was　not　likely　to　forget。　　I

believe　he　even　drove　him　to　confess　that　his　acts　seemed　cruel；

excusing　them；　however；　by　announcing　that　he　had　sworn　before　God　that

his　daughter　should　never　marry　an　Englishman。　　Also　he　said　that　he　had

promised　her　solemnly　to　Pereira；　his　own　nephew；　whom　he　loved；　and

could　not　break　his　word。



〃No；〃　answered　my　father；　〃because；　being　mad　with　the　madness　that　runs

before　destruction；　you　prefer　to　break　Marie's　heart　and　perhaps　become

guilty　of　her　blood。〃



Then　he　left　him。





The　darkness　was　intense。　　Through　it　I　groped　my　way　to　the　cart；　which

stood　where　it　had　been　outspanned　on　the　veld　at　a　little　distance　from

the　house；　wishing　heartily；　so　miserable　was　I；　that　the　Kaffirs　might

choose　that　black　night　for　another　attack　and　make　an　end　of　me。



When　I　reached　it　and　lit　the　lantern　which　we　always　carried；　I　was

astonished　to　find　that；　in　a　rough　fashion；　it　had　been　made　ready　to

sleep　in。　　The　seats　had　been　cleared　out；　the　hind　curtain　fastened；

and　so　forth。　　Also　the　pole　was　propped　up　with　an　ox…yoke　so　as　to

make　the　vehicle　level　to　lie　in。　　While　I　was　wondering　vaguely　who

could　have　done　this；　Hans　climbed　on　to　the　step；　carrying　two　karosses

which　he　had　borrowed　or　stolen；　and　asked　if　I　was　comfortable。



〃Oh；　yes！〃　I　answered；　〃but　why　were　you　going　to　sleep　in　the　cart？〃



〃Baas；〃　he　replied；　〃I　was　not；　I　prepared　it　for　you。　　How　did　I　know

that　you　were　coming？　　Oh；　very　simply。　　I　sat　on　the　stoep　and　listened

to　all　the　talk　in　the　sitkammer。　　The　window　has　never　been　mended；

baas；　since　the　Quabies　broke　it。　　God　in　Heaven！　what　a　talk　that　was。　

I　never　knew　that　white　people　could　have　so　much　to　say　about　a　simple

matter。　　You　want　to　marry　the　Baas　Marais's　daughter；　the　baas　wants

her　to　marry　another　man　who　can　pay　more　cattle。　　Well；　among　us　it

would　soon　have　been　settled；　for　the　father　would　have　taken　a　stick

and　beaten　you　out　of　the　hut　with　the　thick　end。　　Then　he　would　have

beaten　the　girl　with　the　thin　end　until　she　promised　to　take　the　other

man；　and　all　would　have　been　settled　nicely。　　But　you　Whites；　you　talk

and　talk；　and　nothing　is　settled。　　You　still　mean　to　marry　the　daughter；

and　the　daughter　still　means　not　to　marry　the　man　of　many　cows。　

Moreover；　the　father　has　really　gained　nothing　except　a　sick　heart　and

much　bad　luck　to　come。〃



〃Why　much　bad　luck　to　come；　Hans？〃　I　asked　idly；　for　his　naive　summing

up　of　the　case　interested　me　in　a　vague　way。



〃Oh！　Baas　Allan；　for　two　reasons。　　First；　your　reverend　father；　who　made

me　true　Christian；　told　him　so；　and　a　predicant　so　good　as　he；　is　one

down　whom　the　curse　of　God　runs　from　Heaven　like　lightning　runs　down　a

tree。　　Well；　the　Heer　Marais　was　sitting　under　that　tree；　and　we　all

know　what　happens　to　him　who　is　under　a　tree　when　the　lightning　strikes

it。　　That　my　first　Christian　reason。　　My　second　black…man　reason；　about

which　there　can　be　no　mistake；　for　it　has　always　been　true　since　there

was　a　black　man；　is　that　the　girl　is　yours　by　blood。　　You　saved　her　life

with　your　blood；〃　and　he　pointed　to　my　leg；　〃and　therefore　bought　her

for　ever；　for　blood　is　more　than　cattle。　　Therefore；　too；　he　who　would

divide　her　from　you　brings　blood　on　her　and　on　the　other　man　who　tries

to　steal　her；　blood；　blood！　and　on　himself　I　know　not　what。〃　　And　he

waved　his　yellow　arms；　staring　up　at　me　with　his　little　black　eyes　in　a

way　that　was　most　uncanny。



〃Nonsense！〃　I　said。　　〃Why　do　you　talk　such　bad　words？〃



〃Because　they　are　true　words；　Baas　Allan。　　Oh；　you　laugh　at　the　poor

Totty；　but　I　had　it　from　my　father；　and　he　from　his　father　from

generation　to　generation；　amen；　and　you　will　see。　　You　will　see；　as　I

have　seen　before　now；　and　as　the　Heer　Marais　will　see；　who；　if　the　great

God　had　not　made　him　madfor　mad　he　is；　baas；　as　we　know；　if　you　Whites

don'tmight　have　lived　in　his　home　till　he　was　old；　and　have　had　a　good

son…in…law　to　bury　him　in　his　blanket。〃



Now　I　seemed　to　have　had　enough　of　this　eerie　conversation。　　Of　course

it　is　easy　to　laugh　at　natives　and　their　superstitions；　but；　after　a

long　life　of　experience；　I　am　bound　to　admit　that　they　are　not　always

devoid　of　truth。　　The　native　has　some　kind　of　sixth　sense　which　the

civilised　man　has　lost；　or　so　it　seems　to　me。



〃Talking　of　blankets；〃　I　said　in　order　to　change　the　subject；　〃from　whom

did　you　get　these　karosses？〃



〃From　whom？　　Why；　from　the　Missie；　of　course；　baas。　　When　I　heard　that

you　were　to　sleep　in　the　cart　I　went　to　her　and　borrowed　them　to　cover

you。　　Also；　I　had　forgotten；　she　gave　me　a　writing　for　you；〃　and　he　felt

about；　first　in　his　dirty　shirt；　then　under　his　arm；　and　finally　in　his

fuzzy　hair；　from　which　last　hiding　place　he　produced　a　little　bit　of

paper　folded　into　a　pellet。　　I　undid　it　and　read　these　words；　written

with　a　pencil　and　in　French：





〃I　shall　be　in　the　peach　orchard　half　an　hour　before　sunrise。　　Be　there

if　you　would　bid　me　farewell。M。〃





〃Is　there　any　answer；　baas？〃　asked　Hans　when　I　had　thrust　the　note　into

my　pocket。　　〃If　so　I　can　take　it　without　being　found　out。〃　Then　an

inspiration　seemed　to　strike　him；　and　he　added：　〃Why　do　you　not　take　it

yourself？　　The　Missie's　window　is　easy　to　open；　also　I　am　sure　she　would

be　pleased　to　see　you。〃



〃Be　silent；〃　I　said。　　〃I　am　going　to　sleep。　　Wake　me　an　hour　before　the

cock…crowand；　staysee　that　the　horses　have　got　out　of　the　kraal　so

that　you　cannot　find　them　too　easily　in　case　the　Reverend　wishes　to

start　very　early。　　But　do　not　let　them　wander　far；　for　here　we　are　no

welcome　guests。〃



〃Yes；　baas。　　By　the　way；　baas；　the　Heer　Pereira；　who　tried　to　cheat　you

over　those　geese；　is　sleeping　in　an　empty　house　not　more　than　two　miles

away。　　He　drinks　coffee　when　he　wakes　up　in　the　morning；　and　his

servant；　who　makes　it；　is　my　good　friend。　　Now　would　you　like　me　to　put

a　little　something　into　it？　　Not　to　kill　him；　for　that　is　against　the

law　in　the　Book；　but　just　to　make　him　quite　mad；　for　the　Book　says

nothing　about　that。　　If　so；　I　have　a　very　good　medicine；　one　that　you

white　people　do　not　know；　which　improves　the　taste　of　the　coffee；　and　it

might　save　much　trouble。　　You　see；　if　he　came　dancing　about　the　place

without　any　clothes　on；　like　a　common　Kaffir；　the　Heer　Marais；　although

_he_　is　really　mad　also；　might　not　wish　for　him　as　a　son…in…law。〃



〃Oh！　go　to　the　devil　if　you　are　not　there　already；〃　I　replied；　and

turned　over　as　though　to　sleep。





There　was　no　need　for　me　to　have　instructed　that　faithful　creature；　the

astute　but　immoral　Hans；　to　call　me　early；　as　the　lady　did　her　mother　in

the　poem；　for　I　do　not　think　that　I　closed　an　eye　that　night。　　I　spare

my　reflections；　for　they　can　easily　be　imagined　in　the　case　of　an

earnest…natured　lad　who　was　about　to　be　bereft　of　his　first　love。



Long　before　the　dawn　I　stood　in　the　peach　orchard；　that　orchard　where　we

had　first　met；　and　waited。　　At　length　Marie　came　stealing　between　the

tree　trunks　like　a　grey　ghost；　for　she　was　wrapped　in　some

light…coloured　garment。　　Oh！　once　more　we　were　alone　together。　　Alone　in

the　utter　solitude　and　silence　which　precede　the　African　dawn；　when　all

creatures　that　love　the　night　have　withdrawn　to　their　lairs　and　hiding

places；　and　those　that　love　the　day　still　sleep　their　soundest。



She　saw　me　and　stood　still；　then　opened　her　arms　and　clasped　me　to　her

breast；　uttering　no　word。　　A　while　later　she　spoke　almost　in　a　whisper；

saying：



〃Allan；　I　must　not　stay　long；　for　I　think　that　if　my　father　found　us

together；　he　would　shoot　you　in　his　madness。〃



Now　as　always　it　was　of　me　she　thought；　not　of　herself。



〃And　you；　my　sweet？〃　I　asked。



〃Oh！〃　she　answered；　〃that　matters　nothing。　　Except　for　the　sin　of　it　I

wish　he　would　shoot　me；　for　then　I　should　have　done　with　all　this　pain。　

I　told　you；　Allan；　when　the　Kaffirs　were　on　us　yonder；　that　it　might　be

better　to　die；　and　see；　my　heart　spoke　truly。〃



〃Is　there　no　hope？〃　I　gasped。　　〃Will　he　really　separate　us　and　take　you

away　into　the　wilderness？〃



〃Certainly；　nothing　can　turn　him。　　Yet；　Allan；　there　is　this　hope。　　In

two　years；　if　I　live；　I　shall　be　of　full　age；　and　can　marry　whom　I　will；

and　this　I　swear；　that　I　will　marry　none　but　you；　no；　not　even　if　you

were　to　die　to…morrow。〃



〃I　bless　you　for　those　words；〃　I　said。



〃Why？〃　she　asked　simply。　　〃What　others　could　I　speak？　　Would　you　have　me

do　outrage　to　my　own　heart　and　go　through　life　faithless　and　ashamed？〃



〃And　I；　I　swear　also；〃　I　broke　in。



〃Nay；　swear　nothing。　　While　I　live　I　know　that　you　will　love　me；　and　if

I　should　be　taken；　it　is　my　wish　that　you　should　marry　some　other　good

woman；　since　it　is　not　well　or　right　that　man　should　live　alone。　　With

us　maids　it　is　different。　　Listen；　Allan；　for　the　cocks　are　beginning　to

crow；　and　soon　there　will　be　light。　　You　must　bide　here　with　your

father。　　If　possible；　I　will　write　to　you　from　time　to　time；　telling　you

where　we　are　and　how　we　fare。　　But　if　I　do　not　write；　know　that　it　is

because　I　cannot；　or　because　I　can　find　no　messenger；　or　because　the

letters　have　miscarried；　for　we　go　into　wild　countries；　amongst

savages。〃



〃Whither　do　you　go？〃　I　asked。



〃I　believe　up　towards　the　great　harbour　called　Delagoa　Bay；