marie-第17章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



Kaffirs；　that　I　was　extremely　thankful　when　a　diversion　occurred　which

took　me　away　from　home。　　The　story　of　my　defence　of　Maraisfontein　had

spread　far；　and　that　of　my　feats　of　shooting；　especially　in　the　Goose

Kloof；　still　farther。　　So　the　end　of　it　was　that　those　in　authority

commandeered　me　to　serve　in　one　of　the　continual　Kaffir　frontier　wars

which　was　in　progress；　and　instantly　gave　me　a　commission　as　a　kind　of

lieutenant　in　a　border　corps。



Now　the　events　of　that　particular　war　have　nothing　to　do　with　the

history　that　I　am　telling；　so　I　do　not　propose　even　to　touch　on　them。　　I

served　in　it　for　a　year；　meeting　with　many　adventures；　one　or　two

successes；　and　several　failures。　　Once　I　was　wounded　slightly；　twice　I

but　just　escaped　with　my　life。　　Once　I　was　reprimanded　for　taking　a

foolish　risk　and　losing　some　men。　　Twice　I　was　commended　for　what　were

called　gallant　actions；　such　as　bringing　a　wounded　comrade　out　of　danger

under　a　warm　fire；　mostly　of　assegais；　and　penetrating　by　night；　almost

alone；　into　the　stronghold　of　a　chieftain；　and　shooting　him。



At　length　that　war　was　patched　up　with　an　inconclusive　peace　and　my

corps　was　disbanded。　　I　returned　home；　no　longer　a　lad；　but　a　man　with

experience　of　various　kinds　and　a　rather　unique　knowledge　of　Kaffirs；

their　languages；　history；　and　modes　of　thought　and　action。　　Also　I　had

associated　a　good　deal　with　British　officers；　and　from　them　acquired

much　that　I　had　found　no　opportunity　of　studying　before；　especially；　I

hope；　the　ideas　and　standards　of　English　gentlemen。



I　had　not　been　back　at　the　Mission　Station　more　than　three　weeks；　quite

long　enough　for　me　to　begin　to　be　bored　with　idleness　and　inactivity；

when　that　call　for　which　I　had　been　waiting　came　at　last。



One　day　a　〃smous〃；　that　is　a　low　kind　of　white　man；　often　a　Jew；　who

travels　about　trading　with　unsophisticated　Boers　and　Kaffirs；　and

cheating　them　if　he　can；　called　at　the　station　with　his　cartful　of

goods。　　I　was　about　to　send　him　away；　having　no　liking　for　such　gentry；

when　he　asked　me　if　I　were　named　Allan　Quatermain。　　I　said　〃Yes；〃

whereon　he　replied　that　he　had　a　letter　for　me；　and　produced　a　packet

wrapped　up　in　sail…cloth。　　I　asked　him　whence　he　had　it；　and　he　answered

from　a　man　whom　he　had　met　at　Port　Elizabeth；　an　east　coast　trader；　who；

hearing　that　he　was　coming　into　the　Cradock　district；　entrusted　him　with

the　letter。　　The　man　told　him　that　it　was　very　important；　and　that　I

should　reward　the　bearer　well　if　it　were　delivered　safely。



While　the　Jew　talked　（I　think　he　was　a　Jew）　I　was　opening　the

sail…cloth。　　Within　was　a　piece　of　linen　which　had　been　oiled　to　keep

out　water；　addressed　in　some　red　pigment　to　myself　or　my　father。　　This；

too；　I　opened；　not　without　difficulty；　for　it　was　carefully　sewn　up；　and

found　within　it　a　letter…packet；　also　addressed　to　myself　or　my　father；

in　the　handwriting　of　Marie。



Great　Heaven！　　How　my　heart　jumped　at　that　sight！　　Calling　to　Hans　to

make　the　smous　comfortable　and　give　him　food；　I　went　into　my　own　room；

and　there　read　the　letter；　which　ran　thus：





〃MY　DEAR　ALLAN；I　do　not　know　whether　the　other　letters　I　have　written

to　you　have　ever　come　to　your　hands；　or　indeed　if　this　one　will。　　Still；

I　send　it　on　chance　by　a　wandering　Portuguese　half…breed　who　is　going　to

Delagoa　Bay；　about　fifty　miles；　I　believe；　from　the　place　where　I　now

write；　near　the　Crocodile　River。　　My　father　has　named　it　Maraisfontein；

after　our　old　home。　　If　those　letters　reached　you；　you　will　have　learned

of　the　terrible　things　we　went　through　on　our　journey；　the　attacks　by

the　Kaffirs　in　the　Zoutpansberg　region；　who　destroyed　one　of　our　parties

altogether；　and　so　forth。　　If　not；　all　that　story　must　wait；　for　it　is

too　long　to　tell　now；　and；　indeed；　I　have　but　little　paper；　and　not　much

pencil。　　It　will　be　enough　to　say；　therefore；　that　to　the　number　of

thirty…five　white　people；　men；　women　and　children；　we　trekked　at　the

beginning　of　the　summer　season；　when　the　grass　was　commencing　to　grow；

from　the　Lydenburg　districtan　awful　journey　over　mountains　and　through

flooded　rivers。　　After　many　delays；　some　of　them　months　long；　we　reached

this　place；　about　eight　weeks　ago；　for　I　write　to　you　at　the　beginning

of　June；　if　we　have　kept　correct　account　of　the　time；　of　which　I　am　not

certain。



〃It　is　a　beautiful　place　to　look　at；　a　flat　country　of　rich　veld；　with

big　trees　growing　on　it；　and　about　two　miles　from　the　great　river　that

is　called　the　Crocodile。　　Here；　finding　good　water；　my　father　and　Hernan

Pereira；　who　now　rules　him　in　all　things；　determined　to　settle；　although

some　of　the　others　wished　to　push　on　nearer　to　Delagoa　Bay。　　There　was　a

great　quarrel　about　it；　but　in　the　end　my　father；　or　rather　Hernan；　had

his　will；　as　the　oxen　were　worn　out　and　many　had　already　died　from　the

bites　of　a　poisonous　fly　which　is　called　the　tsetse。　　So　we　lotted　out

the　land；　of　which　there　is　enough　for　hundreds；　and　began　to　build　rude

houses。



〃Then　trouble　came　upon　us。　　The　Kaffirs　stole　most　of　our　horses；

although　they　have　not　dared　to　attack　us；　and　except　two　belonging　to

Hernan；　the　rest　died　of　the　sickness；　the　last　of　them　but　yesterday。　

The　oxen；　too；　have　all　died　of　the　tsetse　bites　or　other　illnesses。　

But　the　worst　is　that　although　this　country　looks　so　healthy；　it　is

poisoned　with　fever；　which　comes　up；　I　think；　in　the　mists　from　the

river。　　Already　out　of　the　thirty…five　of　us；　ten　are　dead；　two　men；

three　women；　and　five　children；　while　more　are　sick。　　As　yet　my　father

and　I　and　my　cousin　Pereira　have；　by　God's　mercy；　kept　quite　well；　but

although　we　are　all　very　strong；　how　long　this　will　continue　I　cannot

tell。　　Fortunately　we　have　plenty　of　ammunition　and　the　place　is　thick

with　game；　so　that　those　of　the　men　who　remain　strong　can　kill　all　the

food　we　want；　even　shooting　on　foot；　and　we　women　have　made　a　great

quantity　of　biltong　by　salting　flesh　and　drying　it　in　the　sun。　　So　we

shall　not　actually　starve　for　a　long　while；　even　if　the　game　goes　away。



〃But；　dear　Allan；　unless　help　comes　to　us　I　think　that　we　shall　die

every　one；　for　God　alone　knows　the　miseries　that　we　suffer　and　the

horrible　sights　of　sickness　and　death　that　are　around　us。　　At　this

moment　there　lies　by　me　a　little　girl　who　is　dying　of　fever。



〃Oh；　Allan；　if　you　can　help　us；　do　so！　　Because　of　our　sick　it　is

impossible　for　us　to　get　to　Delagoa　Bay；　and　if　we　did　we　have　no　money

to　buy　anything　there；　for　all　that　we　had　with　us　was　lost　in　a　wagon

in　a　flooded　river。　　It　was　a　great　sum；　for　it　included　Hernan's　rich

fortune　which　he　brought　from　the　Cape　with　him　in　gold。　　Nor　can　we

move　anywhere　else；　for　we　have　no　cattle　or　horses。　　We　have　sent　to

Delagoa　Bay；　where　we　hear　these　are　to　be　had；　to　try　to　buy　them　on

credit；　but　my　cousin　Hernan's　relations；　of　whom　he　used　to　talk　so

much；　are　dead　or　gone　away；　and　no　one　will　trust　us。　　With　the

neighbouring　Kaffirs；　too；　who　have　plenty　of　cattle；　we　have　quarrelled

since；　unfortunately；　my　cousin　and　some　of　the　other　Boers　tried　to

take　certain　beasts　of　theirs　without　payment。　　So　we　are　quite

helpless；　and　can　only　wait　for　death。



〃Allan；　my　father　says　that　he　asked　your　father　to　collect　some　monies

that　were　owing　to　him。　　If　it　were　possible　for　you　or　other　friends　to

come　to　Delagoa　in　a　ship　with　that　money；　I　think　that　it　might　serve

to　buy　some　oxen；　enough　for　a　few　wagons。　　Then　perhaps　we　might　trek

back　and　fall　in　with　a　party　of　Boers　who；　we　believe；　have　crossed　the

Quathlamba　Mountains　into　Natal。　　Or　perhaps　we　might　get　to　the　Bay　and

find　a　ship　to　take　us　anywhere　from　this　horrible　place。　　If　you　could

come；　the　natives　would　guide　you　to　where　we　are。



〃But　it　is　too　much　to　hope　that　you　will　come；　or　that　if　you　do　come

you　will　find　us　still　alive。



〃Allan；　my　dearest；　I　have　one　more　thing　to　say；　though　I　must　say　it

shortly；　for　the　paper　is　nearly　finished。　　I　do　not　know；　supposing

that　you　are　alive　and　well；　whether　you　still　care　for　me；　who　left　you

so　long　agoit　seems　years　and　yearsbut　_my_　heart　is　where　it　was；

and　where　I　promised　it　should　remain；　in　your　keeping。　　Of　course；

Hernan　has　pressed　me　to　marry　him；　and　my　father　has　wished　it。　　But　I

have　always　said　no；　and　now；　in　our　wretchedness；　there　is　no　more　talk

of　marriage　at　present；　which　is　the　one　good　thing　that　has　happened　to

me。　　And；　Allan；　before　so　very　long　I　shall　be　of　age；　if　I　live。　

Still　I　dare　say　you　no　longer　think　of　marriage　with　me；　who；　perhaps；

are　already　married　to　someone　else；　especially　as　now　I　and　all　of　us

are　no　better　than　wandering　beggars。　　Yet　I　have　thought　it　right　to

tell　you　these　things；　which　you　may　like　to　know。



〃Oh；　why　did　God　ever　put　it　into　my　father's　heart　to　leave　the　Cape

Colony　just　because　he　hated　the　British　Government　and　Hernan　Pereira

and　others　persuaded　him？　　I　know　not；　but；　poor　man；　he　is　sorry　enough

now。　　It　is　pitiful　to　see　him；　at　times　I　think　that　he　is　going　mad。



〃The　paper　is　done；　and　the　messenger　is　going；　also　the　sick　child　is

dying　and　I　must　attend　to　her。　　Will　this　letter　ever　come　to　your

hands；　I　wonder？　　I　am　sending　with　it　the　little　money　I　have　to　pay

for　its　deliveryabout　four　pounds　English。　　If　not；　there　is　an　end。　

If　it　does；　and　you　cannot　come　or　send　others；　at　least　pray　for　us。　　I

dream　of　you　by　night　and　think　of　you　by　day；　for　how　much　I　love　you　I

cannot　tell。



〃In　life　or　death　I　am



〃Your　MARIE。〃





Such　was　this　awful　letter。　　I　still　have　it；　it　lies　before　me；　those

ragged　sheets　of　paper　covered　with　faint　pencil…writing　that　is　blotted

here　and　there　with　tear　marks；　some　of　them　the　tears　of　Marie　who

wrote；　some　of　them　the　tears　of　me　who　read。　　I　wonder　if　there　exists

a　more　piteous　memorial　of　the　terrible　sufferings　of　the　trek…Boers；

and　especially　of　such　of　them　as　forced　their　way　into　the　poisonous

veld　around　Delagoa；　as　did　this　Marais　expedition　and　those　under　the

command　of　Triechard。　　Better；　like　many　of　their　people；　to　have

perished　at　once　by　the　spears　of　Umzilikazi　and　other　savages　than　to

endure　these　lingering　tortures　of　fever　and　starvation。



As　I　finished　reading　this　letter　my　father；　who　had　been　out　visiting

some　of　his　Mission　Kaffirs；　entered　the　house；　and　I　went　into　the

sitting…room　to　meet　him。



〃Why；　Allan；　what　is　the　matter　with　you？〃　he　asked；　noting　my

tear…stained　face。



I　gave　him　the　letter；　for　I　could　not　speak；　and　with　difficulty　he

deciphered　it。



〃Merciful　God；　what　dreadful　news！〃　he　said　when　he　had　finished。　

〃Those　poor　people！　those　poor；　misguided　people！　　What　can　be　done　for

them？〃



〃I　know　one　thing　that　can　be　done；　father；　or　at　any　rate　can　be

attempted。　　I　can　try　to　reach　them。〃



〃Are　you　mad？〃　he　asked。　　〃How　is　it　possible　for　you；　on