marie-第21章

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Hernan　Pereira　excepted；　had　died　of　fever　and　actual　starvation；　for

when　the　fever　lessened　with　the　change　of　the　seasons；　the　starvation

set　in。　　It　appeared　that；　with　the　exception　of　a　very　little；　they　had

stored　their　powder　in　a　kind　of　outbuilding　which　they　constructed；

placing　it　at　a　distance　for　safety's　sake。　　When　most　of　the　surviving

men　were　away；　however；　a　grass　fire　set　light　to　this　outbuilding　and

all　the　powder　blew　up。



After　this；　for　a　while　they　supplied　the　camp　with　food　by　the　help　of

such　ammunition　as　remained　to　them。　　When　that　failed　they　dug　pits　in

which　to　catch　game。　　In　time　the　buck　came　to　know　of　these　pits；　so

that　they　snared　no　more。



Then；　as　the　〃biltong〃　or　sun…dried　meat　they　had　made　was　all　consumed；

they　were　driven　to　every　desperate　expedient　that　is　known　to　the

starving；　such　as　the　digging　up　of　bulbs；　the　boiling　of　grass；　twigs

and　leaves；　the　catching　of　lizards；　and　so　forth。　　I　believe　that　they

actually　ate　caterpillars　and　earthworms。　　But　after　their　last　fire

went　out　through　the　neglect　of　the　wretched　Kaffir　who　was　left　to

watch　it；　and　having　no　tinder；　they　failed　to　relight　it　by　friction；

of　course　even　this　food　failed　them。　　When　I　arrived　they　had

practically　been　three　days　without　anything　to　eat　except　green　leaves

and　grass；　such　as　I　saw　the　child　chewing。　　In　another　seventy　hours

doubtless　every　one　of　them　would　have　been　dead。



Well；　they　recovered　rapidly　enough；　for　those　who　had　survived　its

ravages　were　evidently　now　impervious　to　fever。　　Who　can　tell　the　joy

that　I　experienced　as　I　watched　Marie　returning　from　the　very　brink　of

the　grave　to　a　state　of　full　and　lovely　womanhood？　　After　all；　we　were

not　so　far　away　from　the　primitive　conditions　of　humanity；　when　the

first　duty　of　man　was　to　feed　his　women　and　his　children；　and　I　think

that　something　of　that　instinct　remains　with　us。　　At　least；　I　know　I

never　experienced　a　greater　pleasure　than　I　did；　when　the　woman　I　loved；

the　poor；　starving　woman；　ate　and　ate　of　the　food　which　_I_　was　able　to

give　hershe　who　for　weeks　had　existed　upon　locusts　and　herbs。



For　the　first　few　days　we　did　not　talk　much　except　of　the　immediate

necessities　of　the　hour；　which　occupied　all　our　thoughts。　　Afterwards；

when　Marais　and　his　daughter　were　strong　enough　to　bear　it；　we　had　some

conversation。　　He　began　by　asking　how　I　came　to　find　them。



I　replied；　through　Marie's　letter；　which；　it　appeared；　he　knew　nothing

of；　for　he　had　forbidden　her　to　write　to　me。



〃It　seems　fortunate　that　you　were　disobeyed；　mynheer；〃　I　said；　to　which

he　answered　nothing。



Then　I　told　the　tale　of　the　arrival　of　that　letter　at　the　Mission

Station　in　the　Cape　Colony　by　the　hand　of　a　wandering　smous；　and　of　my

desperate　ride　upon　the　swift　mare　to　Port　Elizabeth；　where　I　just

succeeded　in　catching　the　brig　Seven　Stars　before　she　sailed。　　Also　I

told　them　of　the　lucky　chances　that　enabled　me　to　buy　the　wagons　and

find　a　guide　to　their　camp；　reaching　it　but　a　few　hours　before　it　was

too　late。



〃It　was　a　great　deed；〃　said　Henri　Marais；　taking　the　pipe　from　his

mouth；　for　I　had　brought　tobacco　among　my　stores。　　〃But　tell　me；　Allan；

why　did　you　do　it　for　the　sake　of　one　who　has　not　treated　you　kindly？〃



〃I　did　it；〃　I　answered；　〃for　the　sake　of　one　who　has　always　treated　me

kindly；〃　and　I　nodded　towards　Marie；　who　was　engaged　in　washing　up　the

cooking　pots　at　a　distance。



〃I　suppose　so；　Allan；　but　you　know　she　is　affianced　to　another。〃



〃I　know　that　she　is　affianced　to　me；　and　to　no　other；〃　I　answered

warmly；　adding；　〃And　pray　where　is　this　other？　　If　he　lives　I　do　not　see

him　here。〃



〃No；〃　replied　Marais　in　a　curious　voice。　　〃The　truth　is；　Allan；　that

Hernan　Pereira　left　us　about　a　fortnight　before　you　came。　　One　horse

remained；　which　was　his；　and　with　two　Hottentots；　who　were　also　his

servants；　he　rode　back　upon　the　track　by　which　we　came；　to　try　to　find

help。　　Since　then　we　have　heard　nothing　of　him。〃



〃Indeed；　and　how　did　he　propose　to　get　food　on　the　way？〃



〃He　had　a　rifle；　or　rather　they　all　three　had　rifles；　and　about　a

hundred　charges　between　them；　which　escaped　the　fire。〃



〃With　a　hundred　charges　of　powder　carefully　used　your　camp　would　have

been　fed　for　a　month；　or　perhaps　two　months；〃　I　remarked。　　〃Yet　he　went

away　with　all　of　themto　find　help？〃



〃That　is　so；　Allan。　　We　begged　him　to　stay；　but　he　would　not；　and；　after

all；　the　charges　were　his　own　property。　　No　doubt　he　thought　he　acted

for　the　best；　especially　as　Marie　would　have　none　of　him；〃　Marais　added

with　emphasis。



〃Well；〃　I　replied；　〃it　seems　that　it　is　I　who　have　brought　you　the　help；

and　not　Pereira。　　Also；　by　the　way；　mynheer；　I　have　brought　you　the

money　my　father　collected　on　your　account；　and　some　#500　of　my　own；　or

what　is　left　of　it；　in　goods　and　gold。　　Moreover；　Marie　does　not　refuse

me。　　Say；　therefore；　to　which　of　us　does　she　belong？〃



〃It　would　seem　that　it　should　be　to　you；〃　he　answered　slowly；　〃since　you

have　shown　yourself　so　faithful；　and　were　it　not　for　you　she　would　now

be　lying　yonder；〃　and　he　pointed　to　the　little　heaps　that　covered　the

bones　of　most　of　the　expedition。　　〃Yes；　yes；　it　would　seem　that　it

should　be　to　you；　who　twice　have　saved　her　life　and　once　have　saved　mine

also。〃



Now　I　suppose　that　he　saw　on　my　face　the　joy　which　I　could　not　conceal；

for　he　added　hastily：　〃Yet；　Allan；　years　ago　I　swore　on　the　Book　before

God　that　never　with　my　will　should　my　daughter　marry　an　Englishman；　even

if　be　were　a　good　Englishman。　　Also；　just　before　we　left　the　Colony；　I

swore　again；　in　her　presence　and　that　of　Hernan　Pereira；　that　I　would

not　give　her　to　you；　so　I　cannot　break　my　oath；　can　I？　　If　I　did；　the

good　God　would　be　avenged　upon　me。〃



〃Some　might　think　that　when　I　came　here　the　good　God　was　in　the　way　of

being　avenged　upon　you　for　the　keeping　of　that　evil　oath；〃　I　answered

bitterly；　glancing；　in　my　turn；　at　the　graves。



〃Yes；　they　might；　Allan；〃　he　replied　without　anger；　for　all　his　troubles

had　induced　a　reasonable　frame　of　mind　in　himfor　a　while。　　〃Yet；　His

ways　are　past　finding　out；　are　they　not？〃



Now　my　anger　broke　out；　and；　rising；　I　said：



〃Do　you　mean；　Mynheer　Marais；　that　notwithstanding　the　love　between　us；

which　you　know　is　true　and　deep；　and　notwithstanding　that　I　alone　have

been　able　to　drag　both　of　you　and　the　others　out　of　the　claws　of　death；

I　am　never　to　marry　Marie？　　Do　you　mean　that　she　is　to　be　given　to　a

braggart　who　deserted　her　in　her　need？〃



〃And　what　if　I　do　mean　that；　Allan？〃



〃This：　although　I　am　still　young；　as　you　know　well　I　am　a　man　who　can

think　and　act　for　himself。　　Also；　I　am　your　master　hereI　have　cattle

and　guns　and　servants。　　Well；　I　will　take　Marie；　and　if　any　should　try

to　stop　me；　I　know　how　to　protect　myself　and　her。〃



This　bold　speech　did　not　seem　to　surprise　him　in　the　least　or　to　make

him　think　the　worse　of　me。　　He　looked　at　me　for　a　while；　pulling　his

long　beard　in　a　meditative　fashion；　then　answered：



〃I　dare　say　that　at　your　age　I　should　have　played　the　same　game；　and　it

is　true　that　you　have　things　in　your　fist。　　But；　much　as　she　may　love

you；　Marie　would　not　go　away　with　you　and　leave　her　father　to　starve。〃



〃Then　you　can　come　with　us　as　my　father…in…law；　Mynheer　Marais。　　At　any

rate；　it　is　certain　that　I　will　not　go　away　and　leave　her　here　to

starve。〃



Now　I　think　that　something　which　he　saw　in　my　eye　showed　him　that　I　was

in　earnest。　　At　least；　he　changed　his　tone　and　began　to　argue；　almost　to

plead。



〃Be　reasonable；　Allan；〃　he　said。　　〃How　can　you　marry　Marie　when　there　is

no　predicant　to　marry　you？　　Surely；　if　you　love　her　so　much；　you　would

not　pour　mud　upon　her　name；　even　in　this　wilderness？〃



〃She　might　not　think　it　mud；〃　I　replied。　　〃Men　and　women　have　been

married　without　the　help　of　priests　before　now；　by　open　declaration　and

public　report；　for　instance；　and　their　children　held　to　be　born　in

wedlock。　　I　know　that；　for　I　have　read　of　the　law　of　marriage。〃



〃It　may　be；　Allan；　though　I　hold　no　marriage　good　unless　the　holy　words

are　said。　　But　why　do　you　not　let　me　come　to　the　end　of　my　story？〃



〃Because　I　thought　it　was　ended；　Mynheer　Marais。〃



〃Not　so；　Allan。　　I　told　you　that　I　had　sworn　that　she　should　never　marry

you　with　my　will。　　But　when　she　is　of　age；　which　will　be　in　some　six

months'　time；　my　will　counts　no　longer；　seeing　that　then　she　is　a　free

woman　who　can　dispose　of　herself。　　Also　I　shall　be　clear　of　my　oath；　for

no　harm　will　come　to　my　soul　if　that　happens　which　I　cannot　help。　　Now

are　you　satisfied？〃



〃I　don't　know；〃　I　answered　doubtfully；　for　somehow　all　Marais's

casuistry；　which　I　thought　contemptible；　did　not　convince　me　that　he　was

sincere。　　〃I　don't　know；〃　I　repeated。　　〃Much　may　chance　in　six　months。〃



〃Of　course；　Allan。　　For　instance；　Marie　might　change　her　mind　and　marry

someone　else。〃



〃Or　I　might　not　be　there　to　marry；　mynheer。　　Accidents　sometimes　happen

to　men　who　are　not　wanted；　especially　in　wild　countries　or；　for　the

matter　of　that；　to　those　who　are。〃



〃Allemachte！　　Allan；　you　do　not　mean　that　I〃



〃No；　mynheer；〃　I　interrupted；　〃but　there　are　other　people　in　the　world

besides　yourselfHernan　Pereira；　for　example；　if　he　lives。　　Still；　I　am

not　the　only　one　concerned　in　this　matter。　　There　is　Marie　yonder。　

Shall　I　call　her？〃



He　nodded；　preferring　probably　that　I　should　speak　to　her　in　his

presence　rather　than　alone。



So　I　called　Marie；　who　was　watching　our　talk　somewhat　anxiously　while

she　went　about　her　tasks。　　She　came　at　once；　a　very　different　Marie　to

the　starving　girl　of　a　while　before；　for　although　she　was　still　thin　and

drawn；　her　youth　and　beauty　were　returning　to　her　fast　under　the

influences　of　good　food　and　happiness。



〃What　is　it；　Allan？〃　she　asked　gently。　　I　told　her　all；　repeating　our

conversation　and　the　arguments　which　had　been　used　on　either　side　word

for　word；　as　nearly　as　I　could　remember　them。



〃Is　that　right？〃　I　asked　of　Marais　when　I　had　finished。



〃It　is　right；　you　have　a　good　memory；〃　he　answered。



〃Very　well。　　And　now　what　have　you　to　say；　Marie？〃



〃I；　dear　Allan？　　Why；　this：　My　life　belongs　to　you；　who　have　twice　saved

this　body　of　mine　from　death；　as　my　love　and　spirit　belong　to　you。　

Therefore；　I　should　have　thought　it　no　shame　if　I　had　been　given　to　you

here　and　now　before　the　people；　and　afterwards　married　by　a　clergyman

when　we　found　one。　　But　my　father　has　sworn　an　oath　which　weighs　upon

his　mind；　and　he　has　shown　you　that　within　six　monthsa　short　six

monthsthat　oath　dies　of　itself；　since；　by　the　law；　he　can　no　longer

control　me。　　So；　Allan；　as　I　would　not　grieve　him；　or　perhaps　lead　him

to　say　and　do　what　is　foolish；　I　think　it　would　be　well　that　we　should

wait　for　those　six　months；　if；　on　his　part；　he　promises　that