marie-第3章

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I　suppose　that　I　looked　snubbed　and　mortified；　for　she　went　on　in　her

grave；　grown…up　way：　〃Why　are　you　angry　because　God　made　me　taller　than

you？　especially　as　I　am　whole　months　older；　for　my　father　told　me　so。　

Come；　let　us　write　our　names　against　these　marks；　so　that　in　a　year　or

two　you　may　see　how　you　outgrow　me。〃　　Then　with　the　slate　pencil　she

scratched　〃Marie〃　against　her　mark　very　deeply；　so　that　it　might　last；

she　said；　after　which　I　wrote　〃Allan〃　against　mine。



Alas！　　Within　the　last　dozen　years　chance　took　me　past　Maraisfontein

once　more。　　The　house　had　long　been　rebuilt；　but　this　particular　wall

yet　stood。　　I　rode　to　it　and　looked；　and　there　faintly　could　still　be

seen　the　name　Marie；　against　the　little　line；　and　by　it　the　mark　that　I

had　made。　　My　own　name　and　with　it　subsequent　measurements　were　gone；

for　in　the　intervening　forty　years　or　so　the　sandstone　had　flaked　away

in　places。　　Only　her　autograph　remained；　and　when　I　saw　it　I　think　that

I　felt　even　worse　than　I　did　on　finding　whose　was　the　old　Bible　that　I

had　bought　upon　the　market　square　at　Maritzburg。



I　know　that　I　rode　away　hurriedly　without　even　stopping　to　inquire　into

whose　hands　the　farm　had　passed。　　Through　the　peach　orchard　I　rode；

where　the　treesperhaps　the　same；　perhaps　otherswere　once　more　in

bloom；　for　the　season　of　the　year　was　that　when　Marie　and　I　first　met；

nor　did　I　draw　rein　for　half　a　score　of　miles。



But　here　I　may　state　that　Marie　always　stayed　just　half　an　inch　the

taller　in　body；　and　how　much　taller　in　mind　and　spirit　I　cannot　tell。





When　we　had　finished　our　measuring　match　Marie　turned　to　lead　me　to　the

house；　and；　pretending　to　observe　for　the　first　time　the　beautiful

bustard　and　the　two　koran　hanging　from　my　saddle；　also　the　klipspringer

buck　that　Hans　the　Hottentot　carried　behind　him　on　his　horse；　asked：



〃Did　you　shoot　all　these；　Allan　Quatermain？〃



〃Yes；〃　I　answered　proudly；　〃I　killed　them　in　four　shots；　and　the　pauw

and　koran　were　flying；　not　sitting；　which　is　more　than　you　could　have

done；　although　you　are　taller；　Miss　Marie。〃



〃I　do　not　know；〃　she　answered　reflectively。　　〃I　can　shoot　very　well　with

a　rifle；　for　my　father　has　taught　me；　but　I　never　would　shoot　at　living

things　unless　I　must　because　I　was　hungry；　for　I　think　that　to　kill　is

cruel。　　But；　of　course；　it　is　different　with　men；〃　she　added　hastily；

〃and　no　doubt　you　will　be　a　great　hunter　one　day；　Allan　Quatermain；

since　you　can　already　aim　so　well。〃



〃I　hope　so；〃　I　answered；　blushing　at　the　compliment；　〃for　I　love

hunting；　and　when　there　are　so　many　wild　things　it　does　not　matter　if　we

kill　a　few。　　I　shot　these　for　you　and　your　father　to　eat。〃



〃Come；　then；　and　give　them　to　him。　　He　will　thank　you；〃　and　she　led　the

way　through　the　gate　in　the　sandstone　wall　into　the　yard；　where　the

outbuildings　stood　in　which　the　riding　horses　and　the　best　of　the

breeding　cattle　were　kept　at　night；　and　so　past　the　end　of　the　long；

one…storied　house；　that　was　stone…built　and　whitewashed；　to　the　stoep　or

veranda　in　front　of　it。



On　the　broad　stoep；　which　commanded　a　pleasant　view　over　rolling；

park…like　country；　where　mimosa　and　other　trees　grew　in　clumps；　two　men

were　seated；　drinking　strong　coffee；　although　it　was　not　yet　ten　o'clock

in　the　morning。



Hearing　the　sound　of　the　horses；　one　of　these；　Mynheer　Marais；　whom　I

already　knew；　rose　from　his　hide…strung　chair。　　He　was；　as　I　think　I

have　said；　not　in　the　least　like　one　of　the　phlegmatic　Boers；　either　in

person　or　in　temperament；　but；　rather；　a　typical　Frenchman；　although　no

member　of　his　race　had　set　foot　in　France　for　a　hundred　and　fifty　years。

　At　least　so　I　discovered　afterwards；　for；　of　course；　in　those　days　I

knew　nothing　of　Frenchmen。



His　companion　was　also　French；　Leblanc　by　name；　but　of　a　very　different

stamp。　　In　person　he　was　short　and　stout。　　His　large　head　was　bald

except　for　a　fringe　of　curling；　iron…grey　hair　which　grew　round　it　just

above　the　ears　and　fell　upon　his　shoulders；　giving　him　the　appearance　of

a　tonsured　but　dishevelled　priest。　　His　eyes　were　blue　and　watery；　his

mouth　was　rather　weak；　and　his　cheeks　were　pale；　full　and　flabby。　　When

the　Heer　Marais　rose；　I；　being　an　observant　youth；　noted　that　Monsieur

Leblanc　took　the　opportunity　to　stretch　out　a　rather　shaky　hand　and　fill

up　his　coffee　cup　out　of　a　black　bottle；　which　from　the　smell　I　judged

to　contain　peach　brandy。



In　fact；　it　may　as　well　be　said　at　once　that　the　poor　man　was　a

drunkard；　which　explains　how　he；　with　all　his　high　education　and　great

ability；　came　to　hold　the　humble　post　of　tutor　on　a　remote　Boer　farm。　

Years　before；　when　under　the　influence　of　drink；　he　had　committed　some

crime　in　FranceI　don't　know　what　it　was；　and　never　inquiredand　fled

to　the　Cape　to　avoid　prosecution。　　Here　he　obtained　a　professorship　at

one　of　the　colleges；　but　after　a　while　appeared　in　the　lecture…room

quite　drunk　and　lost　his　employment。　　The　same　thing　happened　in　other

towns；　till　at　last　he　drifted　to　distant　Maraisfontein；　where　his

employer　tolerated　his　weakness　for　the　sake　of　the　intellectual

companionship　for　which　something　in　his　own　nature　seemed　to　crave。　

Also；　he　looked　upon　him　as　a　compatriot　in　distress；　and　a　great　bond

of　union　between　them　was　their　mutual　and　virulent　hatred　of　England

and　the　English；　which　in　the　case　of　Monsieur　Leblanc；　who　in　his　youth

had　fought　at　Waterloo　and　been　acquainted　with　the　great　Emperor；　was

not　altogether　unnatural。



Henri　Marais's　case　was　different；　but　of　that　I　shall　have　more　to　say

later。



〃Ah；　Marie；〃　said　her　father；　speaking　in　Dutch；　〃so　you　have　found　him

at　last；〃　and　he　nodded　towards　me；　adding：　〃You　should　be　flattered；

little　man。　　Look　you；　this　missie　has　been　sitting　for　two　hours　in　the

sun　waiting　for　you；　although　I　told　her　you　would　not　arrive　much

before　ten　o'clock；　as　your　father　the　predicant　said　you　would

breakfast　before　you　started。　　Well；　it　is　natural；　for　she　is　lonely

here；　and　you　are　of　an　age；　although　of　a　different　race〃；　and　his　face

darkened　as　he　spoke　the　words。



〃Father；〃　answered　Marie；　whose　blushes　I　could　see　even　in　the　shadow

of　her　cap；　〃I　was　not　sitting　in　the　sun；　but　under　the　shade　of　a

peach　tree。　　Also；　I　was　working　out　the　sums　that　Monsieur　Leblanc　set

me　on　my　slate。　　See；　here　they　are；〃　and　she　held　up　the　slate；　which

was　covered　with　figures；　somewhat　smudged；　it　is　true；　by　the　rubbing

of　my　stiff　hair　and　of　her　cap。



Then　Monsieur　Leblanc　broke　in；　speaking　in　French；　of　which；　as　it

chanced　I　understood　the　sense；　for　my　father　had　grounded　me　in　that

tongue；　and　I　am　naturally　quick　at　modern　languages。　　At　any　rate；　I

made　out　that　he　was　asking　if　I　was　the　little　〃cochon　d'anglais；〃　or

English　pig；　whom　for　his　sins　he　had　to　teach。　　He　added　that　he　judged

I　must　be；　as　my　hair　stuck　up　on　my　headI　had　taken　off　my　hat　out　of

politenessas　it　naturally　would　do　on　a　pig's　back。



This　was　too　much　for　me；　so；　before　either　of　the　others　could　speak；　I

answered　in　Dutch；　for　rage　made　me　eloquent　and　bold：



〃Yes；　I　am　he；　but；　mynheer；　if　you　are　to　be　my　master；　I　hope　you　will

not　call　the　English　pigs　any　more　to　me。〃



〃Indeed；　gamin〃　（that　is；　little　scamp）；　〃and　pray；　what　will　happen　if

I　am　so　bold　as　to　repeat　that　truth？〃



〃I　think；　mynheer；〃　I　replied；　growing　white　with　rage　at　this　new

insult；　〃the　same　that　has　happened　to　yonder　buck；〃　and　I　pointed　to

the　klipspringer　behind　Hans's　saddle。　　〃I　mean　that　I　shall　shoot　you。〃



〃Peste！　　Au　moins　il　a　du　courage；　cet　enfant〃　（At　least　the　child　is

plucky）；　exclaimed　Monsieur　Leblanc；　astonished。　　From　that　moment；　I

may　add；　he　respected　me；　and　never　again　insulted　my　country　to　my

face。



Then　Marais　broke　out；　speaking　in　Dutch　that　I　might　understand：



〃It　is　you　who　should　be　called　pig；　Leblanc；　not　this　boy；　for；　early

as　it　is；　you　have　been　drinking。　　Look！　the　brandy　bottle　is　half

empty。　　Is　that　the　example　you　set　to　the　young？　　Speak　so　again　and　I

turn　you　out　to　starve　on　the　veld。　　Allan　Quatermain；　although；　as　you

may　have　heard；　I　do　not　like　the　English；　I　beg　your　pardon。　　I　hope

you　will　forgive　the　words　this　sot　spoke；　thinking　that　you　did　not

understand；〃　and　he　took　off　his　hat　and　bowed　to　me　quite　in　a　grand

manner；　as　his　ancestors　might　have　done　to　a　king　of　France。



Leblanc's　face　fell。　　Then　he　rose　and　walked　away　rather　unsteadily；　as

I　learned　afterwards；　to　plunge　his　head　in　a　tub　of　cold　water　and

swallow　a　pint　of　new　milk；　which　were　his　favourite　antidotes　after　too

much　strong　drink。　　At　any　rate；　when　he　appeared　again；　half　an　hour

later；　to　begin　out　lesson；　he　was　quite　sober；　and　extremely　polite。



When　he　had　gone；　my　childish　anger　being　appeased；　I　presented　the　Heer

Marais　with　my　father's　compliments；　also　with　the　buck　and　the　birds；

whereof　the　latter　seemed　to　please　him　more　than　the　former。　　Then　my

saddle…bags　were　taken　to　my　room；　a　little　cupboard　of　a　place　next　to

that　occupied　by　Monsieur　Leblanc；　and　Hans　was　sent　to　turn　the　horses

out　with　the　others　belonging　to　the　farm；　having　first　knee…haltered

them　tightly；　so　that　they　should　not　run　away　home。



This　done；　the　Heer　Marais　showed　me　the　room　in　which　we　were　to　have

our　lessons；　one　of　the　〃sitkammer〃；　or　sitting　chambers；　whereof；

unlike　most　Boer　stead；　this　house　boasted　two。　　I　remember　that　the

floor　was　made　of　〃daga〃；　that　is；　ant…heap　earth　mixed　with　cow…dung；

into　which　thousands　of　peach…stones　had　been　thrown　while　it　was　still

soft；　in　order　to　resist　footweara　rude　but　fairly　efficient

expedient；　and　one　not　unpleasing　to　the　eye。　　For　the　rest；　there　was

one　window　opening　on　to　the　veranda；　which；　in　that　bright　climate；

admitted　a　shaded　but　sufficient　light；　especially　as　it　always　stood

open；　the　ceiling　was　of　unplastered　reeds；　a　large　bookcase　stood　in

the　corner　containing　many　French　works；　most　of　them　the　property　of

Monsieur　Leblanc；　and　in　the　centre　of　the　room　was　the　strong；　rough

table　made　of　native　yellow…wood；　that　once　had　served　as　a　butcher's

block。　　I　recollect　also　a　coloured　print　of　the　great　Napoleon

commanding　at　some　battle　in　which　he　was　victorious；　seated　upon　a

white　horse　and　waving　a　field…marshal's　baton　over　piles　of　dead　and

wounded；　and　near　the　window；　hanging　to　the　reeds　of　the　ceiling；　the

nest　of　a　pair　of　red…tailed　swallows；　pretty　creatures　that；

notwithstanding　the　mess　they　made；　afforded　to　Marie　and　me　endless

amusement　in　the　intervals　of　our　work。



When；　on　that　day；　I　shuffled　shyly　into　this　homely　place；　and；

thinking　myself　alone　there；　fell　to　examining　it；　suddenly　I　was

brought　to　a　standstill　by　a　curious　choking　sound　which　seemed　to

proceed　from　the　shadows　behind　the　bookcase。　　Wondering　as　to　its

cause；　I　ad