marie-第47章

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Hans。　　He　ran　to　me；　and　seizing　my　foot；　kissed　it　again　and　again；

weeping　tears　of　joy　and　stuttering：



〃Oh；　baas；　to　think　that　I　should　find　you　who　were　dead；　alive；　and

find　myself　alive；　too。　　Oh！　baas；　never　again　will　I　doubt　about　the

Big　Man　in　the　sky　of　whom　your　reverend　father　is　so　fond。　　For　after　I

had　tried　all　our　own　spirits；　and　even　those　of　my　ancestors；　and　met

with　nothing　but　trouble；　I　said　the　prayer　that　the　reverend　taught　us；

asking　for　my　daily　bread　because　I　am　so　very　hungry。　　Then　I　looked

out　of　the　hole　and　there　you　were。　　Have　you　anything　to　eat　about　you；

baas？〃



As　it　chanced；　in　my　saddle…bags　I　had　some　biltong　that　I　had　saved

against　emergencies。　　I　gave　it　to　him；　and　he　devoured　it　as　a　famished

hyena　might　do；　tearing　off　the　tough　meat　in　lumps　and　bolting　them

whole。　　When　it　was　all　gone　he　licked　his　fingers　and　his　lips　and

stood　still　staring　at　me。



〃Tell　me　your　story；〃　I　repeated。



〃Baas；　I　went　to　fetch　the　horses　with　the　others；　and　ours　had　strayed。

　I　got　up　a　tree　to　look　for　them。　　Then　I　heard　a　noise；　and　saw　that

the　Zulus　were　killing　the　Boers；　so　knowing　that　presently　they　would

kill　us；　too；　I　stopped　in　that　tree；　hiding　myself　as　well　as　I　could

in　a　stork's　nest。　　Well；　they　came　and　assegaied　all　the　other　Totties；

and　stood　under　my　tree　cleaning　their　spears　and　getting　their　breath；

for　one　of　my　brothers　had　given　them　a　good　run。　　But　they　never　saw

me；　although　I　was　nearly　sick　from　fear　on　the　top　of　them。　　Indeed；　I

was　sick；　but　into　the　nest。



〃Well；　I　sat　in　that　nest　all　day；　though　the　sun　cooked　me　like　beef　on

a　stick；　and　when　night　came　I　got　down　and　ran；　for　I　knew　it　was　no

good　to　stop　to　look　for　you；　and　'every　man　for　himself　when　a　black

devil　is　behind　you；'　as　your　reverend　father　says。　　All　night　I　ran；

and　in　the　morning　hid　up　in　a　hole。　　Then　when　night　came　again　I　went

on　running。　　Oh！　they　nearly　caught　me　once　or　twice；　but　never　quite；

for　I　know　how　to　hide；　and　I　kept　where　men　do　not　go。　　Only　I　was

hungry；　hungry；　yes；　I　lived　on　snails　and　worms；　and　grass　like　an　ox；

till　my　middle　ached。　　Still；　at　last　I　got　across　the　river　and　near　to

the　camp。



〃Then　just　before　the　day　broke　and　I　was　saying；　'Now；　Hans；　although

your　heart　is　sad；　your　stomach　will　rejoice　and　sing；'　what　did　I　see

but　those　Zulu　devils；　thousands　of　them；　rush　down　on　the　camp　and　kill

all　the　poor　Boers。　　Men　and　women　and　the　little　children；　they　killed

them　by　the　hundred；　till　at　last　other　Boers　came　and　drove　them　away；

although　they　took　all　the　cattle　with　them。　　Well；　as　I　was　sure　that

they　would　come　back；　I　did　not　stop　there。　　I　ran　down　to　the　side　of

the　river；　and　have　been　crawling　about　in　the　reeds　for　days；　living　on

the　eggs　of　water…birds　and　a　few　small　fish　that　I　caught　in　the　pools；

till　this　morning；　when　I　heard　the　Zulus　again　and　slipped　up　here　into

this　hole。　　Then　you　came　and　stood　over　the　hole；　and　for　a　long　while

I　thought　you　were　a　ghost。



〃But　now　we　are　together　once　more　and　all　is　right；　just　as　what　your

reverend　father　always　said　it　would　be　with　those　who　go　to　church　on

Sunday；　like　me　when　there　was　nothing　else　to　do。〃　　And　again　he　fell

to　kissing　my　foot。



〃Hans；〃　I　said；　〃you　saw　the　camp。　　Was　the　Missie　Marie　there？〃



〃Baas；　how　can　I　tell；　who　never　went　into　it？　　But　the　wagon　she　slept

in　was　not　there；　no；　nor　that　of　the　Vrouw　Prinsloo　or　of　the　Heer

Meyer。〃



〃Thank　God！〃　I　gasped；　then　added：　〃Where　were　you　trying　to　get　to；

Hans；　when　you　ran　away　from　the　camp？〃



〃Baas；　I　thought　perhaps　that　the　Missie　and　the　Prinsloos　and　the

Meyers　had　gone　to　that　fine　farm　which　you　pegged　out；　and　that　I　would

go　and　see　if　they　were　there。　　Because　if　so；　I　was　sure　that　they

would　be　glad　to　know　that　you　were　really　dead；　and　give　me　some　food

in　payment　for　my　news。　　But　I　was　afraid　to　walk　across　the　open　veld

for　fear　lest　the　Zulus　should　see　me　and　kill　me。　　Therefore　I　came

round　through　the　thick　bush　along　the　river；　where　one　can　only　travel

slowly；　especially　if　hollow；〃　and　he　patted　his　wasted　stomach。



〃But；　Hans；〃　I　asked；　〃are　we　near　my　farm　where　I　set　the　men　to　build

the　houses　on　the　hill　above　the　river？〃



〃Of　course；　baas。　　Has　your　brain　gone　soft　that　you　cannot　find　your

way　about　the　veld？　　Four；　or　at　most　five；　hours　on　horseback；　riding

slow；　and　you　are　there。〃



〃Come　on；　Hans；〃　I　said；　〃and　be　quick；　for　I　think　that　the　Zulus　are

not　far　behind。〃



So　we　started；　Hans　hanging　to　my　stirrup　and　guiding　me；　for　I　knew

well　enough　that　although　he　had　never　travelled　this　road；　his　instinct

for　locality　would　not　betray　a　coloured　man；　who　can　find　his　way

across　the　pathless　veld　as　surely　as　a　buck　or　a　bird　of　the　air。



On　we　went　over　the　rolling　plain；　and　as　we　travelled　I　told　him　my

story；　briefly　enough；　for　my　mind　was　too　torn　with　fears　to　allow　me

to　talk　much。　　He；　too；　told　me　more　of　his　escape　and　adventures。　　Now

I　understood　what　was　that　news　which　had　so　excited　Kambula　and　his

soldiers。　　It　was　evident　that　the　Zulu　impis　had　destroyed　a　great

number　of　the　Boers　whom　they　found　unprepared　for　attack；　and　then　had

been　driven　off　by　reinforcements　that　arrived　from　other　camps。



That　was　why　I　had　been　kept　prisoner　for　all　those　days。　　Dingaan

feared　lest　I　should　reach　Natal　in　time　to　warn　his　victims！







CHAPTER　XX









THE　COURT…MARTIAL











One　hour；　two　hours；　three　hours；　and　then　suddenly　from　the　top　of　a

rise　the　sight　of　the　beautiful　Mooi　River　winding　through　the　plain

like　a　vast　snake　of　silver；　and　there；　in　a　loop　of　it；　the

flat…crested　koppie　on　which　I　had　hoped　to　make　my　home。　　Had

hoped！why　should　I　not　still　hope？　　For　aught　I　knew　everything　might

yet　be　well。　　Marie　might　have　escaped　the　slaughter　as　I　had　done；　and

if　so；　after　all　our　troubles　perchance　many　years　of　life　and　happiness

awaited　us。　　Only　it　seemed　too　good　to　be　true。



I　flogged　my　horse；　but　the　poor　beast　was　tired　out　and　could　only

break　into　short　canters；　that　soon　lapsed　to　a　walk　again。　　But　whether

it　cantered　or　whether　it　walked；　its　hoofs　seemed　to　beat　out　the

words〃Too　good　to　be　true！〃　　Sometimes　they　beat　them　fast；　and

sometimes　they　beat　them　slow；　but　always　their　message　seemed　the　same。



Hans；　too；　was　outworn　and　weak　from　starvation。　　Also　he　had　a　cut　upon

his　foot　which　hampered　him　so　much　that　at　last　he　said　I　had　better　go

on　alone；　he　would　follow　more　slowly。　　Then　I　dismounted　and　set　him　on

the　horse；　walking　by　it　myself。



Thus　it　came　about　that　the　gorgeous　sunset　was　finished　and　the　sky　had

grown　grey　with　night　before　we　reached　the　foot　of　the　koppie。　　Yet　the

last　rays　of　the　sinking　orb　had　shown　me　something　as　they　died。　　There

on　the　slope　of　the　hill　stood　some　mud　and　wattle　houses；　such　as　I　had

ordered　to　be　built；　and　near　to　them　several　white…capped　wagons。　　Only

I　did　not　see　any　smoke　rising　from　those　houses　as　there　should　have

been　at　this　hour　of　the　day；　when　men　cooked　their　evening　food。　　The

moon　would　be　up　presently；　I　knew；　but　meanwhile　it　was　dark　and　the

tired　horse　stumbled　and　floundered　among　the　stones　which　lay　about　at

the　foot　of　the　hill。



I　could　bear　it　no　longer。



〃Hans；〃　I　said；　〃do　you　stay　here　with　the　horse。　　I　will　creep　to　the

houses　and　see　if　any　dwell　there。〃



〃Be　careful；　baas；〃　he　answered；　〃lest　you　should　find　Zulus；　for　those

black　devils　are　all　about。〃



I　nodded；　for　I　could　not　speak；　and　then　began　the　ascent。　　For　several

hundred　yards　I　crept　from　stone　to　stone；　feeling　my　way；　for　the

Kaffir　path　that　led　to　the　little　plateau　where　the　spring　was；　above

which　the　shanties　stood；　ran　at　the　other　end　of　the　hill。　　I　struck

the　spruit　or　rivulet　that　was　fed　by　this　spring；　being　guided　to　it　by

the　murmur　of　the　water；　and　followed　up　its　bank　till　I　heard　a　sound

which　caused　me　to　crouch　and　listen。



I　could　not　be　sure　because　of　the　ceaseless　babble　of　the　brook；　but

the　sound　seemed　like　that　of　sobs。　　While　I　waited　the　great　moon

appeared　suddenly　above　a　bank　of　inky　cloud；　flooding　the　place　with

light；　and　oh！　by　that　light；　looking　more　ethereal　than　woman　I　sawI

saw　Marie！



She　stood　not　five　paces　from　me；　by　the　side　of　the　stream；　whither　she

had　come　to　draw　water；　for　she　held　a　vessel　in　her　hand。　　She　was

clothed　in　some　kind　of　a　black　garment；　such　as　widows　wear；　but　made

of　rough　stuff；　and　above　it　her　face　showed　　white　in　the　white　rays　of

the　moon。　　Gazing　at　her　from　the　shadow；　I　could　even　see　the　tears

running　down　her　cheeks；　for　it　was　she　who　wept　in　this　lonely　place；

wept　for　one　who　would　return　no　more。



My　voice　choked　in　my　throat；　I　could　not　utter　a　single　word。　　Rising

from　behind　a　rock　I　moved　towards　her。　　She　saw　me　and　started；　then

said　in　a　thrilling　whisper：



〃Oh！　husband；　has　God　sent　you　to　call　me？　　I　am　ready；　husband；　I　am

ready！〃　and　she　stretched　out　her　arms　wildly；　letting　fall　the　vessel；

that　clanked　upon　the　ground。



〃Marie！〃　I　gasped　at　length；　and　at　that　word　the　blood　rushed　to　her

face　and　brow；　and　I　saw　her　draw　in　her　breath　as　though　to　scream。



〃Hush！〃　I　whispered。　　〃It　is　I；　Allan；　who　have　escaped　alive。〃



The　next　thing　I　remember　was　that　she　lay　in　my　arms。





〃What　has　happened　here？〃　I　asked　when　I　had　told　my　tale；　or　some　of

it。



〃Nothing；　Allan；〃　she　answered。　　〃I　received　your　letter　at　the　camp；

and　we　trekked　away　as　you　bade　us；　without　telling　the　others　why；

because　you　remember　the　Commandant　Retief　wrote　to　us　not　to　do　so。　　So

we　were　out　of　the　great　slaughter；　for　the　Zulus　did　not　know　where　we

had　gone；　and　never　followed　us　here；　although　I　have　heard　that　they

sought　for　me。　　My　father　and　my　cousin　Hernan　only　arrived　at　the　camp

two　days　after　the　attack；　and　discovering　or　guessing　our

hiding…placeI　know　not　whichrode　on　hither。　　They　say　they　came　to

warn　the　Boers　to　be　careful；　for　they　did　not　trust　Dingaan；　but　were

too　late。　　So　they　too　were　out　of　the　slaughter；　for；　Allan；　many；　many

have　been　killedthey　say　five　or　six　hundred；　most　of　them　women　and

children。　　But　thank　God！　many　more　escaped；　since　the　men　came　in　from

the　other　camps　farther　off　and　from　their　shooting　parties；　and　drove

away　the　Zulus；　killing　them　by　scores。〃



〃Are　your　father　and　Pereira　here　now？〃　I　asked。



〃No；　Allan。　　They　learned　of　the　massacre　and　that　the　Zulus　were　all

gone　yesterday　morning。　　Also　they　got　the　bad　news　that　Retief　and

everyone　with　him　had　been　killed　at　Dingaan's　town；　it　is　said　through

the　treachery　of　the　English；　who　arranged　with　Dingaan　that　he　should

kill　them。〃



〃That　is　false；〃　I　said；　〃