marie-第51章

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that　he　had　heard。



As　he　said；　Marie　knelt　down　and　prayed；　or　thought　for　a　long　while；

then　rose　and　spoke。



〃Tante；〃　she　said　to　the　vrouw；　〃one　thing　is　clear；　that　Allan　will　be

murdered　at　the　dawn；　now　if　he　is　hidden　away　he　may　escape。〃



〃But　where　and　how　can　we　hide　him；〃　asked　the　vrouw；　〃seeing　that　the

place　is　guarded？〃



〃Tante；〃　said　Marie　again；　〃at　the　back　of　your　house　is　an　old　cattle

kraal　made　by　Kaffirs；　and　in　that　cattle　kraal；　as　I　have　seen；　there

are　mealie…pits　where　those　Kaffirs　stored　their　grain。　　Now　I　suggest

that　we　should　put　my　husband　into　one　of　those　mealie…pits　and　cover　it

over。　　There　the　Boers　might　not　find　him；　however　close　they　searched。〃



〃That　is　a　good　idea；〃　said　the　vrouw；　〃but　how　in　the　name　of　God　are

we　to　get　Allan　out　of　a　guarded　house　into　a　mealie…pit？〃



〃Tante；　I　have　a　right　to　go　to　my　husband's　house；　and　there　I　will　go。

　Afterwards；　too；　I　shall　have　the　right　to　leave　his　house　before　he　is

taken　away。　　Well；　he　might　leave　it　in　my　place；　_as　me_；　and　you　and

Hans　might　help　him。　　Then　in　the　morning　the　Boers　would　come　to　search

the　house　and　find　no　one　except　me。〃



〃That　is　all　very　pretty；〃　answered　the　vrouw；　〃but　do　you　think；　my

niece；　that　those　accursed　vultures　will　go　away　until　they　have　picked

Allan's　bones？　　Not　they；　for　too　much　hangs　on　it。　　They　will　know　that

he　cannot　be　far　off；　and　slink　about　the　place　until　they　have　found

him　in　his　mealie…hole　or　until　he　comes　out。　　It　is　blood　they　are

after；　thanks　to　your　cousin　Hernan；　the　liar；　and　blood　they　will　have

for　their　own　safety's　sake。　　Never　will　they　go　away　from　here　until

they　see　Allan　lying　dead　upon　the　ground。〃



Now；　according　to　Hans；　Marie　thought　again　very　deeply。　　Then　she

answered：



〃There　is　a　great　risk；　tante；　but　we　must　take　it。　　Send　your　husband

to　chat　with　those　guards；　and　give　him　a　bottle　of　spirits。　　I　will

talk　with　Hans　here　and　see　what　can　be　arranged。〃



So　Marie　went　aside　with　Hans；　as　he　told　me　afterwards；　and　asked　him

if　he　knew　of　any　medicine　that　made　people　sleep　for　a　long　while

without　waking。　　He　answered；　Yes；　all　the　coloured　people　had　plenty　of

such　medicine。　　Without　doubt　he　could　get　some　from　the　Kaffirs　who

dwelt　upon　the　place；　or　if　not　he　could　dig　the　roots　of　a　plant　that

he　had　seen　growing　near　by　which　would　serve　the　purpose。　　So　she　sent

him　to　procure　this　stuff。　　Afterwards　she　spoke　to　the　Vrouw　Prinsloo；

saying：



〃My　plan　is　that　Allan　should　escape　from　our　house　disguised　as　myself。

　But　as　I　know　well　that　he　will　not　run　away　while　he　has　his　senses；

seeing　that　to　do　so　in　his　mind　would　be　to　confess　his　guilt；　I

propose　to　take　his　senses　from　him　by　means　of　a　drugged　drink。　　Then　I

propose　that　you　and　Hans　should　carry　him　into　the　shadow　of　this

house；　and　when　no　one　is　looking；　to　the　old　grain…pit　that　lies　but　a

few　yards　away；　covering　the　mouth　of　it　with　dead　grass。　　There　he　will

remain　till　the　Boers　grow　tired　of　searching　for　him　and　ride　away。　　Or

if　it　should　chance　that　they　find　him；　he　will　be　no　worse　off　than　he

was　before。〃



〃A　good　plan　enough；　Marie；　though　not　one　that　Allan　would　have

anything　to　do　with　if　he　kept　his　wits；〃　answered　the　vrouw；　〃seeing

that　he　was　always　a　man　for　facing　things　out；　although　so　young　in

years。　　Still；　we　will　try　to　save　him　in　spite　of　himself　from　the

claws　of　that　stinkcat　Pereira；　whom　may　God　curse；　and　his　tool；　your

father。　　As　you　say；　at　the　worst　no　harm　will　be　done　even　if　they　find

him；　as　probably　they　will；　seeing　that　they　will　not　leave　this　place

without　blood。〃



Such　then　was　the　trick　which　Marie　arranged　with　the　Vrouw　Prinsloo。　

Or　rather；　I　should　say；　seemed　to　arrange；　since　she　told　her　nothing

of　her　real　mind；　she　who　knew　that　the　vrouw　was　right　and　that　for

their　own　sakes；　as　well　as　because　they　believed　it　to　be　justice；　the

Boers　would　never　leave　that　place　until　they　saw　blood　running　on　the

grass。



This；　oh！　this　was　Marie's　true　and　dreadful　plan_to　give　her　life　for

mine！_　　She　was　sure　that　once　he　had　slain　his　victim；　Hernan　Pereira

would　not　stop　to　make　examination　of　the　corpse。　　He　would　ride　away；

hounded　by　his　guilty　conscience；　and　meanwhile　I　could　escape。



She　never　thought　the　thing　out　in　all　its　details；　she　who　was　maddened

with　terror　and　had　no　time。　　She　only　felt　her　way　from　step　to　step；

dimly　seeing　my　deliverance　at　the　end　of　the　journey。　　Marie　told　the

Vrouw　Prinsloo　nothing；　except　that　she　proposed　to　drug　me　if　I　would

not　go　undrugged。　　Then　the　vrouw　must　hide　me　as　best　she　could；　in　the

grain…pit　or　elsewhere；　or；　if　I　had　my　senses　about　me；　let　me　hide

myself。　　Afterwards　she；　Marie；　would　face　the　Boers　and　tell　them　to

find　me　if　they　wanted　me。



The　vrouw　answered　that　she　had　now　thought　of　a　better　plan。　　It　was

that　she　should　arrange　with　her　husband　and　son　and　the　Meyers；　all　of

whom　loved　me；　that　they　should　rescue　me；　or　if　need　be；　kill　or

disable　Pereira　before　he　could　shoot　me。



Marie　replied　that　this　was　good　if　it　could　be　done；　and　the　vrouw　went

out　to　find　her　husband　and　the　other　men。　　Presently；　however；　she

returned　with　a　long　face；　saying　that　the　commandant　had　them　all　under

guard。　　It　seemed　that　it　had　occurred　to　him；　or　more　probably　to

Pereira；　that　the　Prinsloos　and　the　Meyers；　who　looked　on　me　as　a

brother；　might　attempt　some　rescue；　or　make　themselves　formidable　in

other　ways。　　Therefore；　as　a　matter　of　precaution；　they　had　been　put

under　arrest　and　their　arms　taken　from　them　as　mine　had　been。　　What　the

commandant　said；　however；　was　that　he　took　these　somewhat　high…handed

measures　in　order　to　be　sure　that　they；　the　Prinsloos　and　the　Meyers；

should　be　ready　on　the　following　morning　to　ride　with　him　and　the

prisoner　to　the　main　camp；　where　the　great　council　might　wish　to

interrogate　them。



One　concession；　however；　the　vrouw　had　won　from　the　commandant；　who；

knowing　what　was　about　to　happen　to　me；　had　not；　I　suppose；　the　heart　to

refuse。　　It　was　that　my　wife　and　she　might　visit　me　and　give　me　food　on

the　stipulation　that　they　both　left　the　house　where　I　was　confined　by

ten　o'clock　that　night。



So　it　came　to　this；　that　if　anything　was　to　be　done；　these　two　women　and

a　Hottentot　must　do　it；　since　they　could　hope　for　no　help　in　their

plans。　　Here　I　should　add　that　the　vrouw　told　Marie　in　Hans's　presence

that　she　had　thought　of　attacking　the　commandant　as　to　this　matter　of　my

proposed　shooting　by　Pereira。　　On　reflection；　however；　she　refrained　for

two　reasons；　first　because　she　feared　lest　she　might　only　make　matters

worse　and　rob　me　of　my　sole　helpers；　and　secondly　for　fear　lest　she

should　bring　about　the　death　of　Hans；　to　whom　the　story　would　certainly

be　traced。



As　he　was　the　solitary　witness　to　the　plot；　it　seemed　to　her　that　he

would　scarcely　be　allowed　to　escape　to　repeat　it　far　and　wide。　

Especially　was　this　so；　as　the　unexplained　death　of　a　Hottentot；

suspected　of　treachery　like　his　master；　was　not　a　matter　that　would　have

been　thought　worth　notice　in　those　rough　and　bloody　times。　　She　may　have

been　right；　or　she　may　have　been　wrong；　but　in　weighing　her　decision　it

must　always　be　borne　in　mind　that　she　was；　and　until　the　end　remained；

in　utter　ignorance　of　Marie's　heroic　design　to　go　to　her　death　in　place

of　me。



So　the　two　women　and　the　Hottentot　proceeded　to　mature　the　plans　which　I

have　outlined。　　One　other　alternative；　however；　Hans　did　suggest。　　It

was　that　they　should　try　to　drug　the　guards　with　some　of　the　medicated

drink　that　was　meant　for　me；　and　that　then　Marie；　I　and　he　should　slip

away　and　get　down　to　the　river；　there　to　hide　in　the　weeds。　　Thence；

perhaps；　we　might　escape　to　Port　Natal　where　lived　Englishmen　who　would

protect　us。



Of　course　this　idea　was　hopeless　from　the　first。　　The　moonlight　was

almost　as　bright　as　day；　and　the　veld　quite　open　for　a　long　way　round；

so　that　we　should　certainly　have　been　seen　and　re…captured；　which　of

course　would　have　meant　instant　death。　　Further；　as　it　happened；　the

guards　had　been　warned　against　touching　liquor　of　any　sort　since　it　was

thought　probable　that　an　attempt　would　be　made　to　intoxicate　them。　

Still　the　women　determined　to　try　this　scheme　if　they　could　find　a

chance。　　At　least　it　was　a　second　string　to　their　bow。



Meanwhile　they　made　their　preparations。　　Hans　went　away　for　a　little　and

returned　with　a　supply　of　his　sleep…producing　drug；　though　whether　he

got　this　from　the　Kaffirs　or　gathered　it　himself；　I　do　not　remember；　if

I　ever　heard。　　At　any　rate　it　was　boiled　up　in　the　water　with　which　they

made　the　coffee　that　I　was　to　drink；　though　not　in　that　which　Marie

proposed　to　drink　with　me；　the　strong　taste　and　black　hue　of　the　coffee

effectually　hiding　any　flavour　or　colour　that　there　might　be　in　the

herb。　　Also　the　vrouw　cooked　some　food　which　she　gave　to　Hans　to　carry。　

First；　however；　he　went　to　investigate　the　old　mealie…pit　which　was

within　a　few　paces　of　the　back　door　of　the　Prinsloos'　house。　　He

reported　that　it　would　do　well　to　hide　a　man　in；　especially　as　tall

grass　and　bushes　grew　about　its　mouth。



Then　the　three　of　them　started；　and　arriving　at　the　door　of　my　house；

which　was　about　a　hundred　yards　away；　were　of　course　challenged　by　the

sentries。



〃Heeren；〃　said　Marie；　〃the　commandant　has　given　us　leave　to　bring　food

to　my　husband；　whom　you　guard　within。　　Pray　do　not　prevent　us　from

entering。〃



〃No；〃　answered　one　of　them　gently　enough；　for　he　was　touched　with　pity

at　her　plight。　　〃We　have　our　orders　to　admit　you；　the　Vrouw　Prinsloo　and

the　native　servant；　though　why　three　of　you　should　be　needed　to　carry

food　to　one　man；　I　don't　know。　　I　should　have　thought　that　at　such　a

time　he　would　have　preferred　to　be　alone　with　his　wife。〃



〃The　Vrouw　Prinsloo　wishes　to　ask　my　husband　certain　questions　about　his

property　here　and　what　is　to　be　done　while　he　and　her　men　are　away　at

the　main　camp　for　the　second　trial；　as　I；　whose　heart　is　full　of　sorrow；

have　no　head　for　such　things。　　Also　the　Hottentot　must　have　orders　as　to

where　he　is　to　get　a　horse　to　ride　with　him；　so　pray　let　us　pass；

mynheer。〃



〃Very　good；　it　is　no　affair　of　ours；　Vrouw　Quatermain　　Stay；　I　suppose

that　you　have　no　arms　under　that　long　cloak　of　yours。〃



〃Search　me；　if　you　will；　mynheer；〃　she　answered；　opening　the　cloak；

whereon；　after　a　quick　glance；　he　nodded　and　bade　them　enter；　saying：



〃Mind；　you　are　to　come　out　by　ten　o'clock。　　You　must　not　pass　the　night

in　that　house；　or　we　shall　have　the　little　Englishman　oversleeping

himself　in　the　morning。〃



Then　they　entered　and　found　me　seated　at　a　table　preparing　notes　for　my

defence　and　setting　down　the　heads　of　the　facts　of　my　relations　with

Pereira；　Dingaan；　and　the　late　Commandant