marie-第53章

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　One　of　these　I　recognised　even　in　my　half…drunken　state；　for　he　had

impressed　himself　very　vividly　upon　my　mind。　　He　was　the　dark…browed

commandant　who　had　tried　and　condemned　me　to　death。　　He　dismounted；　and；

staring　at　the　two　figures　that　lay　upon　the　ground；　said　in　a　loud　and

terrible　voice：



〃What　is　this？　　Who　are　these　men；　and　why　are　they　shot？　　Explain；

Henri　Marais。〃



〃Men！〃　wailed　Henri　Marais；　〃they　are　not　men。　　One　is　a　womanmy　only

child；　and　the　other　is　a　devil；　who；　being　a　devil；　will　not　die。　　See！

he　will　not　die。　　Give　me　another　gun　that　I　may　make　him　die。〃



The　commandant　looked　about　him　wildly；　and　his　eye　fell　upon　the　Vrouw

Prinsloo。



〃What　has　chanced；　vrouw？〃　he　asked。



〃Only　this；〃　she　replied　in　a　voice　of　unnatural　calm。　　〃Your　murderers

whom　you　set　on　in　the　name　of　law　and　justice　have　made　a　mistake。　　You

told　them　to　murder　Allan　Quatermain　for　reasons　of　your　own。　　Well；

they　have　murdered　his　wife　instead。〃



Now　the　commandant　struck　his　hand　upon　his　forehead　and　groaned；　and　I；

half　awakened　at　last；　ran　forward；　shaking　my　fists　and　gibbering。



〃Who　is　that？〃　asked　the　commandant。　　〃Is　it　a　man　or　a　woman？〃



〃It　is　a　man　in　woman's　clothing；　it　is　Allan　Quatermain；〃　answered　the

vrouw；　〃whom　we　drugged　and　tried　to　hide　from　your　butchers。〃



〃God　above　us！〃　exclaimed　the　commandant；　〃is　this　earth　or　hell？〃



Then　the　wounded　Pereira　raised　himself　upon　one　hand。



〃I　am　dying；〃　he　cried；　〃my　life　is　bleeding　away；　but　before　I　die　I

must　speak。　　All　that　story　I　told　against　the　Englishman　is　false。　　He

never　plotted　with　Dingaan　against　the　Boers。　　It　was　I　who　plotted　with

Dingaan。　　Although　I　hated　him　because　he　found　me　out；　I　did　not　wish

Retief　and　our　people　to　be　killed。　　But　I　did　wish　Allan　Quatermain　to

be　killed；　because　he　had　won　her　whom　I　loved；　though；　as　it　happened；

all　the　others　were　slain；　and　he　alone　escaped。　　Then　I　came　here　and

learned　that　Marie　was　his　wifeyes；　his　wife　indeedand　grew　mad　with

hate　and　jealousy。　　So　I　bore　false　witness　against　him；　and；　you　fools；

you　believed　me　and　ordered　me　to　shoot　him　who　is　innocent　before　God

and　man。　　Then　things　went　wrong。　　The　woman　tricked　me　againfor　the

last　time。　　She　dressed　herself　as　the　man；　and　in　the　dawnlight　I　was

deceived。　　I　killed　her；　her　whom　I　love　alone；　and　now　her　father；　who

loved　her　also；　has　killed　me。〃



By　this　time　I　understood　all；　for　my　drugged　brain　had　awakened　at

last。　　I　ran　to　the　brute　upon　the　ground；　grotesque　in　my　woman's

garments　all　awry；　I　leaped　on　him　and　stamped　out　the　last　of　his　life。

　Then；　standing　over　his　dead　body；　I　shook　my　fists　and　cried：



〃Men；　see　what　you　have　done。　　May　God　pay　you　back　all　you　owe　her　and

me！〃



They　dismounted；　they　came　round　me；　they　protested；　they　even　wept。　

And　I；　I　raved　at　them　upon　the　one　side；　while　the　mad　Henri　Marais

raved　upon　the　other；　and　the　Vrouw　Prinsloo；　waving　her　big　arms；

called　down　the　curse　of　God　and　the　blood　of　the　innocent　upon　their

heads　and　those　of　their　children　for　ever。



Then　I　remember　no　more。





When　I　came　to　myself　two　weeks　afterwards；　for　I　had　been　very　ill　and

in　delirium；　I　was　lying　in　the　house　of　the　Vrouw　Prinsloo　alone。　　The

Boers　had　all　gone；　east　and　west　and　north　and　south；　and　the　dead　were

long　buried。　　They　had　taken　Henri　Marais　with　them；　so　I　was　told；

dragging　him　away　in　a　bullock　cart；　to　which　he　was　tied；　for　he　was

raving　mad。　　Afterwards　he　became　quieter；　and；　indeed；　lived　for　years；

walking　about　and　asking　all　whom　he　met　if　they　could　lead　him　to

Marie。　　But　enough　of　himpoor　man；　poor　man！



The　tale　which　got　about　was　that　Pereira　had　murdered　Marie　out　of

jealousy；　and　been　shot　by　her　father。　　But　there　were　so　many　tragic

histories　in　those　days　of　war　and　massacre　that　this　particular　one　was

soon　quite　forgotten；　especially　as　those　concerned　in　it　for　one　reason

and　another　did　not　talk　overmuch　of　its　details。　　Nor　did　I　talk　of　it；

since　no　vengeance　could　mend　my　broken　heart。





They　brought　me　a　letter　that　had　been　found　on　Marie's　breast；　stained

with　her　blood。



Here　it　is：





〃MY　HUSBAND；



〃Thrice　have　you　saved　my　life；　and　now　it　is　my　turn　to　save　yours；　for

there　is　no　other　path。　　It　may　be　that　they　will　kill　you　afterwards；

but　if　so；　I　shall　be　glad　to　have　died　first　in　order　that　I　may　be

ready　to　greet　you　in　the　land　beyond。



〃I　drugged　you；　Allan；　then　I　cut　off　my　hair　and　dressed　myself　in　your

clothes。　　The　Vrouw　Prinsloo；　Hans　and　I　set　my　garments　upon　you。　　They

led　you　out　as　though　you　were　fainting；　and　the　guards；　seeing　me；　whom

they　thought　was　you；　standing　in　the　doorway；　let　them　pass　without

question。



〃What　may　happen　I　do　not　know；　for　I　write　this　after　you　are　gone。　　I

hope；　however；　that　you　will　escape　and　lead　some　full　and　happy　life；

though　I　fear　that　its　best　moments　will　always　be　shadowed　by　memories

of　me。　　For　I　know　you　love　me；　Allan；　and　will　always　love　me；　as　I

shall　always　love　you。



〃The　light　is　burning　outlike　mineso　farewell；　farewell；　farewell！　

All　earthly　stories　come　to　an　end　at　last；　but　at　that　end　we　shall

meet　again。　　Till　then；　adieu。　　Would　that　I　could　have　done　more　for

you；　since　to　die　for　one　who　is　loved　with　body；　heart　and　soul　is　but

a　little　thing。　　Still　I　have　been　your　wife；　Allan；　and　your　wife　I

shall　remain　when　the　world　is　old。　　Heaven　does　not　grow　old；　Allan；

and　there　I　shall　greet　you。



〃The　light　is　dead；　butoh！in　my　heart　another　light　arises！



〃Your　MARIE。〃





This　was　her　letter。



I　do　not　think　there　is　anything　more　to　be　said。





Such　is　the　history　of　my　first　love。　　Those　who　read　it；　if　any　ever

do；　will　understand　why　I　have　never　spoken　of　her　before；　and　do　not

wish　it　to　be　known　until　I；　too；　am　dead　and　have　gone　to　join　the

great　soul　of　Marie　Marais。





ALLAN　QUATERMAIN。











End