marie-第6章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



our　attention　to　war。



Now　the　light　was　beginning　to　grow；　flowing　out　of　the　pearly　eastern

sky；　but　no　attack　had　yet　been　delivered；　although　that　one　was

imminent　that　spear　fixed　in　the　plaster　of　the　wall　behind　us　showed

clearly。　　Perhaps　the　Kaffirs　had　been　frightened　by　the　galloping　of

horses　through　their　line　in　the　dark；　not　knowing　how　many　of　them

there　might　have　been。　　Or　perhaps　they　were　waiting　to　see　better　where

to　deliver　their　onset。　　These　were　the　ideas　that　occurred　to　me；　but

both　were　wrong。



They　were　staying　their　hands　until　the　mist　lifted　a　little　from　the

hollow　below　the　stead　where　the　cattle　kraals　were　situated；　for　while

the　fog　remained　they　could　not　see　to　get　the　beasts　out。　　These　they

wished　to　make　sure　of　and　drive　away　before　the　fight　began；　lest

during　its　progress　something　should　happen　to　rob　them　of　their　booty。



Presently；　from　these　kraals；　where　the　Heer　Marais's　horned　beasts　and

sheep　were　penned　at　night；　about　one　hundred　and　fifty　of　the　former

and　some　two　thousand　of　the　latter；　to　say　nothing　of　the　horses；　for

he　was　a　large　and　prosperous　farmer；　there　arose　a　sound　of　bellowing；

neighing；　and　baaing；　and　with　it　that　of　the　shouting　of　men。



〃They　are　driving　off　the　stock；〃　said　Marie。　　〃Oh！　my　poor　father；　he

is　ruined；　it　will　break　his　heart。〃



〃Bad　enough；〃　I　answered；　〃but　there　are　things　that　might　be　worse。　

Hark！〃



As　I　spoke　there　came　a　sound　of　stamping　feet　and　of　a　wild　war　chant。　

Then　in　the　edge　of　the　mist　that　hung　above　the　hollow　where　the　cattle

kraals　were；　figures　appeared；　moving　swiftly　to　and　fro；　looking

ghostly　and　unreal。　　The　Kaffirs　were　marshalling　their　men　for　the

attack。　　A　minute　more　and　it　had　begun。　　On　up　the　slope　they　came　in

long；　wavering　lines；　several　hundreds　of　them；　whistling　and　screaming；

shaking　their　spears；　their　war…plumes　and　hair　trappings　blown　back　by

the　breeze；　the　lust　of　slaughter　in　their　rolling　eyes。　　Two　or　three

of　them　had　guns；　which　they　fired　as　they　ran；　but　where　the　bullets

went　I　do　not　know；　over　the　house　probably。



I　called　out　to　Leblanc　and　the　Kaffirs　not　to　shoot　till　I　did；　for　I

knew　that　they　were　poor　marksmen　and　that　much　depended　upon　our　first

volley　being　effective。　　Then　as　the　captain　of　this　attack　came　within

thirty　yards　of　the　stoepfor　now　the　light；　growing　swiftly；　was

strong　enough　to　enable　me　to　distinguish　him　by　his　apparel　and　the

rifle　which　he　heldI　loosed　at　him　with　the　〃roer〃　and　shot　him　dead。　

Indeed　the　heavy　bullet　passing　through　his　body　mortally　wounded

another　of　the　Quabies　behind。　　These　were　the　first　men　that　I　ever

killed　in　war。



As　they　fell；　Leblanc　and　the　rest　of　our　people　fired　also；　the　slugs

from　their　guns　doing　great　execution　at　that　range；　which　was　just　long

enough　to　allow　them　to　scatter。　　When　the　smoke　cleared　a　little　I　saw

that　nearly　a　dozen　men　were　down；　and　that　the　rest；　dismayed　by　this

reception；　had　halted。　　If　they　had　come　on　then；　while　we　were　loading；

doubtless　they　might　have　rushed　the　place；　but；　being　unused　to　the

terrible　effects　of　firearms；　they　paused；　amazed。　　A　number　of　them；

twenty　or　thirty　perhaps；　clustered　about　the　bodies　of　the　fallen

Kaffirs；　and；　seizing　my　second　gun；　I　fired　both　barrels　at　these　with

such　fearful　effect　that　the　whole　regiment　took　to　their　heels　and

fled；　leaving　their　dead　and　wounded　on　the　ground。　　As　they　ran　our

servants　cheered；　but　I　called　to　them　to　be　silent　and　load　swiftly；

knowing　well　that　the　enemy　would　soon　return。



For　a　time；　however；　nothing　happened；　although　we　could　hear　them

talking　somewhere　near　the　cattle　kraal；　about　a　hundred　and　fifty　yards

away。　　Marie　took　advantage　of　this　pause；　I　remember；　to　fetch　food　and

distribute　it　among　us。　　I；　for　one；　was　glad　enough　to　get　it。



Now　the　sun　was　up；　a　sight　for　which　I　thanked　Heaven；　for；　at　any

rate；　we　could　no　longer　be　surprised。　　Also；　with　the　daylight；　some　of

my　fear　passed　away；　since　darkness　always　makes　danger　twice　as

terrible　to　man　and　beast。　　Whilst　we　were　still　eating　and　fortifying

the　window…places　as　best　we　could；　so　as　to　make　them　difficult　to

enter；　a　single　Kaffir　appeared；　waving　above　his　head　a　stick　to　which

was　tied　a　white　ox…tail　as　a　sign　of　truce。　　I　ordered　that　no　one

should　fire；　and　when　the　man；　who　was　a　bold　fellow；　had　reached　the

spot　where　the　dead　captain　lay；　called　to　him；　asking　his　business；　for

I　could　speak　his　language　well。



He　answered　that　he　had　come　with　a　message　from　Quabie。　　This　was　the

message：　that　Quabie's　eldest　son　had　been　cruelly　murdered　by　the　fat

white　man　called　〃Vulture〃　who　lived　with　the　Heer　Marais；　and　that　he；

Quabie；　would　have　blood　for　blood。　　Still；　he　did　not　wish　to　kill　the

young　white　chieftainess　（that　was　Marie）　or　the　others　in　the　house；

with　whom　he　had　no　quarrel。　　Therefore　if　we　would　give　up　the　fat

white　man　that　he　might　make　him　〃die　slowly；〃　Quabie　would　be　content

with　his　life　and　with　the　cattle　that　he　had　already　taken　by　way　of　a

fine；　and　leave　us　and　the　house　unmolested。



Now；　when　Leblanc　understood　the　nature　of　this　offer　he　went　perfectly

mad　with　mingled　fear　and　rage；　and　began　to　shout　and　swear　in　French。



〃Be　silent；〃　I　said；　〃we　do　not　mean　to　surrender　you；　although　you　have

brought　all　this　trouble　on　us。　　Your　chance　of　life　is　as　good　as　ours。

　Are　you　not　ashamed　to　act　so　before　these　black　people？〃



When　at　last　he　grew　more　or　less　quiet　I　called　to　the　messenger　that

we　white　folk　were　not　in　the　habit　of　abandoning　each　other；　and　that

we　would　live　or　die　together。　　Still；　I　bade　him　tell　Quabie　that　if　we

did　die；　the　vengeance　taken　on　him　and　all　his　people　would　be　to　wipe

them　out　till　not　one　of　them　was　left；　and　therefore　that　he　would　do

well　not　to　cause　any　of　our　blood　to　flow。　　Also；　I　added；　that　we　had

thirty　men　in　the　house　（which；　of　course；　was　a　lie）　and　plenty　of

ammunition　and　food；　so　that　if　he　chose　to　continue　the　attack　it　would

be　the　worse　for　him　and　his　tribe。



On　hearing　this　the　herald　shouted　back　that　we　should　every　one　of　us

be　dead　before　noon　if　he　had　his　way。　　Still；　he　would　report　my　words

faithfully　to　Quabie　and　bring　his　answer。



Then　he　turned　and　began　to　walk　off。　　Just　as　he　did　so　a　shot　was

fired　from　the　house；　and　the　man　pitched　forward　to　the　ground；　then

rose　again　and　staggered　back　towards　his　people；　with　his　right

shoulder　shattered　and　his　arm　swinging。



〃Who　did　that？〃　I　asked　through　the　smoke；　which　prevented　me　from

seeing。



〃I；　parbleu！〃　shouted　Leblanc。　　〃Sapristi！　that　black　devil　wanted　to

torture　me；　Leblanc；　the　friend　of　the　great　Napoleon。　　Well；　at　least　I

have　tortured　him　whom　I　meant　to　kill。〃



〃Yes；　you　fool；〃　I　answered；　〃and　we；　too；　shall　be　tortured　because　of

your　wickedness。　　You　have　shot　a　messenger　carrying　a　flag　of　truce；

and　that　the　Quabies　will　never　forgive。　　Oh！　I　tell　you　that　you　have

hit　us　as　well　as　him；　who　had　it　not　been　for　you　might　have　been

spared。〃



These　words　I　said　quite　quietly　and　in　Dutch；　so　that　our　Kaffirs　might

understand　them；　though　really　I　was　boiling　with　wrath。



But　Leblanc　did　not　answer　quietly。



〃Who　are　you；〃　he　shouted；　〃you　wretched　little　Englishman；　who　dare　to

lecture　me；　Leblanc；　the　friend　of　the　great　Napoleon？〃



Now　I　drew　my　pistol　and　walked　up　to　the　man。



〃Be　quiet；　you　drunken　sot；〃　I　said；　for　I　guessed　that　he　had　drunk

more　of　the　brandy　in　the　darkness。　　〃If　you　are　not　quiet　and　do　not

obey　me；　who　am　in　command　here；　either　I　will　blow　your　brains　out；　or

I　will　give　you　to　these　men；〃　and　I　pointed　to　Hans　and　the　Kaffirs；

who　had　gathered　round　him；　muttering　ominously。　　〃Do　you　know　what　they

will　do　with　you？　They　will　throw　you　out　of　the　house；　and　leave　you　to

settle　your　quarrel　with　Quabie　alone。〃



Leblanc　looked　first　at　the　pistol；　and　next　at　the　faces　of　the

natives；　and　saw　something　in　one　or　other　of　them；　or　in　both；　that

caused　him　to　change　his　note。



〃Pardon；　monsieur；〃　he　said；　〃I　was　excited。　　I　　knew　not　what　I　said。　

If　you　are　young　you　are　brave　and　clever；　and　I　will　obey　you；〃　and　he

went　to　his　station　and　began　to　re…load　his　gun。　　　As　he　did　so　a　great

shout　of　fury　rose　from　the　cattle　kraal。　　The　wounded　herald　had

reached　the　Quabies　and　was　telling　them　of　the　treachery　of　the　white

people。







CHAPTER　III









THE　RESCUE











The　second　Quabie　advance　did　not　begin　till　about　half…past　seven。　

Even　savages　love　their　lives　and　appreciate　the　fact　that　wounds　hurt

very　much；　and　these　were　no　exception　to　the　rule。　　Their　first　rush

had　taught　them　a　bitter　lesson；　of　which　the　fruit　was　evident　in　the

crippled　or　dying　men　who　rolled　to　and　fro　baked　in　the　hot　sun　within

a　few　yards　of　the　stoep；　not　to　speak　of　those　who　would　never　stir

again。　　Now；　the　space　around　the　house　being　quite　open　and　bare　of

cover；　it　was　obvious　that　it　could　not　be　stormed　without　further　heavy

losses。　　In　order　to　avoid　such　losses　a　civilised　people　would　have

advanced　by　means　of　trenches；　but　of　these　the　Quabies　knew　nothing；

moreover；　digging　tools　were　lacking　to　them。



So　it　came　about　that　they　hit　upon　another；　and　in　the　circumstances　a

not　inefficient　expedient。　　The　cattle　kraal　was　built　of　rough；

unmortared　stones。　　Those　stones　they　took；　each　man　carrying　two　or

three；　which；　rushing　forward；　they　piled　up　into　scattered　rough

defences　of　about　eighteen　inches　or　two　feet　high。　　These　defences　were

instantly　occupied　by　as　many　warriors　as　could　take　shelter　behind

them；　lying　one　on　top　of　the　other。　　Of　course；　those　savages　who

carried　the　first　stones　were　exposed　to　our　fire；　with　the　result　that

many　of　them　fell；　but　there　were　always　plenty　more　behind。　　As　they

were　being　built　at　a　dozen　different　points；　and　we　had　but　seven　guns；

before　we　could　reload；　a　particular　schanz；　of　which　perhaps　the　first

builders　had　fallen；　would　be　raised　so　high　that　our　slugs　could　no

longer　hurt　those　who　lay　behind　it。　　Also；　our　supply　of　ammunition　was

limited；　and　the　constant　expenditure　wasted　it　so　much　that　at　length

only　about　six　charges　per　man　remained。　　At　last；　indeed；　I　was　obliged

to　order　the　firing　to　cease；　so　that　we　might　reserve　ourselves　for　the

great　rush　which　could　not　now　be　much　delayed。



Finding　that　they　were　no　longer　harassed　by　our　bullets；　the　Quabies

advanced　more　rapidly；　directing　their　attack　upon　the　south　end　of　the

house；　where　there　was　but　one　window；　and　thus　avoiding　the　fire　that

might　be　poured　upon　them　from　the　various　openings　under　the　veranda。　

At　first　I　wondered　why　they　selected　this　end；　till　Marie　reminded　me

that　this　part　of　the　dwell