marie-第7章

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

that　this　part　of　the　dwelling　was　thatched　with　reeds；　whereas　the　rest

of　the　building；　which　had　been　erected　more　recently；　was　slated。



Their　object　was　to　fire　the　roof。　　So　soon　as　their　last　wall　was　near

enough　（that　is；　about　half…past　ten　of　the　clock）　they　began　to　throw

into　the　thatch　assegais　to　which　were　attached　bunches　of　burning

grass。　　Many　of　these　went　out；　but　at　length；　as　we　gathered　from　their

shouts；　one　caught。　　Within　ten　minutes　this　part　of　the　house　was

burning。



Now　our　state　became　desperate。　　We　retreated　across　the　central

passage；　fearing　lest　the　blazing　rafters　should　fall　upon　our　natives；

who　were　losing　heart　and　would　no　longer　stay　beneath　them。　　But　the

Quabies；　more　bold；　clambered　in　through　the　south　window；　and　attacked

us　in　the　doorway　of　the　larger　sitting…room。



Here　the　final　fight　began。　　As　they　rushed　at　us　we　shot；　till　they

went　down　in　heaps。　　Almost　at　our　last　charge　they　gave　back；　and　just

then　the　roof　fell　upon　them。



Oh；　what　a　terrible　scene　was　that！　　The　dense　clouds　of　smoke；　the

screams　of　the　trapped　and　burning　men；　the　turmoil；　the　agony！



The　front　door　was　burst　in　by　a　flank　onslaught。



Leblanc　and　a　slave　who　was　near　him　were　seized　by　black；　claw…like

hands　and　dragged　out。　　What　became　of　the　Frenchman　I　do　not　know；　for

the　natives　hauled　him　away；　but　I　fear　his　end　must　have　been　dreadful；

as　he　was　taken　alive。　　The　servant　I　saw　them　assegai；　so　at　least　he

died　at　once。　　I　fired　my　last　shot；　killing　a　fellow　who　was

flourishing　a　battle…axe；　then　dashed　the　butt　of　the　gun　into　the　face

of　the　man　behind　him；　felling　him；　and；　seizing　Marie　by　the　hand；

dragged　her　back　into　the　northernmost　roomthat　in　which　I　was

accustomed　to　sleepand　shut　and　barred　the　door。



〃Allan；〃　she　gasped；　〃　Allan　dear；　it　is　finished。　　I　cannot　fall　into

the　hands　of　those　men。　　Kill　me；　Allan。〃



〃All　right；〃　I　answered；　〃I　will。　　I　have　my　pistol。　　One　barrel　for　you

and　one　for　me。〃



〃No；　no！　　Perhaps　you　might　escape　after　all；　but；　you　see；　I　am　a

woman；　and　dare　not　risk　it。　　Come　now；　I　am　ready；〃　and　she　knelt　down；

opening　her　arms　to　receive　the　embrace　of　death；　and　looked　up　at　me

with　her　lovely；　pitiful　eyes。



〃It　doesn't　do　to　kill　one's　love　and　live　on　oneself；〃　I　answered

hoarsely。　　〃We　have　got　to　go　together；〃　and　I　cocked　both　barrels　of

the　pistol。



The　Hottentot；　Hans；　who　was　in　the　place　with　us；　saw　and　understood。



〃It　is　right；　it　is　best！〃　he　said；　and　turning；　he　hid　his　eyes　with

his　hand。



〃Wait　a　little；　Allan；〃　she　exclaimed；　〃it　will　be　time　when　the　door　is

down；　and　perhaps　God　may　still　help　us。〃



〃He　may；〃　I　answered　doubtfully；　〃but　I　would　not　count　on　it。　　Nothing

can　save　us　now　unless　the　others　come　to　rescue　us；　and　that's　too　much

to　hope　for。〃



Then　a　thought　struck　me；　and　I　added　with　a　dreadful　laugh：　〃I　wonder

where　we　shall　be　in　five　minutes。〃



〃Oh！　together；　dear；　together　for　always　in　some　new　and　beautiful

world；　for　you　do　love　me；　don't　you；　as　I　love　you？　　Maybe　that's

better　than　living　on　here　where　we　should　be　sure　to　have　troubles　and

perhaps　be　separated　at　last。〃



I　nodded　my　head；　for　though　I　loved　life；　I　loved　Marie　more；　and　I

felt　that　we　were　making　a　good　end　after　a　brave　fight。　　They　were

battering　at　the　door　now；　but；　thank　Heaven；　Marais　had　made　strong

doors；　and　it　held　a　while。



The　wood　began　to　give　at　last；　an　assegai　appeared　through　a　shattered

plank；　but　Hans　stabbed　along　the　line　of　it　with　the　spear　he　held；

that　which　I　had　snatched　from　the　flank　of　the　horse；　and　it　was

dropped　with　a　scream。　　Black　hands　were　thrust　through　the　hole；　and

the　Hottentot　hacked　and　cut　at　them　with　the　spear。　　But　others　came；

more　than　he　could　pierce；　and　the　whole　door…frame　began　to　be　dragged

outwards。



〃Now；　Marie；　be　ready；〃　I　gasped；　lifting　the　pistol。



〃Oh；　Christ　receive　me！〃　she　answered　faintly。　　〃It　won't　hurt　much；

will　it；　Allan？〃



〃You　will　never　feel　anything；〃　I　whispered；　as　with　the　cold　sweat

pouring　from　me　I　placed　the　muzzle　within　an　inch　of　her　forehead　and

began　to　press　the　trigger。　　My　God！　yes；　I　actually　began　to　press　the

trigger　softly　and　steadily；　for　I　wished　to　make　no　mistake。



It　was　at　this　very　moment；　above　the　dreadful　turmoil　of　the　roaring

flames；　the　yells　of　the　savages　and　the　shrieks　and　groans　of　wounded

and　dying　men；　that　I　heard　the　sweetest　sound　which　ever　fell　upon　my

earsthe　sound　of　shots　being　fired；　many　shots；　and　quite　close　by。



〃Great　Heaven！〃　I　screamed；　〃the　Boers　are　here　to　save　us。　　Marie；　I

will　hold　the　door　while　I　can。　　If　I　fall；　scramble　through　the

windowyou　can　do　it　from　the　chest　beneathdrop　to　the　ground；　and

run　towards　the　firing。　　There's　a　chance　for　you　yet；　a　good　chance。〃



〃And　you；　you；〃　she　moaned。　　〃I　would　rather　die　with　you。〃



〃Do　what　I　bid　you；〃　I　answered　savagely；　and　bounded　forward　towards

the　rocking　door。



It　was　falling　outward；　it　fell；　and　on　the　top　of　it　appeared　two　great

savages　waving　broad　spears。　　I　lifted　the　pistol；　and　the　bullet　that

had　been　meant　for　Marie's　brain　scattered　that　of　the　first　of　them；

and　the　bullet　which　had　been　meant　for　my　heart　pierced　that　of　the

second。　　They　both　went　down　dead；　there　in　the　doorway。



I　snatched　up　one　of　their　spears　and　glanced　behind　me。　　Marie　was

climbing　on　to　the　chest；　I　could　just　see　her　through　the　thickening

smoke。　　Another　Quabie　rushed　on。　　Hans　and　I　received　him　on　the　points

of　our　assegais；　but　so　fierce　was　his　charge　that　they　went　through　him

as　though　he　were　nothing；　and　being　but　light；　both　of　us　were　thrown

backwards　to　the　ground。　　I　scrambled　to　my　feet　again；　defenceless　now；

for　the　spear　was　broken　in　the　Kaffir；　and　awaited　the　end。　　Looking

back　once　more　I　saw　that　Marie　had　either　failed　to　get　through　the

window　or　abandoned　the　attempt。　　At　any　rate　she　was　standing　near　the

chest　supporting　herself　by　her　right　hand。　　In　my　despair　I　seized　the

blade　end　of　the　broken　assegai　and　dragged　it　from　the　body　of　the

Kaffir；　thinking　that　it　would　serve　to　kill　her；　then　turned　to　do　the

deed。



But　even　as　I　turned　I　heard　a　voice　that　I　knew　well　shout：　〃Do　you

live；　Marie？〃　and　in　the　doorway　appeared　no　savage；　but　Henri　Marais。



Slowly　I　backed　before　him；　for　I　could　not　speak；　and　the　last　dreadful

effort　of　my　will　seemed　to　thrust　me　towards　Marie。　　I　reached　her　and

threw　my　hand　that　still　held　the　gory　blade　round　her　neck。　　Then　as

darkness　came　over　me　I　heard　her　cry：



〃Don't　shoot；　father。　　It　is　Allan；　Allan　who　has　saved　my　life！〃



After　that　I　remember　no　more。　　Nor　did　she　for　a　while；　for　we　both

fell　to　the　ground　senseless。





When　my　senses　returned　to　me　I　found　myself　lying　on　the　floor　of　the

wagon…house　in　the　back　yard。　　Glancing　from　my　half…opened　eyes；　for　I

was　still　speechless；　I　saw　Marie；　white　as　a　sheet；　her　hair　all

falling　about　her　dishevelled　dress。　　She　was　seated　on　one　of　those

boxes　that　we　put　on　the　front　of　wagons　to　drive　from；　〃voorkissies〃

they　are　called；　and　as　her　eyes　were　watching　me　I　knew　that　she　lived。

　By　her　stood　a　tall　and　dark　young　man　whom　I　had　never　seen　before。　

He　was　holding　her　hand　and　looking　at　her　anxiously；　and　even　then　I

felt　angry　with　him。　　Also　I　saw　other　things；　for　instance；　my　old

father　leaning　down　and　looking　at　_me_　anxiously；　and　outside　in　the

yard；　for　there　were　no　doors　to　the　wagon…house；　a　number　of　men　with

guns　in　their　hands；　some　of　whom　I　knew　and　others　who　were　strangers。　

In　the　shadow；　too；　against　the　wall；　stood　my　blood　mare　with　her　head

hanging　down　and　trembling　all　over。　　Not　far　from　her　the　roan　lay　upon

the　ground；　its　flank　quite　red。



I　tried　to　rise　and　could　not；　then　feeling　pain　in　my　left　thigh；

looked　and　saw　that　it　was　red　also。　　As　a　matter　of　fact　an　assegai　had

gone　half　through　it　and　hit　upon　the　bone。　　Although　I　never　felt　it　at

the　time；　this　wound　was　dealt　to　me　by　that　great　Quabie　whom　Hans　and

I　had　received　upon　our　spears；　doubtless　as　he　fell。　　Hans；　by　the　way；

was　there　also；　an　awful　and　yet　a　ludicrous　spectacle；　for　the　Quabie

had　fallen　right　on　the　top　of　him　and　lain　so　with　results　that　may；　be

imagined。　　There　he　sat　upon　the　ground；　looking　upwards；　gasping　with

his　fish…like　mouth。　　Each　gasp；　I　remember；　fashioned　itself　into　the

word　〃Allemachte！〃　that　is　〃Almighty；〃　a　favourite　Dutch　expression。



Marie　was　the　first　to　perceive　that　I　had　come　to　life　again。　　Shaking

herself　free　from　the　clasp　of　the　young　man；　she　staggered　towards　me

and　fell　upon　her　knees　at　my　side；　muttering　words　that　I　could　not

catch；　for　they　choked　in　her　throat。　　Then　Hans　took　in　the　situation；

and　wriggling　his　unpleasant　self　to　my　other　side；　lifted　my　hand　and

kissed　it。　　Next　my　father　spoke；　saying：



〃Praise　be　to　God；　he　lives！　　Allan；　my　son；　I　am　proud　of　you；　you　have

done　your　duty　as　an　Englishman　should。〃



〃Had　to　save　my　own　skin　if　I　could；　thank　you；　father；〃　I　muttered。



〃Why　as　an　Englishman　more　than　any　other　sort　of　man；　Mynheer

Predicant？〃　asked　the　tall　stranger；　speaking　in　Dutch；　although　he

evidently　understood　our　language。



〃The　point　is　one　that　I　will　not　argue　now；　sir；〃　answered　my　father；

drawing　himself　up。　　〃But　if　what　I　hear　is　true；　there　was　a　Frenchman

in　that　house　who　did　not　do　his　duty；　and　if　you　belong　to　the　same

nation；　I　apologise　to　you。〃



〃Thank　you；　sir；　as　it　happens；　I　do；　half。　　The　rest　of　me　is

Portuguese；　not　English；　thank　God。〃



〃God　is　thanked　for　many　things　that　must　surprise　Him；〃　replied　my

father　in　a　suave　voice。



At　that　moment　this　rather　disagreeable　conversation；　which　even　then

both　angered　and　amused　me　faintly；　came　to　an　end；　for　the　Heer　Marais

entered　the　place。



As　might　have　been　expected　in　so　excitable　a　man；　he　was　in　a　terrible

state　of　agitation。　　Thankfulness　at　the　escape　of　his　only；　beloved

child；　rage　with　the　Kaffirs　who　had　tried　to　kill　her；　and　extreme

distress　at　the　loss　of　most　of　his　propertyall　these　conflicting

emotions　boiled　together　in　his　breast　like　antagonistic　elements　in　a

crucible。



The　resulting　fumes　were　parti…coloured　and　overpowering。　　He　rushed　up

to　me；　blessed　and　thanked　me　（for　he　had　learnt　something　of　the　story

of　the　defence）；　called　me　a　young　hero　and　so　forth；　hoping　that　God

would　reward　me。　　Here　I　may　remark　that　_he_　never　did；　poor　man。　　Then

he　began　to　rave　at　Leblanc；　who　had　brought　all　this　dreadful　disaster

upon　his　house；　saying　that　it　was　a　judgement　on　himself　for　having

sheltered　an　atheist　and　a　drunkard　for　so　many　years；　just　because　he