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his Christian and surname; his origin was Huguenot; his forefather; who
was also named Henri Maraisthough I think the Marais was spelt rather
differently thenhaving been one of the first of that faith who
emigrated to South Africa to escape the cruelties of Louis XIV。 at the
time of the revocation of the Edict of Nantes。
Unlike most Boers of similar descent; these particular Maraisfor; of
course; there are many other families so callednever forgot their
origin。 Indeed; from father to son; they kept up some knowledge of the
French tongue; and among themselves often spoke it after a fashion。 At
any rate; it was the habit of Henri Marais; who was excessively
religious; to read his chapter of the Bible (which it is; or was; the
custom of the Boers to spell out every morning; should their learning
allow them to do so); not in the 〃taal〃 or patois Dutch; but in good old
French。 I have the very book from which he used to read now; for;
curiously enough; in after years; when all these events had long been
gathered to the past; I chanced to buy it among a parcel of other works
at the weekly auction of odds and ends on the market square of
Maritzburg。 I remember that when I opened the great tome; bound over
the original leather boards in buckskin; and discovered to whom it had
belonged; I burst into tears。 There was no doubt about it; for; as was
customary in old days; this Bible had sundry fly…leaves sewn up with it
for the purpose of the recording of events important to its owner。
The first entries were made by the original Henri Marais; and record how
he and his compatriots were driven from France; his father having lost
his life in the religious persecutions。 After this comes a long list of
births; marriages and deaths continued from generation to generation;
and amongst them a few notes telling of such matters as the change of
the dwelling…places of the family; always in French。 Towards the end of
the list appears the entry of the birth of the Henri Marais whom I knew;
alas! too well; and of his only sister。 Then is written his marriage to
Marie Labuschagne; also; be it noted; of the Huguenot stock。 In the
next year follows the birth of Marie Marais; my Marie; and; after a long
interval; for no other children were born; the death of her mother。
Immediately below appears the following curious passage:
〃Le 3 Janvier; 1836。 Je quitte ce pays voulant me sauver du maudit
gouvernement Britannique comme mes ancetres se sont sauves de ce
diableLouis XIV。
〃A bas les rois et les ministres tyrannique! Vive la liberte!〃
Which indicates very clearly the character and the opinions of Henri
Marais; and the feeling among the trek…Boers at that time。
Thus the record closes and the story of the Marais endsthat is; so far
as the writings in the Bible go; for that branch of the family is now
extinct。
Their last chapter I will tell in due course。
There was nothing remarkable about my introduction to Marie Marais。 I
did not rescue her from any attack of a wild beast or pull her out of a
raging river in a fashion suited to romance。 Indeed; we interchanged
our young ideas across a small and extremely massive table; which; in
fact; had once done duty as a block for the chopping up of meat。 To
this hour I can see the hundreds of lines running criss…cross upon its
surface; especially those opposite to where I used to sit。
One day; several years after my father had emigrated to the Cape; the
Heer Marais arrived at our house in search; I think; of some lost oxen。
He was a thin; bearded man with rather wild; dark eyes set close
together; and a quick nervous manner; not in the least like that of a
Dutch Boeror so I recall him。 My father received him courteously and
asked him to stop to dine; which he did。
They talked together in French; a tongue that my father knew well;
although he had not used it for years; Dutch he could not; or; rather;
would not; speak if he could help it; and Mr。 Marais preferred not to
talk English。 To meet someone who could converse in French delighted
him; and although his version of the language was that of two centuries
before and my father's was largely derived from reading; they got on
very well together; if not too fast。
At length; after a pause; Mr。 Marais; pointing to myself; a small and
stubbly…haired youth with a sharp nose; asked my father whether he would
like me to be instructed in the French tongue。 The answer was that
nothing would please him better。
〃Although;〃 he added severely; 〃to judge by my own experience where
Latin and Greek are concerned; I doubt his capacity to learn anything。〃
So an arrangement was made that I should go over for two days in each
week to Maraisfontein; sleeping there on the intervening night; and
acquire a knowledge of the French tongue from a tutor whom Mr。 Marais
had hired to instruct his daughter in that language and other subjects。
I remember that my father agreed to pay a certain proportion of this
tutor's salary; a plan which suited the thrifty Boer very well indeed。
Thither; accordingly; I went in due course; nothing loth; for on the
veld between our station and Maraisfontein many pauw and koranthat is;
big and small bustardswere to be found; to say nothing of occasional
buck; and I was allowed to carry a gun; which even in those days I could
use fairly well。 So to Maraisfontein I rode on the appointed day;
attended by a Hottentot after…rider; a certain Hans; of whom I shall
have a good deal to tell。 I enjoyed very goof sport on the road;
arriving at the stead laden with one pauw; two koran; and a little
klipspringer buck which I had been lucky enough to shoot as it bounded
out of some rocks in front of me。
There was a peach orchard planted round Maraisfontein; which just then
was a mass of lovely pink blossom; and as I rode through it slowly; not
being sure of my way to the house; a lanky child appeared in front of
me; clad in a frock which exactly matched the colour of the peach bloom。
I can see her now; her dark hair hanging down her back; and her big;
shy eyes staring at me from the shadow of the Dutch 〃kappie〃 which she
wore。 Indeed; she seemed to be all eyes; like a 〃dikkop〃 or
thick…headed plover; at any rate; I noted little else about her。
I pulled up my pony and stared at her; feeling very shy and not knowing
what to say。 For a while she stared back at me; being afflicted;
presumably; with the same complaint; then spoke with an effort; in a
voice that was very soft and pleasant。
〃Are you the little Allan Quatermain who is coming to learn French with
me?〃 she asked in Dutch。
〃Of course;〃 I answered in the same tongue; which I knew well; 〃but why
do you call me little; missie? I am taller than you;〃 I added
indignantly; for when I was young my lack of height was always a sore
point with me。
〃I think not;〃 she replied。 〃But get off that horse; and we will
measure here agai