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〃No； Allan； I was the other side of the reed partition。 But at those
words I entered and said： 'My father and Cousin Hernan； please
understand that there is one thing which will never happen。'
〃'What is that？' asked my cousin。
〃'It will never happen that I shall marry you； Hernan；' I replied。
〃'Who knows； Marie； who knows？' he said。
〃'I do； Hernan；' I answered。 'Even if Allan were to die to…morrow； I
would not marry you； either then or twenty years hence。 I am glad that
he has saved your life； but henceforth we are cousins； nothing more。'
〃'You hear what the girl tells us；' said my father； 'why do you not give
up the business？ What is the use of kicking against the pricks？'
〃'If one wears stout boots and kicks hard enough； the pricks give way；'
said Hernan。 'Six months is a long time； my uncle。'
〃'It may be so； cousin；' I said； 'but remember that neither six months
nor six years； nor six thousand years； are long enough to make me marry
any man except Allan Quatermain； who has just rescued you from death。
Do you understand？'
〃'Yes；' he replied； 'I understand that you will not marry me。 Only then
I promise that you shall not marry either Allan Quatermain or any other
man。'
〃'God will decide that；' I answered； and came away； leaving him and my
father together。 And now； Allan； tell me all that has happened since we
parted。〃
So I told her everything； including the Vrouw Prinsloo's advice。
〃Of course； Allan； you were quite right；〃 she remarked when I had
finished； 〃but I am not sure that the Vrouw Prinsloo was not also right
in her own fashion。 I am afraid of my cousin Hernan； who holds my
father in his handfast； fast。 Still； we have promised； and must keep
our word。〃
CHAPTER XI
THE SHOT IN THE KLOOF
I think it was about three weeks after these events that we began our
southward trek。 On the morning subsequent to our arrival at Marais's
camp； Pereira came up to me when several people were present； and；
taking my hand； thanked me in a loud voice for having saved his life。
Thenceforward； he declared； I should be dearer to him than a brother；
for was there not a blood bond between us？
I answered I did not think any such bond existed； indeed； I was not sure
what it meant。 I had done my duty by him； neither less nor more； and
there was nothing further to be said。
It turned out； however； that there was a great deal further to be said；
since Pereira desired to borrow money； or； rather； goods； from me。 He
explained that owing to the prejudices of the vulgar Boers who remained
alive in that camp； and especially of the scandalous…tongued Vrouw
Prinsloo； both he and his uncle had come to the conclusion that it would
be wise for him to remove himself as soon as possible。 Therefore he
proposed to trek away alone。
I answered that I should have thought he had done enough solitary
travelling in this veld； seeing how his last expedition had ended。 He
replied that he had； indeed； but everyone here was so bitter against him
that no choice was left。 Then he added with an outburst of truth：
〃Allemachte！ Mynheer Quatermain； do you suppose that it is pleasant for
me to see you making love all day to the maid who was my betrothed； and
to see her paying back the love with her eyes？ Yes； and doubtless with
her lips； too； from all I hear。〃
〃You could leave her whom you called your betrothed； but who never was
betrothed to anyone but me with her own will； to starve in the veld；
mynheer。 Why； then； should you be angry because I picked up that which
you threw away； that； too； which was always my own and not yours？ Had
it not been for me； there would now be no maid left for us to quarrel
over； as； had it not been for me； there would be no man left for me to
quarrel with about the maid。〃
〃Are you God； then； Englishman； that you dispose of the lives of men and
women at your will？ It was He Who saved us； not you。〃
〃He may have saved you； but it was through me。 I carried out the rescue
of these poor people whom you deserted； and I nursed you back to life。〃
〃I did not desert them； I went to get help for them。〃
〃Taking all the powder and the only horse with you！ Well； that is done
with； and now you want to borrow goods to pay for cattlefrom me； whom
you hate。 You are not proud； Mynheer Pereira； when you have an end to
serve； whatever that end may be；〃 and I looked at him。 My instinct
warned me against this false and treacherous man； who； I felt； was even
then plotting in his heart to bring some evil upon me。
〃No； I am not proud。 Why should I be； seeing that I mean to repay you
twice over for anything which you may lend me now？〃
I reflected a while。 Certainly our journey to Natal would be pleasanter
if Pereira were not of the company。 Also； if he went with us； I was
sure that before we came to the end of that trek； one or other of us
would leave his bones on the road。 In short； not to put too fine a
point on it； I feared lest in this way or in that he would bring me to
my death in order that he might possess himself of Marie。 We were in a
wild country； with few witnesses and no law courts； where such deeds
might be done again and again and the doer never called to account for
lack of evidence and judges。
So I made up my mind to fall in with his wishes； and we began to
bargain。 The end of it was that I advanced him enough of my remaining
goods to buy the cattle he required from the surrounding natives。 It
was no great quantity； after all； seeing that in this uncivilised place
an ox could be purchased for a few strings of beads or a cheap knife。
Further； I sold him a few of the beasts that I had broken； a gun； some
ammunition and certain other necessaries； for all of which things he
gave me a note of hand written in my pocket…book。 Indeed； I did more；
for as none of the Boers would help him I assisted Pereira to break in
the cattle he bought； and even consented when he asked me to give him
the services of two of the Zulus whom I had hired。
All these preparations took a long while。 If I remember right； twelve
more days had gone by before Pereira finally trekked off from Marais's
camp； by which time he was quite well and strong again。
We all assembled to see the start； and Marais offered up a prayer for
his nephew's safe journey and our happy meeting again in Natal at the
laager of Retief； which was to be our rendezvous； if that leader were
still in Natal。 No one else joined in the prayer。 Only Vrouw Prinsloo
audibly added another of her own。 It was to the effect that he might
not come back a second time； and that she might never see his face
again； either at Retief's laager or anywhere else； if it would please
the good Lord so to arrange matters。
The Boers tittered； even the Meyer children tittered； for by this time
the hatred of the Vrouw Prinsloo for Hernan Pereira wa