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！
〃Allemachte！ Allan；〃 he said； catching sight of me； 〃my heart is sore； I
do not know why。 I tell you that when I kissed my old woman good…bye
just now I felt as though I should never see her again； and the tears
came into my eyes。 I wish we were all safe back from Dingaan。 But
there； there； I will try to get over to see her to…morrow； as we don't
start till Monday。 What is it that you want； Allan； with that 'mooi
mesje' of yours？〃and he pointed to the tall Marie。
〃What would any man want with such a one； save to marry her？〃 broke in
the Vrouw Prinsloo。 〃Now； commandant； listen while I set out the tale。〃
〃All right； aunt； only be brief； for I have no time to spare。〃
She obeyed； but I cannot say that she was brief。
When at last the old lady paused； breathless； Retief said：
〃I understand everything； there is no need for you young people to talk。
Now we will go and see Henri Marais； and； if he is not madder than
usual； make him listen to reason。〃
So we walked to where Marais's wagon stood at the end of the line； and
found him sitting on the disselboom cutting up tobacco with his
pocket…knife。
〃Good…day； Allan；〃 he said； for we had not met since my return。 〃Have
you had a nice journey？〃
I was about to answer when the commandant broke in impatiently：
〃See here； see here； Henri； we have not come to talk about Allan's
journey； but about his marriage； which is more important。 He rides with
me to Zululand on Monday； as you do； and wants to wed your daughter
to…morrow； which is Sunday； a good day for the deed。〃
〃It is a day to pray； not to give and be given in marriage；〃 commented
Marais sulkily。 〃Moreover； Marie does not come of age before Monday；
and until then the oath that I made to God holds。〃
〃My vatdoek for your oath！〃 exclaimed the vrouw； flapping that awful rag
in his face。 〃How much do you suppose that God cares what you in your
folly swore to that stinkcat of a nephew of yours？ Do you be careful；
Henri Marais； that God does not make of your precious oath a stone to
fall upon your head and break it like a peanut…shell。〃
〃Hold your chattering tongue； old woman；〃 said Marais furiously。 〃Am I
to be taught my duty to my conscience and my daughter by you？〃
〃Certainly you are； if you cannot teach them to yourself；〃 began the
vrouw； setting her hands upon her hips。
But Retief pushed her aside； saying：
〃No quarrelling here。 Now； Henri Marais； your conduct about these two
young people who love each other is a scandal。 Will you let them be
married to…morrow or not？〃
〃No； commandant； I will not。 By the law I have power over my daughter
till she is of age； and I refuse to allow her to marry a cursed
Englishman。 Moreover； the Predicant Celliers is away； so there is none
to marry them。〃
〃You speak strange words； Mynheer Marais；〃 said Retief quietly；
〃especially when I remember all that this 'cursed Englishman' has done
for you and yours； for I have heard every bit of that story； though not
from him。 Now hearken。 You have appealed to the law； and； as
commandant； I must allow your appeal。 But after twelve o'clock
to…morrow night； according to your own showing； the law ceases to bind
your daughter。 Therefore； on Monday morning； if there is no clergyman
in the camp and these two wish it； I； as commandant； will marry them
before all men； as I have the power to do。〃
Then Marais broke into one of those raving fits of temper which were
constitutional in him； and to my mind showed that he was never quite
sane。 Oddly enough； it was on poor Marie that he concentrated his
wrath。 He cursed her horribly because she had withstood his will and
refused to marry Hernan Pereira。 He prayed that evil might fall on her；
that she might never bear a child； and that if she did； it might die；
and other things too unpleasant to mention。
We stared at him astonished； though I think that had he been any other
man than the father of my betrothed； I should have struck him。 Retief；
I noticed； lifted his hand to do so； then let it fall again； muttering：
〃Let be； he is possessed with a devil。〃
At last Marais ceased； not； I think； from lack of words； but because he
was exhausted； and stood before us； his tall form quivering； and his
thin； nervous face working like that of a person in convulsions。 Then
Marie； who had dropped her head beneath this storm； lifted it； and I saw
that her deep eyes were all ablaze and that she was very white。
〃You are my father；〃 she said in a low voice； 〃and therefore I must
submit to whatever you choose to say to me。 Moreover； I think it likely
that the evil which you call down will fall upon me； since Satan is
always at hand to fulfil his own wishes。 But if so； my father； I am
sure that this evil will recoil upon your own head； not only here； but
hereafter。 There justice will be done to both of us； perhaps before
very long； and also to your nephew； Hernan Pereira。〃
Marais made no answer； his rage seemed to have spent itself。 He only
sat himself again upon the disselboom of the wagon and went on cutting
up the tobacco viciously； as though he were slicing the heart of a foe。
Even the Vrouw Prinsloo was silent and stared at him whilst she fanned
herself with the vatdoek。 But Retief spoke。
〃I wonder if you are mad； or only wicked； Henri Marais；〃 he said。 〃To
curse your own sweet girl like this you must be one or the othera
single child who has always been good to you。 Well； as you are to ride
with me on Monday； I pray that you will keep your temper under control；
lest it should bring us into trouble； and you also。 As for you； Marie；
my dear； do not fret because a wild beast has tried to toss you with his
horns； although he happens to be your father。 On Monday morning you
pass out of his power into your own； and on that day I will marry you to
Allan Quatermain here。 Meanwhile； I think you are safest away from this
father of yours； who might take to cutting your throat instead of that
tobacco。 Vrouw Prinsloo； be so good as to look after Marie Marais； and
on Monday morning next bring her before me to be wed。 Until then； Henri
Marais； I； as commandant； shall set a guard over you； with orders to
seize you if it should be necessary。 Now I advise you to take a walk；
and when you are calm again； to pray God to forgive you your wicked
words； lest they should be fulfilled and drag you down to judgment。〃
Then we all went； leaving Henri Marais still cutting up his tobacco on
the disselboom。
On the Sunday I met Marais walking about the camp； followed by the guard
whom Retief had set over him。 To my surprise he greeted me almost with
affection。
〃Allan；〃 he said； 〃you must not misunderstand me。 I do not really wish
ill to Marie； whom I love more dearly than I do my life； God alone knows
how much I love her。 But I made a promise to her cousin； Hernan； my
only sister's only child； and you will understand that I