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earnest conversation beneath one of the milk trees which； as I think I
have already mentioned； grow； or grew； there。 They were Henri Marais
and his nephew。 Catching sight of me； Marais walked off； but Pereira
advanced and spoke to me； although； warned perhaps by what had happened
to him in the case of Retief； I am glad to say he did not offer me his
hand。
〃Good day to you； Allan；〃 he said effusively。 〃I have just heard from
my uncle that I have to congratulate you； about Marie I mean； and；
believe me； I do so with all my heart。〃
Now； as he spoke these words； remembering what I had just heard； my
blood boiled in me； but I thought it wise to control myself； and
therefore only answered：
〃Thank you。〃
〃Of course；〃 he went on； 〃we have both striven for this prize； but as it
has pleased God that you should win it； why； I am not one to bear
malice。〃
〃I am glad to hear it；〃 I replied。 〃I thought that perhaps you might
be。 Now tell me； to change the subject； how long will Dingaan keep us
here？〃
〃Oh！ two or three days at most。 You see； Allan； luckily I have been
able to persuade him to sign the treaty about the land without further
trouble。 So as soon as that is done； you can all go home。〃
〃The commandant will be very grateful to you；〃 I said。 〃But what are
you going to do？〃
〃I do not know； Allan。 You see； I am not a lucky fellow like yourself
with a wife waiting for me。 I think that perhaps I shall stop here a
while。 I see a way of making a great deal of money out of these Zulus；
and having lost everything upon that Delagoa Bay trek； I want money。〃
〃We all do；〃 I answered； 〃especially if we are starting in life。 So
when it is convenient to you to settle your debts I shall be glad。〃
〃Oh！ have no fear；〃 he exclaimed with a sudden lighting up of his dark
face； 〃I will pay you what I owe you； every farthing； with good interest
thrown in。〃
〃The king has just told me that is you intention；〃 I remarked quietly；
looking him full in the eyes。 Then I walked on； leaving him staring
after me； apparently without a word to say。
I went straight to the hut that was allotted to Retief in the little
outlying guard…kraal； which had been given to us for a camp。 Here I
found the commandant seated on a Kaffir stool engaged in painfully
writing a letter； using a bit of board placed on his knees as a desk。
He looked up； and asked me how I had got on with Dingaan； not being
sorry； as I think； of an excuse to pause in his clerical labours。
〃Listen； commandant；〃 I said； and； speaking in a low voice； so as not to
be overheard； I told him every word that had passed in the interviews I
had just had with Dingaan； with Thomas Halstead； and with Pereira。
He heard me out in silence； then said：
〃This is a strange and ugly story； Allan； and if it is true； Pereira
must be an even bigger scoundrel than I thought him。 But I can't
believe that it is true。 I think that Dingaan has been lying to you for
his own purposes； I mean about the plot to kill you。〃
〃Perhaps； commandant。 I don't know； and I don't much care。 But I am
sure that he was not lying when he said he meant to steal away my wife
either for himself or for Pereira。〃
〃What； then； do you intend to do； Allan？〃
〃I intend； commandant； with your permission to send Hans； my
after…rider； back to the camp with a letter for Marie； telling her to
remove herself quietly to the farm I have chosen down on the river； of
which I told you； and there to lie hid till I come back。〃
〃I think it needless； Allan。 Still； if it will ease your mind； do so；
since I cannot spare you to go yourself。 Only you must not send this
Hottentot； who would talk and frighten the people。 I am despatching a
messenger to the camp to tell them of our safe arrival and good
reception by Dingaan。 He can take your letter； in which I order you to
say to your wife that if she and the Prinsloos and the Meyers go to this
farm of yours； they are to go without talking； just as though they
wanted a change； that is all。 Have the letter ready by dawn to…morrow
morning； as I trust mine may be；〃 he added with a groan。
〃It shall be ready； commandant； but what about Hernan Pereira and his
tricks？〃
〃This about the accursed Hernan Pereira；〃 exclaimed Retief； striking the
writing…board with his fist。 〃On the first opportunity I will myself
take the evidence of Dingaan and of the English lad； Halstead。 If I
find they tell me the same story they have told you； I will put Pereira
on his trial； as I threatened to do before； and should he be found
guilty； by God！ I will have him shot。 But for the present it is best to
do nothing； except keep an eye on him； lest we should cause fear and
scandal in the camp； and； after all； not prove the case。 Now go and
write your letter； and leave me to write mine。〃
So I went and wrote； telling Marie something； but by no means all of
that I have set down。 I bade her； and the Prinsloos and the Meyers； if
they would accompany her； as I was sure they would； move themselves off
at once to the farm I had beaconed out thirty miles away from the
Bushman's River； under pretence of seeing how the houses that were being
built there were getting on。 Or if they would not go； I bade her go
alone with a few Hottentot servants； or any other companions she could
find。
This letter I took to Retief； and read it to him。 At my request； also；
he scrawled at the foot of it：
〃I have seen the above and approve it； knowing all the story； which may
be true or false。 Do as your husband bids you； but do not talk of it in
the camp except to those whom he mentions。PIETER RETIEF。〃
So the messenger departed at dawn； and in due course delivered my letter
to Marie。
The next day was Sunday。 In the morning I went to call upon the
Reverend Mr。 Owen； the missionary； who was very glad to see me。 He
informed me that Dingaan was in good mind towards us； and had been
asking him if he would write the treaty ceding the land which the Boers
wanted。 I stopped for service at the huts of Mr。 Owen； and then
returned to the camp。 In the afternoon Dingaan celebrated a great war
dance for us to witness； in which about twelve thousand soldiers took
part。
It was a wonderful and awe…inspiring spectacle； and I remember that each
of the regiments employed had a number of trained oxen which manoeuvred
with them； apparently at given words of command。 We did not see Dingaan
that day； except at a distance； and after the dance was over returned to
our camp to eat the beef which he had provided for us in plenty。
On the third daythat was Monday； the 5th of February； there were more
dancings and sham fights； so many more； indeed； that we began to weary
of this savage show。 Late in the afternoon； however； Dingaan sent for
the commandant and his men to come to see him； saying that he wished to
talk with him about the matter of the tr