第 9 节
作者:片片      更新:2021-02-20 15:13      字数:9322
  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
  was French and a man of intellect。  Someone; my father as a matter of
  fact; who with all his prejudices possessed a great sense of justice;
  reminded him that the poor Frenchman had expiated; or perchance was now
  expiating any crimes that he might have committed。
  This turned the stream of his invective on to the Quabie Kaffirs; who
  had burned part of his house and stolen nearly all his stock; making him
  from a rich man into a poor one in a single hour。  He shouted for
  vengeance on the 〃black devils;〃 and called on all there to help him to
  recover his beasts and kill the thieves。  Most of those presentthey
  were about thirty in all; not counting the Kaffir and Hottentot
  after…ridersanswered that they were willing to attack the Quabies。
  Being residents in the district; they felt; and; indeed; said; that his
  case to…day might and probably would be their case to…morrow。  Therefore
  they were prepared to ride at once。
  Then it was that my father intervened。
  〃Heeren;〃 he said; 〃it seems to me that before you seek vengeance;
  which; as the Book tells us; is the Lord's; it would be well; especially
  for the Heer Marais; to return thanks for what has been saved to him。  I
  mean his daughter; who might now very easily have been dead or worse。〃
  He added that goods came or went according to the chances of fortune;
  but a beloved human life; once lost; could not be restored。  This
  precious life had been preserved to him; he would not say by manhere
  he glanced at mebut by the Ruler of the world acting through man。
  Perhaps those present did not quite understand what he (my father) had
  learned from Hans the Hottentot; that I; his son; had been about to blow
  out the brains of Marie Marais and my own when the sound of the shots of
  those who had been gathered through the warning which I left before I
  rode from the Mission Station; had stayed my hand。  He called upon the
  said Hans and Marie herself to tell them the story; since I was too weak
  to do so。
  Thus adjured; the little Hottentot; smothered as he was in blood; stood
  up。  In the simple; dramatic style characteristic of his race; he
  narrated all that had happened since he met the woman on the veld but
  little over twelve hours before; till the arrival of the rescue party。
  Never have I seen a tale followed with deeper interest; and when at last
  Hans pointed to me lying on the ground and said; 〃There is he who did
  these things which it might be thought no man could dohe; but a boy;〃
  even from those phlegmatic Dutchmen there came a general cheer。  But;
  lifting myself upon my hands; I called out:
  〃Whatever I did; this poor Hottentot did also; and had it not been for
  him I could not have done anythingfor him and the two good horses。〃
  Then they cheered again; and Marie; rising; said:
  〃Yes; father; to these two I owe my life。〃
  After this; my father offered his prayer of thanksgiving in very bad
  Dutchfor; having begun to learn it late in life; he never could really
  master that languageand the stalwart Boers; kneeling round him; said
  〃Amen。〃  As the reader may imagine; the scene; with all its details;
  which I will not repeat; was both remarkable and impressive。
  What followed this prayer I do not very well remember; for I became
  faint from exhaustion and the loss of blood。  I believe; however; that
  the fire having been extinguished; they removed the dead and wounded
  from the unburnt portion of the house and carried me into the little
  room where Marie and I had gone through that dreadful scene when I went
  within an ace of killing her。  After this the Boers and Marais's
  Kaffirs; or rather slaves; whom he had collected from where they lived
  away from the house; to the number of thirty or forty; started to follow
  the defeated Quabie; leaving about ten of their number as a guard。  Here
  I may mention that of the seven or eight men who slept in the
  outbuildings and had fought with us; two were kill