spoke　those　dreadful　words；　which　both　Marie　and　I　wished　to　forget。
  〃I　hope　you　will　come　to　our　wedding　to…morrow；〃　I　added；　〃and　wipe　them
  out　with　a　father's　blessing。〃
  〃To…morrow！　　Are　you　really　going　to　be　married　to…morrow？〃　he
  exclaimed；　his　sallow　face　twitching　nervously。　　〃O　God；　it　was　another
  man　that　I　dreamed　to　see　standing　by　Marie's　side。　　But　he　is　not　here；
  he　has　disgraced　and　deserted　me。　　Well；　I　will　come；　if　my　gaolers　will
  suffer　it。　　Good…bye；　you　happy　bridegroom　of　to…morrow；　good…bye。〃
  Then　he　swung　round　and　departed；　followed　by　the　guards；　one　of　whom
  touched　his　brow　and　shook　his　head　significantly　as　he　passed　me。
  I　think　that　Sunday　seemed　the　longest　day　I　ever　spent。　　The　Vrouw
  Prinsloo　would　scarcely　allow　me　even　a　glimpse　of　Marie；　because　of
  some　fad　she　had　got　into　her　mind　that　it　was　either　not　proper　or　not
  fortunate；　I　forget　which；　that　a　bride　and　bridegroom　should　associate
  on　the　eve　of　their　marriage。　　So　I　occupied　myself　as　best　I　could。
  First　I　wrote　a　long　letter　to　my　father；　the　third　that　I　had　sent；
  telling　him　everything　that　was　going　to　happen；　and　saying　how　grieved
  I　was　that　he　could　not　be　present　to　marry　us　and　give　us　his　blessing。
  This　letter　I　gave　to　a　trader　who　was　trekking　to　the　bay　on　the
  following　morning；　begging　him　to　forward　it　by　the　first　opportunity。
  That　duty　done；　I　saw　about　the　horses　which　I　was　taking　into　Zululand；
  three　of　them；　two　for　myself　and　one　for　Hans；　who　accompanied　me　as
  after…rider。　　Also　the　saddlery；　saddle…bags；　guns　and　ammunition　must
  be　overhauled；　all　of　which　took　some　time。
  〃You　are　going　to　spend　a　strange　wittebroodsweek　＇white…bread…week；　or；
  in　other　words；　honeymoon＇；　baas；〃　said　Hans；　squinting　at　me　with　his
  little　eyes；　as　he　brayed　away　at　a　buckskin　which　was　to　serve　as　a
  saddle…cloth。　　〃Now；　if　_I_　was　to　be　married　to…morrow；　I　should　stop
  with　my　pretty　for　a　few　days；　and　only　ride　off　somewhere　else　when　I
  was　tired　of　her；　especially　if　that　somewhere　else　chanced　to　be
  Zululand；　where　they　are　so　fond　of　killing　people。〃
  〃I　dare　say　you　would；　Hans；　and　so　would　I；　if　I　could；　you　be　sure。
  But；　you　see；　the　commandant　wants　me　to　interpret；　and　therefore　it　is
  my　duty　to　go　with　him。〃
  〃Duty；　what　is　duty；　baas？　　Love　I　understand。　　It　is　for　love　of　you
  that　I　go　with　you；　also　for　fear　lest　you　should　cause　me　to　be　beaten
  if　I　refused。　　Otherwise　I　would　certainly　stop　here　in　the　camp；　where
  there　is　plenty　to　eat　and　little　work　to　do；　as；　were　I　you；　I　should
  do　also　for　love　of　that　white　missie。　　But　dutypah！　that　is　a
  fool…word；　which　makes　bones　of　a　man　before　his　time　and　leaves　his
  girl　to　others。〃
  〃Of　course；　you　do　not　understand；　Hans；　any　more　than　you　coloured
  people　understand　what　gratitude　is。　　But　what　do　you　mean　about　this
  trek　of　ours？　　Are　you　afraid？〃
  He　shrugged　his　shoulders。　　〃A　little；　perhaps；　baas。　　At　least；　I
  should　be　if　I　thought　about　the　morrow；　which　I　don't；　since　to…day　is
  enough　for　me；　and　thinking　about　what　one　can't　know　makes　the　head
  ache。　　Dingaan　is　not　a　nice　man；　baas；　we　saw　that；　didn't　we？　　He　is　a
  hunter　who　knows　how　to　set　a　trap。　　Also　he　has　the　Baas　Pereira　up
  there　to　help　him。　　So　perhaps　you　might　be　more　comfortable　here
  kissing　Missie　Marie。　　Why　do　you　not　say　that　you　have　hurt　your　leg
  and　cannot　run？　　It　would　not　be　much　trouble　to　walk　about　on　a　crutch
  for　a　day　or　two；　and　when　the　commandant　was　well　gone；　your　leg　might
  heal　and　you　could　throw　the　stick　away。〃
  〃Get　thee　behind　me；　Satan；〃　I　muttered　to　myself；　and　was　about　to　give
  Hans　a　piece　of　my　mind　when　I　recollected　that　the　poor　fellow　had　his
  own　way　of　looking　at　things　and　could　not　be　blamed。　　Also；　as　he　said；
  he　loved　me；　and　only　suggested　what　he　thought　would　tend　to　my　joy　and
  safety。　　How　could　I　suppose　that　he　would　be　interested　in　the　success
  of　a　diplomatic　mission　to　Dingaan；　or　think　anything　about　it　except
  that　it　was　a　risky　business？　　So　I　only　said：
  〃Hans；　if　you　are　afraid；　you　had　better　stop　behind。　　I　can　easily　find
  another　after…rider。〃
  〃Is　the　baas　angry　with　me　that　he　should　speak　so？〃　asked　the
  Hottentot。　　〃Have　I　not　always　been　true　to　him；　and　if　I　should　be
  killed；　what　does　it　matter？　　Have　I　not　said　that　I　do　not　think　about
  to…morrow；　and　we　must　all　go　to　sleep　sometime？　　No；　unless　the　baas
  beats　me　back；　I　shall　come　with　him。　　But；　baas〃this　in　a　wheedling
  tone〃you　might　give　me　some　brandy　to　drink　your　health　in　to…night。
  It　is　very　good　to　get　drunk　when　one　has　to　be　sober；　and　perhaps　dead；
  for　a　long　time　afterwards。　　It　would　be　nice　to　remember　when　one　is　a
  spook；　or　an　angel　with　white　wings；　such　as　the　old　baas；　your　father；
  used　to　tell　us　about　in　school　on　the　Sabbath。〃
  At　this　point；　finding　Hans　hopeless；　I　got　up　and　walked　away；　leaving
  him　to　finish　our　preparations。
  That　evening　there　was　a　prayer…meeting　in　the　camp；　for　although　no
  pastor　was　present；　one　of　the　Boer　elders　took　his　place　and　offered　up
  supplications　which；　if　simple　and　even　absurd　in　their　wording；　at
  least　were　hearty　enough。　　Amongst　other　requests；　I　remember　that　he
  petitioned　for　the　safety　of　those　who　were　to　go　on　the　mission　to
  Dingaan　and　of　those　who　were　to　remain　behind。　　Alas！　those　prayers
  were　not　heard；　for　it　pleased　the　Power　to　Whom　they　were　addressed　to
  decree　otherwise。
  After　this　meeting；　in　which　I　took　an　earnest　share；　Retief　who　just
  before　it　began　had　ridden　in　from　Doornkop；　whither　he　had　been　to
  visit　his　wife；　held　a　kind　of　council；　whereat　the　names　of　those　who
  had　volunteered　or　been　ordered　to　accompany　him；　were　finally　taken
  down。　　At　this　council　there　was　a　good　deal　of　discussion；　since　many
  of　the　Boers　did　not　think　the　expedition　wiseat　any　rate；　if　it　was
  to　be　carried　out　on　so　large　a　scale。　　One　of　them；　I　forget　which；　an
  old　man；　pointed　out　that　it　might　look　like　a　war　party；　and　that　it
  would　be　wiser　if　only　five　or　six　went；　as　they　had　done　before；　since
  then　there　could　be　no　mistake　as　to　the　peaceful　nature　of　their
  intentions。
  Retief　himself　combated　this　view；　and　at　last　turned　suddenly　to　me；
  who　was　listening　near　by；　and　said：
  〃Allan　Quatermain；　you　are　young；　but　you　have　a　good　judgment；　also；
  you　are　one　of　the　very　few　who　know　Dingaan　and　can　speak　his　language。
  Tell　us　now；　what　do　you　think？〃
  Thus　adjured；　I　answered；　perhaps　moved　thereto　more　than　I　thought　by
  Hans's　talk；　that　I；　too；　considered　the　thing　dangerous；　and　that
  someone　whose　life　was　less　valuable　than　the　commandant's　should　go　in
  command。
  〃Why　do　you　say　so；　nephew；〃　he　said　irritably；　〃seeing　that　all　white
  men's　lives　are　of　equal　value；　and　I　can　smell　no　danger　in　the
  business？〃
  〃Because；　commandant；　I　do　smell　danger；　though　what　danger　I　cannot
  say；　any　more　than　a　dog　or　a　buck　can　when　it　sniffs　something　in　the
  air　and　barks　or　runs。　　Dingaan　is　a　tamed　tiger　just　now；　but　tigers
  are　not　house　cats　that　one　can　play　with　them；　as　I　know；　who　have　felt
  his　claws　and　just；　only　just；　come　out　from　between　them。〃
  〃What　do　you　mean；　nephew？〃　asked　Retief　in　his　direct　fashion。　　〃Do　you
  believe　that　this　swartzel〃　（that　is；　black　creature）　〃means　to　kill
  us？〃
  〃I　believe　that　it　is　quite　possible；〃　I　answered。
  〃Then；　nephew；　being　a　reasonable　man　as　you　are；　you　must　have　some
  ground　for　your　belief。　　Come　now；　out　with　it。〃
  〃I　have　none；　commandant；　except　that　one　who　can　set　the　lives　of　a
  dozen　folk　against　a　man's　skill　in　shooting　at　birds　on　the　wing；　and
  who　can　kill　people　to　be　a　bait　for　those　birds；　is　capable　of
  anything。　　Moreover；　he　told　me　that　he　did　not　love　you　Boers；　and　why
  should　he？〃
  Now；　all　those　who　were　standing　about　seemed　to　be　impressed　with　this
  argument。　　At　any　rate；　they　turned　towards　Retief；　anxiously　waiting
  for　his　reply。
  〃Doubtless；〃　answered　the　commandant；　who；　as　I　have　said；　was　irritable
  that　night；　〃doubtless　those　English　missionaries　have　poisoned　the
  king's　mind　against　us　Boers。　　Also；〃　he　added　suspiciously；　〃I　think
  you　told　me；　Allan；　that　the　king　said　he　liked　you　and　meant　to　spare
  you；　even　if　he　killed　your　companions；　just　because　you　also　are
  English。　　Are　you　sure　that　you　do　not　know　more　than　you　choose　to　tell
  us？　　Has　Dingaan　perhaps　confided　something　to　youjust　because　you　are
  English？〃
  Then　noting　that　these　words　moved　the　assembled　Boers；　in　whom　race
  prejudice　and　recent　events　had　created　a　deep　distrust　of　any　born　of
  British　blood；　I　grew　very　angry　and　answered：
  〃Commandant；　Dingaan　confided　nothing　to　me；　except　that　some　Kaffir
  witch…doctor；　who　is　named　Zikali；　a　man　I　never　saw；　had　told　him　that
  he　must　not　kill　an　Englishman；　and　therefore　he　wished　to　spare　me；
  although　one