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a good shot。〃
〃Allan； I do not think you will ever make much money； it is not in your
blood； or； if you do； you will not keep it。 We are an old race； and I
know our record； up to the time of Henry VIII。 at any rate。 Not one of
us was ever commercially successful。 Let us suppose； however； that you
should prove yourself the exception to the rule； it can't be done at
once； can it？ Fortunes don't grow in a night； like mushrooms。〃
〃No； I suppose not； father。 Still； one might have some luck。〃
〃Possibly。 But meanwhile you have to fight against a man who has the
luck； or rather the money in his pocket。〃
〃What do you mean？〃 I asked； sitting up。
〃I mean Hernando Pereira； Allan； Marais's nephew； who they say is one of
the richest men in the Colony。 I know that he wishes to marry Marie。〃
〃How do you know it； father？〃
〃Because Marais told me so this afternoon； probably with a purpose。 He
was struck with her beauty when he first saw her after your escape；
which he had not done since she was a child； and as he stopped to guard
the house while the rest went after the Quabieswell； you can guess。
Such things go quickly with these Southern men。〃
I hid my face in the pillow； biting my lips to keep back the groan that
was ready to burst from them； for I felt the hopelessness of the
situation。 How could I compete with this rich and fortunate man； who
naturally would be favoured of my betrothed's father？ Then on the
blackness of my despair rose a star of hope。 I could not； but perchance
Marie might。 She was very strong…natured and very faithful。 She was
not to be bought； and I doubted whether she could be frightened。
〃Father；〃 I said； 〃I may never marry Marie； but I don't think that
Hernando Pereira ever will either。〃
〃Why not； my boy？〃
〃Because she loves me； father； and she is not one to change。 I believe
that she would rather die。〃
〃Then she must be a very unusual sort of woman。 Still； it may be so；
the future will tell to those who live to see it。 I can only pray and
trust that whatever happens will be for the best for both of you。 She
is a sweet girl and I like her well； although she may be Boeror
French。 And now； Allan； we have talked enough； and you had better go to
sleep。 You must not excite yourself； you know； or it may set up new
inflammation in the wound。〃
〃Go to sleep。 Must not excite yourself。〃 I kept muttering those words
for hours； serving them up in my mind with a spice of bitter thought。
At last torpor； or weakness； overcame me； and I fell into a kind of net
of bad dreams which； thank Heaven！ I have now forgotten。 Yet when
certain events happened subsequently I always thought； and indeed still
think； that these or something like them； had been a part of those evil
dreams。
On the morning following this conversation I was at length allowed to be
carried to the stoep； where they laid me down； wrapped in a very dirty
blanket； upon a rimpi…strung bench or primitive sofa。 When I had
satisfied my first delight at seeing the sun and breathing the fresh
air； I began to study my surroundings。 In front of the house； or what
remained of it； so arranged that the last of them at either end we made
fast to the extremities of the stoep； was arranged an arc of wagons；
placed as they are in a laager and protected underneath by earth thrown
up in a mound and by boughs of the mimosa thorn。 Evidently these
wagons； in which the guard of Boers and armed natives who still remained
on the place slept at night； were set thus as a defence against a
possible attack by the Quabies or other Kaffirs。
During the daytime； however； the centre wagon was drawn a little on one
side to leave a kind of gate。 Through this opening I saw that a long
wall； also semicircular； had been built outside of them； enclosing a
space large enough to contain at night all the cattle and horses that
were left to the Heer Marais； together with those of his friends； who
evidently did not wish to see their oxen vanish into the depths of the
mountains。 In the middle of this extemporised kraal was a long； low
mound； which； as I learned afterwards； contained the dead who fell in
the attack on the house。 The two slaves who had been killed in the
defence were buried in the little garden that Marie had made； and the
headless body of Leblanc in a small walled place to the right of the
stead； where lay some of its former owners and one or two relatives of
the Heer Marais； including his wife。
Whilst I was noting these things Marie appeared at the end of the
veranda； having come round the burnt part of the house； followed by
Hernan Pereira。 Catching sight of me； she ran to the side of my couch
with outstretched arms as though she intended to embrace me。 Then
seeming to remember； stopped suddenly at my side； coloured to her hair；
and said in an embarrassed voice：
〃Oh； Heer Allan〃she had never called me Heer in her life before〃I am
so glad to find you out！ How have you been getting on？〃
〃Pretty well； I thank you；〃 I answered； biting my lips； 〃as you would
have learnt； Marie； had you come to see me。〃
Next moment I was sorry for the words； for I saw her eyes fill with
tears and her breast shake with something like a sob。 However； it was
Pereira and not Marie who answered； for at the moment I believe she
could not speak。
〃My good boy；〃 he said in a pompous； patronising way and in English；
which he knew perfectly； 〃I think that my cousin has had plenty to do
caring for all these people during the last few days without running to
look at the cut in your leg。 However； I am glad to hear from your
worthy father that it is almost well and that you will soon be able to
play games again； like others of your age。〃
Now it was my turn to be unable to speak and to feel my eyes fill with
tears； tears of rage； for remember that I was still very feeble。 But
Marie spoke for me。
〃Yes； Cousin Hernan；〃 she said in a cold voice； 〃thank God the Heer
Allan Quatermain will soon be able to play games again； such bloody
games as the defence of Maraisfontein with eight men against all the
Quabie horde。 Then Heaven help those who stand in front of his rifle；〃
and she glanced at the mound that covered the dead Kaffirs； many of
whom； as a matter of fact； I had killed。
〃Oh！ no offence； no offence； Marie；〃 said Pereira in his smooth； rich
voice。 〃I did not want to laugh at your young friend； who doubtless is
as brave as they say all Englishmen are； and who fought well when he was
lucky enough to have the chance of protecting you； my dear cousin。 But
after all； you know； he is not the only one who can hold a gun straight；
as you seem to think； which I shall be happy to prove to him in a
friendly fashion when he is stronger。〃
Here he stepped forward a pace and looked down at me； then added with a
laugh； 〃Allemachte！ I fear that won't be just at present。 Why； the lad
looks as though one might blow him away like a feather。〃
Still I said nothing； only glanced up at this tall and splendid man
standing above me in his fine clothes； for he was richly dressed as the
fashion of the time went； with his high colouring； broad shoulders； and
face full of health and vigour。 Mentally I compared him with myself； as
I was after my fever and loss of blood； a poor； white…faced rat of a
lad； with stubbly brown hair on my head and only a little down on my
chin； with arms like sticks； and a dirty blanket for raiment。 How could
I compare with him in any way？ What chance had I against this opulent
bully who hated me and all my race； and in whose hands； even if I were
well； I should be nothing but a child？
And yet； and yet as I lay there humiliated and a mock； an answer came
into my mind； and I felt that whatever might be the case with my outward
form； in spirit； in courage； in determination and in ability； in all； in
short； that really makes a man； I was more than Pereira's equal。 Yes；
and that by the help of these qualities； poor as I was and frail as I
seemed to be； I would beat him at the last and keep for myself what I
had won； the prize of Marie's love。
Such were the thoughts which passed through me； and I think that
something of the tenor of them communicated itself to Marie； who often
could read my heart before my lips spoke。 At any rate； her demeanour
changed。 She drew herself up。 Her fine nostrils expanded and a proud
look came into her dark eyes； as she nodded her head and murmured in a
voice so low that I think I alone caught her words：
〃Yes； yes； have no fear。〃
Pereira was speaking again （he had turned aside to strike the steel of
his tinder…box； and was now blowing the spark to a glow before lighting
his big pipe）。
〃By the way； Heer Allan；〃 he said； 〃that is a very good mare of yours。
She seems to have done the distance between the Mission Station and
Maraisfontein in wonderful time； as；