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〃There； Allan； my boy；〃 said the vrouw in triumph； 〃I have found the
sore place on the mule's back； and didn't I make him squeal and kick；
although on most days of the week he seems to be such a good and quiet
muleat any rate； of late。〃
〃I dare say you did； vrouw；〃 I said wrathfully； 〃but I wish you would
leave Mynheer Marais's sore places alone； seeing that if the squeals are
for you； the kicks are for me。〃
〃What does that matter； Allan？〃 she asked。 〃He always was your enemy；
so that it is just as well you should see his heels when you are out of
reach of them。 My poor boy； I think you will have a bad time of it
between the stinkcat and the mule； although you have done so much for
both of them。 Well； there is one thingMarie has a true heart。 She
will never marry any man except yourself； Allaneven if you are not
here to marry；〃 she added by an afterthought。
The old lady paused a little； staring at the ground。 Then she looked up
and said：
〃Allan； my dear〃 （for she was really fond of me； and called me thus at
times）； 〃you didn't take the advice I gave you； namely； to look for
Pereira and not to find him。 Well； I will give you some more； which you
_will_ take if you are wise。〃
〃What is it？〃 I asked doubtfully； for； although she was upright enough
in her own way； the Vrouw Prinsloo could bring herself to look at things
in strange lights。 Like many other women； she judged of moral codes by
the impulses of her heart； and was quite prepared to stretch them to
suit circumstances or to gain an end which she considered good in
itself。
〃Just this； lad。 Do you make a two days' march with Marie into the
bush。 I want a little change； so I will come； too； and marry you there；
for I have got a prayer…book； and can spell out the service if we go
through it once or twice first。〃
Now； the vision of Marie and myself being married by the Vrouw Prinsloo
in the vast and untrodden veld； although attractive； was so absurd that
I laughed。
〃Why do you laugh； Allan？ Anyone can marry people if there is no one
else there； indeed； I believe that they can marry themselves。〃
〃I dare say；〃 I answered； not wishing to enter into a legal argument
with the vrouw。 〃But you see； Tante； I solemnly promised her father
that I would not marry her until she was of age； and if I broke my word
I should not be an honest man。〃
〃An honest man！〃 she exclaimed with the utmost contempt； 〃an honest man！
Well； are Marais and Hernan Pereira honest men？ Why do you not cut
your stick the same length as theirs； Allan Quatermain？ I tell you that
your verdomde honesty will be your ruin。 You remember my words later
on；〃 and she marched off in high dudgeon。
When she had gone I went to my wagons； where Hans was waiting for me
with a detailed and interminable report of everything that had happened
in my absence。 Glad was I to find that； except for the death of one
sickly ox； nothing had gone wrong。 When at length he had ended his long
story； I ate some food which Marie sent over for me ready cooked； for I
was too tired to join any of the Boers that night。 Just as I had
finished my meal and was thinking of turning in； Marie herself appeared
within the circle of the camp…fire's light。 I sprang up and ran to her；
saying that I had not expected to see her that evening； and did not like
to come to the house。
〃No；〃 she answered； drawing me back into the shadows； 〃I understand。 My
father seems very much upset； almost mad； indeed。 If the Vrouw
Prinsloo's tongue had been a snake's fang； it could not have stung him
worse。〃
〃And where is Pereira？〃 I asked。
〃Oh！ my cousin sleeps in the other room。 He is weak and worn out。 All
the same； Allan； he wanted to kiss me。 So I told him at once how
matters stood between you and me； and that we were to be married in six
months。〃
〃What did he say to that？〃 I asked。
〃He turned to my father and said： 'Is this true； my uncle？' And my
father answered： 'Yes； that is the best bargain I could make with the
Englishman； seeing that you were not here to make a better。'〃
〃And what happened then； Marie？〃
〃Oh； then Hernan thought a while。 At last he looked up and said： 'I
understand。 Things have gone badly。 I acted for the best； who went
away to try to find help for all of you。 I failed。 Meanwhile the
Englishman came and saved you。 Afterwards he saved me also。 Uncle； in
all this I see God's hand； had it not been for this Allan none of us
would be alive。 Yes； God used him that we might be kept alive。 Well；
he has promised that he will not marry Marie for six months。 And you
know； my uncle； that some of these English are great fools； they keep
their promises even to their own loss。 Now； in six months much may
happen； who knows what will happen？'〃
〃Were you present when you heard all this； Marie？〃 I asked。
〃No； Allan； I was the other side of the reed partition。 But at those
words I entered and said： 'My father and Cousin Hernan； please
understand that there is one thing which will never happen。'
〃'What is that？' asked my cousin。
〃'It will never happen that I shall marry you； Hernan；' I replied。
〃'Who knows； Marie； who knows？' he said。
〃'I do； Hernan；' I answered。 'Even if Allan were to die to…morrow； I
would not marry you； either then or twenty years hence。 I am glad that
he has saved your life； but henceforth we are cousins； nothing more。'
〃'You hear what the girl tells us；' said my father； 'why do you not give
up the business？ What is the use of kicking against the pricks？'
〃'If one wears stout boots and kicks hard enough； the pricks give way；'
said Hernan。 'Six months is a long time； my uncle。'
〃'It may be so； cousin；' I said； 'but remember that neither six months
nor six years； nor six thousand years； are long enough to make me marry
any man except Allan Quatermain； who has just rescued you from death。
Do you understand？'
〃'Yes；' he replied； 'I understand that you will not marry me。 Only then
I promise that you shall not marry either Allan Quatermain or any other
man。'
〃'God will decide that；' I answered； and came away； leaving him and my
father together。 And now； Allan； tell me all that has happened since we
parted。〃
So I told her everything； including the Vrouw Prinsloo's advice。
〃Of course； Allan； you were quite right；〃 she remarked when I had
finished； 〃but I am not sure that the Vrouw Prinsloo was not also right
in her own fashion。 I am afraid of my cousin Hernan； who holds my
father in his handfast； fast。 Still； we have promised； and must keep
our word。〃
CHAPTER XI
THE SHOT IN THE KLOOF
I think it was about three weeks after these events that we began our
southward trek。 On the morning subsequent to our arrival at Marais's
camp； Pereira came up to me when several people were present； and；
taking my hand； thanked me in a loud voice for having saved his life。
Thenceforward； he declared； I should be dearer to him than a brother；
for was there not a blood bond between us？
I answered I did not think any such bond existed； indeed； I was not sure
what it meant。 I had done my duty by him； neither less nor more； and
there was nothing further to be said。
It turned out； however； that there was a great deal further to be said；
since Pereira desired to borrow money； or； rather； goods； from me。 He
explained that owing to the prejudices of the vulgar Boers who remained
alive in that camp； and especially of the scandalous…tongued Vrouw
Prinsloo； both he and his uncle had come to the conclusion that it would
be wise for him to remove himself as soon as possible。 Therefore he
proposed to trek away alone。
I answered that I should have thought he had done enough solitary
travelling in this veld； seeing how his last expedition had ended。 He
replied that he had； indeed； but everyone here was so bitter against him
that no choice was left。 Then he added with an outburst of truth：
〃Allemachte！ Mynheer Quatermain； do you suppose that it is pleasant for
me to see you making love all day to the maid who was my betrothed； and
to see her paying back the love with her eyes？ Yes； and doubtless with
her lips； too； from all I hear。〃
〃You could leave her whom you called your betrothed； but who never was
betrothed to anyone but me with her own will； to starve in the veld；
mynheer。 Why； then； should you be angry because I picked up that which
you threw away； that； too； which was always my own and not yours？ Had
it not been for me； there would now be no maid left for us to quarrel
over； as； had it not been for me； there would be no man left for me to
quarrel with about the maid。〃
〃Are you God； then； Englishman； that you dispose of the lives of men and
women at your will？ It was He Who saved us； not you。〃
〃He may have saved you； but it was t