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Christian to submit to injuries； and therefore I will do as you wish。
As to these bearers of false witness； I leave them to God。〃
〃And I leave you to the devil；〃 shouted Vrouw Prinsloo； 〃who will
certainly have you soon or late。 Get out of my sight； stinkcat； or I
will pull your hair off。〃 And she rushed at him； flapping her dreadful
vatdoekwhich she produced from some recess in her raimentin his
face； driving him away as though he were a noxious insect。
Well； he went I know not where； and so strong was public opinion against
him that I do not think that even his uncle； Henri Marais； sought him
out to console him。
When Pereira was gone； our party and that of Retief fell into talk； and
we had much to tell。 Especially was the commandant interested in the
story of my bet with Dingaan； whereby I saved the lives of all my
companions by shooting the vultures。
〃It was not for nothing； nephew； that God Almighty gave you the power of
holding a gun so straight；〃 said Retief to me when he understood the
matter。 〃I remember that when you killed those wildfowl in the Groote
Kloof with bullets； which no other man could have done； I wondered why
you should have such a gift above all the rest of us； who have practised
for so many more years。 Well； now I understand。 God Almighty is no
fool； He knows His business。 I wish you were coming back with me to
Dingaan； but as that tainted man； Hernan Pereira； is of my company；
perhaps it is better that you should stay away。 Tell me； now； about
this Dingaan； does he mean to kill us？〃
〃Not this time； I think； uncle；〃 I answered； 〃because first he wishes to
learn all about the Boers。 Still； do not trust him too far just because
he speaks you softly。 Remember； that if I had missed the third vulture；
we should all have been dead by now。 And； if you are wise； keep an eye
upon Hernan Pereira。〃
〃These things I will do； nephew； especially the last of them； and now we
must be getting on。 Stay； come here； Henri Marais； I have a word to say
to you。 I understand that this little Englishman； Allan Quatermain； who
is worth ten bigger men； loves your daughter； whose life he has saved
again and again； and that she loves him。 Why； then； do you not let them
marry in a decent fashion？〃
〃Because before God I have sworn her to another manto my nephew；
Hernan Pereira； whom everyone slanders；〃 answered Marais sulkily。
〃Until she is of age that oath holds。〃
〃Oho！〃 said Retief； 〃you have sworn your lamb to that hyena； have you？
Well； look out that he does not crack your bones as well as hers； and
perhaps some others also。 Why does God give some men a worm in their
brains； as He does to the wildebeeste； a worm that always makes them run
the wrong way？ I don't know； I am sure； but you who are very religious；
Henri Marais； might think the matter over and tell me the answer when
next we meet。 Well； this girl of yours will soon be of age； and then；
as I am commandant down yonder where she is going； I'll see she marries
the man she wants； whatever you say； Henri Marais。 Heaven above us！ I
only wish it were my daughter he was in love with。 A fellow who can
shoot to such good purpose might have the lot of them〃； and uttering one
of his great； hearty laughs； he walked off to his horse。
On the morrow of this meeting we forded the Tugela and entered the
territory that is now called Natal。 Two days' short trekking through a
beautiful country brought us to some hills that I think were called
Pakadi； or else a chief named Pakadi lived there； I forget which。
Crossing these hills； on the further side of them； as Retief had told us
we should do； we found a large party of the trek…Boers； who were already
occupying this land on the hither side of the Bushman's River； little
knowing； poor people； that it was fated to become the grave of many of
them。 To…day； and for all future time； that district is and will be
known by the name of Weenen； or the Place of Weeping； because of those
pioneers who here were massacred by Dingaan within a few weeks of the
time of which I write。
Nice as the land was； for some reason or other it did not quite suit my
fancy； and therefore； in view of my approaching marriage with Marie；
having purchased a horse from one of the trek…Boers； I began to explore
the country round。 My object was to find a stretch of fertile veld
where we could settle when we were wedded； and such a spot I discovered
after some trouble。 It lay about thirty miles away to the east； in the
loop of a beautiful stream that is now known as the Mooi River。
Enclosed in this loop were some thirty thousand acres of very rich；
low…lying soil； almost treeless and clothed with luxuriant grasses where
game was extraordinarily numerous。 At the head of it rose a flat…topped
hill； from the crest of which； oddly enough； flowed a plentiful stream
of water fed by a strong spring。 Half…way down this hill； facing to the
east； and irrigable by the stream； was a plateau several acres in
extent； which furnished about the best site for a house that I know in
all South Africa。 Here I determined we would build our dwelling…place
and become rich by the breeding up of great herds of cattle。 I should
explain that this ground； which once； as the remains of their old kraals
showed； had belonged to a Kaffir tribe killed out by Chaka； the Zulu
king； was to be had for the taking。
Indeed； as there was more land than we could possibly occupy； I
persuaded Henri Marais； the Prinsloos and the Meyers； with whom I had
trekked from Delagoa； to visit it with me。 When they had seen it they
agreed to make it their home in the future； but meanwhile elected to
return to the other Boers for safety's sake。 So with the help of some
Kaffirs； of whom there were a few in the district； remnants of those
tribes which Chaka had destroyed； I pegged out an estate of about twelve
thousand acres for myself； and； selecting a site； set the natives to
work to build a rough mud house upon it which would serve as a temporary
dwelling。 I should add that the Prinsloos and the Meyers also made
arrangements for the building of similar shelters almost alongside of my
own。 This done； I returned to Marie and the trek…Boers。
On the morning after my return to the camp Piet Retief appeared there
with his five or six companions。 I asked him how he had got on with
Dingaan。
〃Well enough； nephew；〃 he answered。 〃At first the king was somewhat
angry； saying that we Boers had stolen six hundred head of his cattle。
But I showed him that it was the chief； Sikonyela； who lives yonder on
the Caledon River； who had dressed up his people in white men's clothes
and put them upon horses； and afterwards drove the cattle through one of
our camps to make it appear that we were the thieves。 Then he asked me
what was my object in visiting him。 I answered that I sought a grant of
the land south of the Tugela to the sea。
〃'Bring me back the cattle that you say Sikonyela has stolen；' he said；
'and we will talk about this land。' To this I agreed and soon after
left the kraal。〃
〃What did you do with Hernan Pereira； uncle？〃 I asked。
〃This； Allan。 When I was at Umgungundhlovu I sought out the truth of
that story you told me as to his having made a plot to get you killed by
the Zulus on the ground that you were a wizard。〃
〃And what did you discover； uncle？〃
〃I discovered that it was true； for Dingaan told me so himself。 Then I
sent for Pereira and ordered him out of my camp； telling him that if he
came back among the Boers I would have him put on his trial for
attempted murder。 He said nothing； but went away。〃
〃Whither did he go？〃
〃To a place that Dingaan gave him just outside his kraal。 The king said
that he would be useful to him； as he could mend guns and teach his
soldiers to shoot with them。 So there； I suppose； he remains； unless he
has thought it wiser to make off。 At any rate； I am sure that he will
not come here to trouble you or anyone。〃
〃No； uncle； but he may trouble you _there_；〃 I said doubtfully。
〃What do you mean； Allan？〃
〃I don't quite know； but he is black…hearted； a traitor by nature； and
in one way or the other he will stir up sorrow。 Do you think that he
will love you； for instance； after you have hunted him out like a
thief？〃
Retief shrugged his shoulders and laughed as he answered：
〃I will take my chance of that。 What is the use of troubling one's
head about such a snake of a man？ And now； Allan； I have something to
ask you。 Are you married yet？〃
〃No； uncle； nor can be for another five weeks； when Marie comes of age。
Her father still holds that his oath binds him； and I have promised that
I will not take her till then。〃
〃Does he indeed； Allan？ I think that Henri Marais is 'kransick' （that
is； cracked）； or else his cursed nephew； Hernan； has fascinated him； as
a snake