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〃See；〃 said Marie； 〃my father is among them； and my cousin Hernan rides
at his side。〃
It was true。 There was Henri Marais； and just behind him； talking into
his ear； rode Hernan Pereira。 I remember that the two of them reminded
me of a tale I had read about a man who was cursed with an evil genius
that drew him to some dreadful doom in spite of the promptings of his
better nature。 The thin； worn； wild…eyed Marais； and the rich…faced；
carnal Pereira whispering slyly into his ear； they were exact types of
that man in the story and his evil genius who dragged him down to hell。
Prompted by some impulse； I threw my arms round Marie and embraced her；
saying：
〃At least we have been very happy for a while。〃
〃What do you mean； Allan？〃 she asked doubtfully。
〃Only that I think our good hours are done with for the present。〃
〃Perhaps；〃 she answered slowly； 〃but at least they have been very good
hours； and if I should die to…day I am glad to have lived to win them。〃
Then the cavalcade of Boers came up。
Hernan Pereira； his senses sharpened perhaps by the instincts of hate
and jealousy； was the first to recognise me。
〃Why； Mynheer Allan Quatermain；〃 he said； 〃how is it that you are here？
How is it that you still live？ Commandant；〃 he added； turning to a
dark； sad…faced man of about sixty whom at that time I did not know；
〃here is a strange thing。 This Heer Quatermain； an Englishman； was with
the Governor Retief at the town of the Zulu king； as the Heer Henri
Marais can testify。 Now； as we know for sure Pieter Retief and all his
people are dead； murdered by Dingaan； how then does it happen that this
man has escaped？〃
〃Why do you put riddles to me； Mynheer Pereira？〃 asked the dark Boer。
〃Doubtless the Englishman will explain。〃
〃Certainly I will； mynheer；〃 I said。 〃Is it your pleasure that I should
speak now？〃
The commandant hesitated。 Then； having called Henri Marais apart and
talked to him for a little while； he replied：
〃No； not now； I think； the matter is too serious。 After we have eaten
we will listen to your story； Mynheer Quatermain； and meanwhile I
command you not to leave this place。〃
〃Do you mean that I am a prisoner； commandant？〃 I asked。
〃If you put it soyes； Mynheer Quatermaina prisoner who has to
explain how some sixty of our brothers； who were your companions； came
to be butchered like beasts in Zululand； while you escaped。 Now； no
more words； by and by doubtless there will be plenty of them。 Here you；
Carolus and Johannes； keep watch upon this Englishman； of whom I hear
strange stories； with your guns loaded； please； and when we send to you；
lead him before us。〃
〃As usual； your cousin Hernan brings evil gifts；〃 I said to Marie
bitterly。 〃Well； let us also eat our dinner； which perhaps the Heeren
Carolus and Johannes will do us the honour to sharebringing their
loaded guns with them。〃
Carolus and Johannes accepted the invitation； and from them we heard
much news； all of it terrible enough to learn； especially the details of
the massacre in that district； which； because of this fearful event is
now and always will be known as Weenen； or The Place of Weeping。
Suffice it to say that they were quite enough to take away all our
appetite； although Carolus and Johannes； who by this time had recovered
somewhat from the shock of that night of blood and terror； ate in a
fashion which might have filled Hans himself with envy。
Shortly after we had finished our meal； Hans； who； by the way； seemed to
have quite recovered from his fatigues； came to remove the dishes。 He
informed us that all the Boers were having a great 〃talk；〃 and that they
were about to send for me。 Sure enough； a few minutes later two armed
men arrived and ordered me to follow them。 I turned to say some words
of farewell to Marie； but she said：
〃I go where you do； husband；〃 and； as no objection was made by the
guard； she came。
About two hundred yards away； sitting under the shade of one of the
wagons； we found the Boers。 Six of them were seated in a semicircle
upon stools or whatever they could find； the black…browed commandant
being in the centre and having in front of him a rough table on which
were writing materials。
To the left of these six were the Prinsloos and Meyers； being those folk
whom I had rescued from Delagoa； and to the right the other Boers who
had ridden into the camp that morning。 I saw at a glance that a
court…martial had been arranged and that the six elders were the judges；
the commandant being the president of the court。
I do not give their names purposely； since I have no wish that the
actual perpetrators of the terrible blunder that I am about to describe
should be known to posterity。 After all； they acted honestly according
to their lights； and were but tools in the hand of that villain Hernan
Pereira。
〃Allan Quatermain；〃 said the commandant； 〃you are brought here to be
tried by a court…martial duly constituted according to the law published
in the camps of the emigrant Boers。 Do you acknowledge that law？〃
〃I know that there is such a law； commandant；〃 I answered； 〃but I do not
acknowledge the authority of your court…martial to try a man who is no
Boer； but a subject of the Queen of Great Britain。〃
〃We have considered that point； Allan Quatermain；〃 said the commandant；
〃and we disallow it。 You will remember that in the camp at Bushman's
River； before you rode with the late Pieter Retief to the chief
Sikonyela； when you were given command of the Zulus who went with him；
you took an oath to interpret truly and to be faithful in all things to
the General Retief； to his companions and to his cause。 That oath we
hold gives this court jurisdiction over you。〃
〃I deny your jurisdiction；〃 I answered； 〃although it is true that I took
an oath to interpret faithfully； and I request that a note of my denial
may be made in writing。〃
〃It shall be done；〃 said the commandant； and laboriously he made the
note on the paper before him。
When he had finished he looked up and said： 〃The charge against you；
Allan Quatermain； is that； being one of the commission who recently
visited the Zulu king Dingaan； under command of the late Governor and
General Pieter Retief； you did falsely and wickedly urge the said
Dingaan to murder the said Pieter Retief and his companions； and
especially Henri Marais； your father…in…law； and Hernando Pereira； his
nephew； with both of whom you had a quarrel。 Further； that afterwards
you brought about the said murder； having first arranged with the king
of the Zulus that you should be removed to a place of safety while it
was done。 Do you plead Guilty or Not guilty？〃
Now when I heard this false and abominable charge my rage and
indignation caused me to laugh aloud。
〃Are you mad； commandant；〃 I exclaimed； 〃that you should say such
things？ On what evidence is this wicked lie advanced against me？〃
〃No； Allan Quatermain； I am not mad；〃 he replied； 〃although it is true
that through your evil doings I； who have lost my wife and three
children by the Zulu spears； have suffered enough to make me mad。 As
for the evidence against you； you shall hear it。 But first I will write
down that you plead Not guilty。〃
He did so； then said：
〃If you will acknowledge certain things it will save us all much time；
of which at present we have little to spare。 Those things are that
knowing what was going to happen to the commission； you tried to avoid
accompanying it。 Is that true？〃
〃No；〃 I answered。 〃I knew nothing of what was going to happen to the
commission； though I feared something； having but just saved my friends
there〃and I pointed to the Prinsloos〃from death at the hands of
Dingaan。 I did not wish to accompany it for another reason： that I had
been married on the day of its starting to Marie Marais。 Still； I went
after all because the General Retief； who was my friend； asked me to
come； to interpret for him。〃
Now some of the Boers present said：
〃That is true。 We remember。〃
But the commandant continued； taking no heed of my answer or these
interruptions。
〃Do you acknowledge that you were on bad terms with Henri Marais and
with Hernan Pereira？〃
〃Yes；〃 I answered； 〃because Henri Marais did all in his power to prevent
my marriage with his daughter Marie； behaving very ill to me who had
saved his life and that of his people who remained to him up by Delagoa；
and afterwards at Umgungundhlovu。 Because； too； Hernan Pereira strove
to rob me of Marie； who loved me。 Moreover； although I had saved him
when he lay sick to death； he afterwards tried to murder me by shooting
me down in a lonely place。 Here is the mark of it；〃 and I touched the
little scar upon the side of my forehead。
〃That is true； he did so； the stinkcat；〃 shouted the Vrouw Prinsloo； and
was ordered to be