按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
camp。 Meanwhile you will be kept in custody in your own house。 Now
have you anything to say against this sentence？〃
〃Yes； this；〃 I answered； 〃that although you do not know it； it is an
unjust sentence； built up on the lies of one who has always been my
enemy； and of a man whose brain is rotten。 I never betrayed the Boers。
If anyone betrayed them it was Hernan Pereira himself； who； as I proved
to the General Retief； had been praying Dingaan to kill me； and whom
Retief threatened to put upon his trial for this very crime； for which
reason and no other Pereira fled from the kraal； taking his tool Henri
Marais with him。 You have asked God to judge me。 Well； I ask God to
judge him and Henri Marais also； and I know He will in one way or
another。 As for me； I am ready to die； as I have been for months while
serving the cause of you Boers。 Shoot me now if you will； and make an
end。 But I tell you that if I escape your hands I will not suffer this
treatment to go unpunished。 I will lay my case before the rulers of my
people； and if necessary before my Queen； yes； if I have to travel to
London to do it； and you Boers shall learn that you cannot condemn an
innocent Englishman upon false testimony and not pay the price。 I tell
you that price shall be great if I live； and if I die it shall be
greater still。〃
Now these words； very foolish words； I admit； which being young and
inexperienced I spoke in my British pride； I could see made a great
impression upon my judges。 They believed； to be fair to them； that they
had passed a just sentence。 Blinded by prejudice and falsehood； and
maddened by the dreadful losses their people had suffered during the
past few days at the hands of a devilish savage； they believed that I
was the instigator of those losses； one who ought to die。 Indeed； all；
or nearly all the Boers were persuaded that Dingaan was urged to this
massacre by the counsels of Englishmen。 The mere fact of my own and my
servant's miraculous escape； when all my companions had perished； proved
my guilt to them without the evidence of Pereira； which； being no
lawyers； they thought sufficient to justify their verdict。
Still； they had an uneasy suspicion that this evidence was not
conclusive； and might indeed be rejected in toto by a more competent
court upon various grounds。 Also they knew themselves to be rebels who
had no legal right to form a court； and feared the power of the long arm
of England； from which for a little while they had escaped。 If I were
allowed to tell my tale to the Parliament in London； what might not
happen to them； they wonderedto them who had ventured to pass sentence
of death upon a subject of the Queen of Great Britain？ Might not this
turn the scale against them？ Might not Britain arise in wrath and crush
them； these men who dared to invoke her forms of law in order to kill
her citizen？ Those； as I learned afterwards； were the thoughts that
passed through their minds。
Also another thought passed through their mindsthat if the sentence
were executed at once； a dead man cannot appeal； and that here I had no
friends to take up my cause and avenge me。 But of all this they said
nothing。 Only at a sign I was marched away to my little house and
imprisoned under guard。
Now I propose to tell the rest of the history of these tragic events as
they happened； although some of them did not come to my knowledge till
the morrow or afterwards； for I think this will be the more simple and
the easier plan。
CHAPTER XXI
THE INNOCENT BLOOD
After I had been taken away it seems that the court summoned Hernan
Pereira and Henri Marais to accompany them to a lonely spot at a
distance； where they thought that their deliberations would not be
overheard。 In this； however； they were mistaken； having forgotten the
fox…like cunning of the Hottentot； Hans。 Hans had heard me sentenced；
and probably enough feared that he who also had committed the crime of
escaping from Dingaan； might be called on to share that sentence。 Also
he wished to know the secret counsel of these Boers； whose language； of
course； he understood as well as he did his own。
So making a circuit up the hillside； he crept towards them on his belly
as a snake creeps； wriggling in and out between the tufts of last year's
dead grass； which grew here in plenty； without so much as moving their
tops。 At length he lay still in the centre of a bush that grew behind a
stone not five paces from where they were talking； whence he listened
intently to every word that passed their lips。
This was the substance of their talk； that for the reasons I have
already mentioned it would be best that I should die at once。 Sentence；
said the commandant； had been passed； and could not be rescinded； since
even if it were； their offence would remain as heavy in the eyes of the
English authorities。 But if they took me to their main camp to be
re…tried by their great council； possibly that sentence might be
rescinded and they be left individually and collectively to atone for
what they had done。 Also they knew that I was very clever and might
escape in some other way to bring the English； or possibly the Zulus；
upon them； since they felt convinced that Dingaan and I were working
together for their destruction； and that while I had breath in my body I
should never cease my efforts to be avenged。
When it was found that they were all of one mind in this matter； the
question arose： What should be done？ Somebody suggested that I should
be shot at once； but the commandant pointed out that such a deed； worked
at night； would look like murder； especially as it violated the terms of
their verdict。
Then another suggestion was made： that I should be brought out of my
house just before the dawn on pretence that it was time to ride； that
then I should be given the opportunity of escape and instantly shot
down。 Or it might be pretended that I had tried to escape； with a like
result。 Who； they urged； was to know in that half…light whether I had
or had not actually attempted to run for my life； or to threaten their
lives； circumstances under which the law said it was justifiable to
shoot a prisoner already formally condemned to death？
To this black counsel they all agreed； being so terribly afraid of a
poor English lad whose existence； although most of them did not know
this； was to be taken from him upon false evidence。 But then arose
another question： By whose hand should the thing be done？ Not one of
them； it would seem； was anxious to fulfil this bloody office； indeed；
they one and all refused to do so。 A proposal was put forward that some
of their native servants should be forced to serve as executioners； but
when this had been vetoed by the general sense of the court； their
counsels came to a deadlock。
Then； after a whispered conference； the commandant spoke some dreadful
words。
〃Hernando Pereira and Henri Marais；〃 he said； 〃it is on your evidence
that this young man has been condemned。 We believe that evidence； but
if by one jot or one tittle it is false； then not justice； but a foul
murder will have been committed and his innocent blood will be upon your
heads for ever。 Hernando Pereira and Henri Marais； the court appoints
you to be the guards who will bring the prisoner out of his house
to…morrow morning just when the sky begins to lighten。 It is from _you_
that he will try to escape； and _you_ will prevent his escape by his
death。 Then you must join us where we shall be waiting for you and
report the execution。〃
When Henri Marais heard this he exclaimed：
〃I swear by God that I cannot do it。 Is it right or natural that a man
should be forced to kill his own son…in…law？〃
〃You could bear evidence against your own son…in…law； Henri Marais；〃
answered the stern…faced commandant。 〃Why then cannot you kill with
your rifle one whom you have already helped to kill with your tongue？〃
〃I will not； I cannot！〃 said Marais； tearing at his beard。 But the
commandant only answered coldly：
〃You have the orders of the court； and if you choose to disobey them we
shall begin to believe that you have sworn falsely。 Then you and your
nephew will also appear before the great council when the Englishman is
tried again。 Still； it matters nothing to us whether you or Hernando
Pereira shall fire the shot。 See you to it； as the Jews said to Judas
who had betrayed the innocent Lord。〃
Then he paused and went on； addressing Pereira：
〃Do you also refuse； Hernando Pereira？ Remember before you answer that
if you do refuse we shall draw our own conclusions。 Remember； too； that
the evidence which you have given； showing that this wicked Englishman
plotted and caused the deaths of our brothers and of our wives and
children； which we believe to be true evidence； shall be weighed and
investigated