Part 16 (1/2)
”Then you can come with us as my father-in-law, Mynheer Marais At any rate, it is certain that I will not go away and leave her here to starve”
Now I think that so which he saw in ed his tone and began to argue, almost to plead
”Be reasonable, Allan,” he said ”How can you marry Marie when there is no predicant to marry you? Surely, if you love her so much, you would not pour ht not think it mud,” I replied ”Men and women have been married without the help of priests before now, by open declaration and public report, for instance, and their children held to be born in wedlock I know that, for I have read of the law of e good unless the holy words are said But why do you not let ht it was ended, Mynheer Marais”
”Not so, Allan I told you that I had sworn that she should never e, which will be in so that then she is a free woman who can dispose of herself Also I shall be clear of my oath, for no harm will come to my soul if that happens which I cannot help Now are you satisfied?”
”I don't know,” I answered doubtfully, for soht contemptible, did not convince me that he was sincere ”I don't know,” I repeated ”Much may chance in six ht change her ht not be there to marry, mynheer Accidents sometimes happen to men who are not wanted, especially in wild countries or, for the matter of that, to those who are”
”Allemachte! Allan, you do not mean that I--”
”No, mynheer,” I interrupted; ”but there are other people in the world besides yourself--Hernan Pereira, for example, if he lives Still, I am not the only one concerned in this matter There is Marie yonder Shall I call her?”
He nodded, preferring probably that I should speak to her in his presence rather than alone
So I called Marie, atching our talk somewhat anxiously while she went about her tasks She cairl of a while before, for although she was still thin and drawn, her youth and beauty were returning to her fast under the influences of good food and happiness
”What is it, Allan?” she asked gently I told her all, repeating our conversation and the arguments which had been used on either side word for word, as nearly as I could reht?” I asked of Marais when I had finished
”It is right; you have a good memory,” he answered
”Very well And nohat have you to say, Marie?”
”I, dear Allan? Why, this: My life belongs to you, who have twice saved this body ofto you
Therefore, I should have thought it no shaiven to you here and now before the people, and afterwards yman e found one But hs upon his mind, and he has shown you that within six months--a short six months--that oath dies of itself, since, by the law, he can no longer control rieve him, or perhaps lead him to say and do what is foolish, I think it would be well that we should wait for those six months, if, on his part, he proe”
”Ja, ja, I proe,” answered Marais eagerly, like one who has suddenly seen so, as though to hi to prevent it, for all that”
”We are every one of us in the hand of God,” she replied in her sweet voice ”Allan, you hear, my father has promised?”
”Yes, Marie, he has prolooh me
”I have promised, Allan, and I will keepto work you no har all in His hands But you, on your part, e, you will not take Marie as a wife--no, not if you were left alone together in the veld You must be as people who are affianced to each other, no h with a heavy heart Then, I suppose in order toBoers, ere loitering near, and repeated to them the terhed and shrugged their shoulders But Vrouw Prinsloo, I reht the business foolish, since if anyone had a right to Marie, I had, wherever I chose to take her She added that, as for Hernan Pereira, he was a ”sneak and a stinkcat,” who had gone off to save his own life, and left theain, she would greet him with a pailful of dirty water in the face, as she herself ot the chance