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The excerpt represents the core issue or deciding factor on which you must meditate, and is drawn from Marie by H. Rider Haggard: to shoot my faithful old Hottentot friend. But Hans, knowing all I had
at stake, came to a different conclusion.
"Allemachte! baas," he said, "I understand, and I do not blame you.
Well, if I obey alive, perhaps my guardian Snake" (or spirit) "will
protect me from the evil omen, and perhaps the aasvogels will not pick
out my eyes. But if once you send a bullet through my stomach--why,
then everything is finished, and for Hans it is 'Good night, sleep
well.' I will obey you, baas, and lie where you wish, only, I pray you,
do not forget me and go away, leaving me with those devil birds."
I promised him faithfully that I would not. Then we went through a very
grim little pantomime. Proceeding to the centre of the arena-like
Marie |
