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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 murder Allan--Allan, who saved his life and ours. Once he shot at
him in a kloof and grazed his cheek; look, there is the scar of it. And
once he plotted with the Zulus to slaughter him, telling Dingaan that he
was an evildoer and a wizard, who would bring a curse upon his land."
Now Retief looked at Pereira.
"What do you say to this?" he asked.
"What do I say?" repeated Pereira, recovering himself. "Why, that it is
a lie or a misunderstanding. I never shot at Heer Allan in any kloof.
Is it likely that I should have done so when he had just nursed me back
to life? I never plotted with the Zulus for his death, which would have
meant the deaths of my uncle and my cousin and of all their companions.
 Marie |