Nagwag |
Night
watch
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Daisy staan daardie lente-oggend vroeg op, want sy werk in die dorp
daar naby aan 'n saak.
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Daisy had got up early that spring morning because she was working on a
case in the nearby town.
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Sy kom kwart voor agt by die kantoor aan met 'n kardoessak in haar hand
met vars roombolletjies daarin, en smag na 'n koppie koffie.
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She arrived at her office with a paper bag in her hand containing fresh
cream buns at a quarter to eight and was dying for a cup of coffee.
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Toe sy die sleutel in die slot druk, roep 'n vrou se stem: "Dis
oop, Daisy."
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As she put the key in the lock, a woman’s voice called out,
"It’s open, Daisy."
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Dis Pam, die skoonmaakster.
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It was Pam, the cleaner.
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"Wat van ontbyt, Pam?" vra Daisy met 'n glimlag, en toe merk
sy dat Pam klaarblyklik gehuil het.
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"How about some breakfast, Pam?" said Daisy with a smile and
then noticed Pam had obviously been crying.
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"Pam, wat het gebeur?"
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"Pam, whatever has happened?
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"Kom sit hier en eet saam met my ontbyt.
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"Come on sit down and have some breakfast with me.
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"Vertel my asseblief wat jou ontstel."
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"Please tell me what’s bothering you."
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Pam is 'n hardwerkende vrou met twee kinders wat sy moet grootmaak.
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Pam was a hard-working woman with two children to bring up.
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Sy maak die hele gebou skoon, en dit behels sewe kantore.
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She did the cleaning for the whole building which meant seven offices.
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"Jim soek al weer skoor oor die kinders.
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"Jim has been on to me again about the children.
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"Jy weet hy het geen wetlike reg om hulle te besoek nie, en hy gee
geen duit vir hulle om nie, en het nog nooit."
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"You know he has no legal right to see them and he really
couldn’t care less about them, and never has."
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"Kom ons skakel die ketel aan."
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"Let’s put the kettle on."
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Daisy begin die kitskoffie maak en bied Pam 'n bolletjie aan.
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Daisy began preparing the instant coffee and offered Pam a bun.
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"Waarom begin jy nie by die begin nie?"
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"Now, why don’t you start from the beginning?"
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Pam lyk baie besorg en gaan voort:
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Pam looked extremely troubled and went on:
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"Jy sien, toe ons geskei is, het hy nie eens gevra of hy sy
kinders kan besoek nie.
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"You see, when we got divorced he didn’t even ask to see his
children.
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"Nou het hy geen geld nie, en hy probeer my afdreig om hom geld te
gee, anders gaan hy sorg dat die kinders van my weggeneem word."
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"Now he’s got no money, he’s trying to torture me into giving
him some with the threat that otherwise he’ll get the children away from
me."
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"Ek dink nie hy kan dit maklik doen nie, Pam," redeneer
Daisy.
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"I don’t think he can do that easily, Pam," Daisy reasoned.
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Pam neem nog 'n bolletjie.
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Pam accepted another bun.
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"Nee, Daisy, nie maklik nie, maar hy is baie wraakgierig en dreig
om my lewe hel te maak."
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"No Daisy, not easily, but he’s very vindictive and he’s
threatened to make my life a hell."
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"Wel, ons sal moet wag en kyk.
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"Well, we’ll just have to wait and see.
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"Kyk, as hy gewelddadig word, moet jy net die polisie bel."
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"Look, if he gets violent all you have to do is call the
police."
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"Ek ken Jim, as ek hom nie geld gee nie, sal hy sy woord gestand
doen."
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"I know Jim, if I don’t give him money he’ll be as good as his
word."
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Drie dae later kry Daisy 'n telefoonoproep.
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Three days later Daisy got a telephone call.
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"Daisy, dis Pam. Ek raak van my kop af.
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"Daisy, it’s Pam. I’m going round the bend.
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"Jim kom elke nag wanneer die kroeë sluit na my huis en probeer
deur my slaapkamervenster loer en maak vreemde geluide.
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"Jim’s been coming round to my house every night after the pubs
close trying to see through my bedroom window and making strange noises.
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"Hy probeer op my senuwees werk sodat ek sal ingee en hom al die
geld gee wat hy vra.
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"He’s trying to get on my nerves so that I’ll give in and hand
over all the money he asks for.
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"Ek het drie dae laas geslaap."
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"I haven’t slept for three days."
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"Het jy die polisie daarvan in kennis gestel?"
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" Have you informed the police about it?"
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"Jim het my pas gebel en gesê dat as ek die polisie skakel, sal
hy hulle vertel ek verbeel allerhande dinge en ek's histeries en
kranksinnig en sy kinders moet nie in my sorg wees nie.
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"Jim telephoned me just now and said that if I call the police in,
he’ll tell them I’m imagining things and hysterical and mentally ill
and shouldn’t have his children in my custody.
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"Wat gaan ek doen, Daisy? Ek is desperaat."
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"What am I going to do Daisy? I feel desperate."
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"Goed, Pam, gee my jou adres en ek sal sien wat ek kan doen."
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"All right Pam, tell me your address and I’ll see what I can
do."
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Daisy gaan na Trends, haar
plaaslike televisie-, radio- en rekenaarwinkel, en vra of sy met mnr.
Ranjee, die winkeleienaar, kan praat.
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Daisy went round to Trends,
her local television, radio and computer shop, and asked to speak to Mr.
Ranjee, the owner of the shop.
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"Mnr. Ranjee, dink jy jy kan my 'n klompie dae lank 'n
video-opnemer leen?"
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"Mr. Ranjee, do you think you could lend me a camcorder for a
couple of days?"
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Daisy het die dief wat uit die winkel gesteel het, 'n klompie maande
gelede opgespoor
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Daisy had found the thief who was stealing from the shop a few
months’ ago
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en mnr. Ranjee het altyd gesê dat as sy iets nodig het, moet sy hom
asseblief daarvoor kom vra.
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and Mr. Ranjee had always said that if ever she needed something,
please to come and ask for it.
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"Natuurlik, juffrou Hamilton. Jy sê jy wil een hê wat in die
donker werk.
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"Of course, Miss Hamilton. You say you want one that works in the
dark.
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"Hmm – neem dié een. Weet jy hoe om dit te gebruik? Kom, laat
ek jou wys."
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"Mm - take this. Do you know how to use it? Let me show you."
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Mnr. Ranjee bestee die volgende halfuur daaraan om Daisy 'n klompie
eenvoudige videoopnemerkunsies te leer.
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Mr. Ranjee spent the next half hour teaching Daisy some elementary
camcorder tricks.
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Daisy besluit om omstreeks tienuur daardie aand na Pam se huis te gaan,
met die video-opnemer en sy waterdigte bedekking.
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Daisy decided to go around to Pam’s house at about ten that evening
armed with the camcorder and its rain-proof covering.
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Sy het ook 'n fluitjie in haar sak, en 'n Mars Bar om die tyd te
verwyl.
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She also had a whistle in her pocket and a Mars bar to while away the
time.
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"Ag nee! Dit begin reën," roep Daisy by haarself uit.
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"Oh no! It’s beginning to rain," Daisy exclaimed to
herself.
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Wanneer sy ookal snags 'n saak ondersoek, reën dit gewoonlik.
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Whenever she had a job on at night it invariably rained.
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Gelukkig het sy dié keer 'n plastiekreënjas en 'n hoed saamgebring.
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Fortunately, this time, she had brought a plastic mac and hood with
her.
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Dié tyd van die nag is daar maar min mense in die omtrek.
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At that time of night there were few people around.
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Pam het verduidelik dat sy in 'n ou kothuis woon, en dat haar
slaapkamer agter is en op die tuin uitkyk.
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Pam had explained that she lived in an old cottage, and that her
bedroom was round the back facing the garden.
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Toe Daisy daar kom, gaan sy na die agterkant van die kothuis, klim oor
'n lae heining
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When Daisy arrived, she went to the back of the cottage, climbed over
the low fence
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en sien daar is 'n vervalle skuurtjie onder in die tuin.
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and saw there was a tumble-down tool shed at the bottom of the garden.
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"Dis waar ek gaan wegkruip en op daardie monster wag.
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"That’s where I’ll hide and wait for that monster.
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"Hoe durf hy liewe Pam probeer seermaak," dink Daisy.
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"How dare he try to hurt dear Pam," thought Daisy.
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Binne-in die skuurtjie hoor Daisy iets soos 'n blompot buite op die
grond val
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Once inside the shed Daisy heard something like a flower-pot fall to
the ground outside
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en sy hurk sodat iemand haar nie deur die klein, vuil venstertjie kan
sien nie.
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and crouched down so that she couldn’t be seen through the small
dirty window.
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Blykbaar is dit 'n vergaderplek vir katte, want sy hoor 'n gemiaau.
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Apparently it was a meeting-place for cats, for she heard miaowing.
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"As Pam se voormalige man sy vorige optrede gaan herhaal, moet ek
liewer van daardie katte ontslae raak sodat hy nie afgeskrik word
nie."
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"Certainly if Pam’s ex-husband wants to repeat his previous
performance, I’d better get rid of those cats so he’s not scared
off."
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Sy maak die skuurtjie se deur versigtig oop en en gooi 'n ou skoen wat
sy binne gevind het na die katte, wat gou spore maak.
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She opened the shed door warily and threw an old shoe she had found
inside at the cats, who hastily vanished.
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Nou is alles weer stil.
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Now everything was quiet again.
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Twee uur later staan Daisy, baie styf van die klammigheid en koue, op
uit die stokou rottangstoel waarin sy gesit het.
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Two hours later Daisy, very stiff from the damp and cold, got up from
the ancient wicker chair she had been sitting on.
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"Ek kan dit nie veel langer uithou nie," kla sy by haarself.
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"I can’t stand it much longer" she moaned to herself.
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Toe verbeel sy haar sy hoor die klank van waterskoene wat deur klam
blare plons.
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Then she thought she heard the noise of Wellington boots sloshing
through the damp foliage.
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Iemand kruip na die huis toe.
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Someone was creeping towards the house.
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Daisy se arms pyn weens die stilsit en sy laat die video-opnemer byna
val.
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Daisy’s arms ached because of the enforced inaction and she nearly
dropped the camcorder.
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Sy trek haar skoene uit en glip by die half-oop deur van die skuurtjie
uit.
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She stepped out of her shoes and slipped out of the partially-open shed
door.
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Net toe ry 'n motor verby, met sy ligte vol aan, en Daisy kan alles
baie duidelik sien:
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At that very moment a car passed by with its lights fully on and Daisy
could see quite clearly:
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Pam se man loer by haar slaapkamervenster in.
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Pam’s husband was spying into her bedroom window.
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Daisy tree vinnig op en skakel die video-opnemer aan.
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Daisy managed to act quickly and turned the camcorder on.
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Dit motreën nou net 'n bietjie.
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It was only drizzling now.
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Pam se man begin deur die venster op sy voormalige vrou skree en dreig
haar.
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Pam’s husband began shouting through the window at his ex-wife and
threatening her.
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Daisy verfilm alles en neem al die dreigwoorde op.
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Daisy was filming the scene and recording all the menacing words.
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Skielik maak die video-opnemer 'n vreemde ratelklank.
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Suddenly the camcorder made a strange whirring sound.
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"Dalk sit die band vas!" Daisy is paniekbevange.
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"Maybe the tape’s blocked!" panicked Daisy.
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Sy probeer dit afskakel, maar druk die verkeerde knop en die ratelklank
word harder.
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She tried to turn it off but pushed the wrong button and the whirring
sound increased.
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Net toe word Pam se voormalige man daarvan bewus en draai woedend om.
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At this point Pam’s ex-husband became aware of it and turned round
furiously.
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Hy besef iemand hou hom dop, en hy swets hard.
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He realized someone was watching him and swore profusely.
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Hy beweeg na Daisy toe asof hy haar gaan slaan.
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Then he made towards Daisy as though to hit her.
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Daisy se eerste gedagte is om die video-opnemer met haar liggaam te
beskerm. Sy draai haar rug op hom en begin skree.
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Daisy’s first thought was to protect the camcorder with her body, she
turned her back on him and started yelling.
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Dit voel of sy 'n ewigheid lank skree.
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It seemed to her that her yelling lasted an eternity.
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Skielik skyn 'n sterk flitslig op hul albei.
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Suddenly a strong torch light shone on both of them.
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"Wat's hier aan die gang?"
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"What’s going on here?"
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Dit is 'n polisievrou wat baie vasberade lyk.
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It was a police-woman, looking very determined.
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"Ek het gesien hoe jy
oor die heining klim," en sy wys na man met haar flits se lig.
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"I saw you climbing over
the fence," indicating the man with the light of her torch
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"Kom sonder 'n geluid, julle albei.
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"Come quietly, both of you.
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"Ek arresteer julle weens oortreding en …"
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"I'm arresting you for trespassing and ..."
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Net toe verskyn Pam by haar slaapkamervenster, maak dit oop en kyk uit.
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Just at this moment Pam appeared at her bedroom window, opened it and
looked out.
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"Konstabel, konstabel. Daardie man oortree beslis, maar die jong
dame is my vriend."
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"Officer, officer. That man is certainly trespassing, but the
young lady is my friend."
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Pam se voormalige man word weggeneem toe die konstabel se kollega daar
opdaag en Daisy word na die kothuis genooi om te was en 'n warm koppie
kakao te drink.
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Pam’s ex-husband was taken away as soon as the constable’s
colleague appeared and Daisy was invited inside the cottage to clean up
and have a hot cup of cocoa.
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"Wel, dit was 'n gelukskoot," sê Daisy.
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"Well, that was a bit of luck," said Daisy.
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"Ek kon hom verfilm waar hy snags by jou venster inloer, en die
polisie was getuies by alles.
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"To be able to film him looking in your window at night and have
the whole scene witnessed by the police.
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"Ek dink nie jy gaan weer probleme met Jim hê nie!"
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"I don’t think you’ll be having any more trouble from
Jim!"
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Die volgende oggend kom Daisy omstreeks elfuur by haar kantoor aan en
tref 'n vars bos blomme in 'n vaas op haar lessenaar aan.
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Next morning at about eleven Daisy arrived in her office to find a
fresh bunch of flowers in a vase, on her desk.
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Daarnaas is 'n notatjie in potlood geskryf.
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Nearby was a little note written in pencil.
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"Dankie, Daisy, weer eens dankie. Pam.
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"Thanks Daisy, thanks again. Pam.
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"NS Ek het 'n pot tuisgemaakte groenpruimkonfyt in jou koelkas
gesit."
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"P.S. I’ve put a pot of homemade greengage jam in your
fridge."
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