the story of an african farm-第12节

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German's　face。　　〃I　must　do　my　duty；　must　I　not？〃



Tant　Sannie　gave　the　order；　and　the　girl　went　for　the　pap。



〃I　know　how　it　was　when　my　first　husband　died。　　They　could　do　nothing　with

me；〃　the　Boer…woman　said；　〃till　I　had　eaten　a　sheep's　trotter；　and　honey；

and　a　little　roaster…cake。　　I　know。〃



Bonaparte　sat　up　on　the　bed　with　his　legs　stretched　out　in　front　of　him；

and　a　hand　on　each　knee；　blubbering　softly。



〃Oh；　she　was　a　woman！　　You　are　very　kind　to　try　and　comfort　me；　but　she　was

my　wife。　　For　a　woman　that　is　my　wife　I　could　live；　for　the　woman　that　is

my　wife　I　could　die！　　For　a　woman　that　is　my　wife　I　couldAh！　that　sweet

word　〃wife〃；　when　will　it　rest　upon　my　lips　again？〃



When　his　feelings　had　subsided　a　little　he　raised　the　corners　of　his

turned…down　mouth；　and　spoke　to　the　German　with　flabby　lips。



〃Do　you　think　she　understands　me？　　Oh；　tell　her　every　word；　that　she　may

know　I　thank　her。〃



At　that　instant　the　girl　reappeared　with　a　basin　of　steaming　gruel　and　a

black　bottle。



Tant　Sannie　poured　some　of　its　contents　into　the　basin；　stirred　it　well；

and　came　to　the　bed。



〃Oh；　I　can't；　I　can't！　　I　shall　die！　　I　shall　die！〃　said　Bonaparte；　putting

his　hands　to　his　side。



〃Come；　just　a　little；〃　said　Tant　Sannie　coaxingly；　〃just　a　drop。〃



〃It's　too　thick；　it's　too　thick。　　I　should　choke。〃



Tant　Sannie　added　from　the　contents　of　the　bottle　and　held　out　a　spoonful；

Bonaparte　opened　his　mouth　like　a　little　bird　waiting　for　a　worm；　and　held

it　open；　as　she　dipped　again　and　again　into　the　pap。



〃Ah；　this　will　do　your　heart　good；〃　said　Tant　Sannie；　in　whose　mind　the

relative　functions　of　heart　and　stomach　were　exceedingly　ill…defined。



When　the　basin　was　emptied　the　violence　of　his　grief　was　much　assuaged；　he

looked　at　Tant　Sannie　with　gentle　tears。



〃Tell　him；〃　said　the　Boer…woman；　〃that　I　hope　he　will　sleep　well；　and　that

the　Lord　will　comfort　him；　as　the　Lord　only　can。〃



〃Bless　you；　dear　friend；　God　bless　you；〃　said　Bonaparte。



When　the　door　was　safely　shut　on　the　German；　the　Hottentot；　and　the

Dutchwoman；　he　got　off　the　bed　and　washed　away　the　soap　he　had　rubbed　on

his　eyelids。



〃Bon；〃　he　said；　slapping　his　leg；　〃you're　the　cutest　lad　I　ever　came

across。　　If　you　don't　turn　out　the　old　Hymns…and…prayers；　and　pummel　the

Ragged　coat；　and　get　your　arms　round　the　fat　one's　waist　and　a　wedding…ring

on　her　finger；　then　you　are　not　Bonaparte。　　But　you　are　Bonaparte。　　Bon；

you're　a　fine　boy！〃



Making　which　pleasing　reflection；　he　pulled　off　his　trousers　and　got　into

bed　cheerfully。





Chapter　1。VII。　　He　Sets　His　Trap。



〃May　I　come　in？　　I　hope　I　do　not　disturb　you；　my　dear　friend；〃　said

Bonaparte；　late　one　evening；　putting　his　nose　in　at　the　cabin　door；　where

the　German　and　his　son　sat　finishing　their　supper。



It　was　now　two　months　since　he　had　been　installed　as　schoolmaster　in　Tant

Sannie's　household；　and　he　had　grown　mighty　and　more　mighty　day　by　day。　　He

visited　the　cabin　no　more；　sat　close　to　Tant　Sannie　drinking　coffee　all　the

evening；　and　walked　about　loftily　with　his　hands　under　the　coat…tails　of

the　German's　black　cloth　and　failed　to　see　even　a　nigger　who　wished　him　a

deferential　good　morning。　　It　was　therefore　with　no　small　surprise　that　the

German　perceived　Bonaparte's　red　nose　at　the　door。



〃Walk　in；　walk　in；〃　he　said　joyfully。　　〃Boy；　boy；　see　if　there　is　any

coffee　left。　　Well；　none。　　Make　a　fire。　　We　have　done　supper；　but〃



〃My　dear　friend；〃　said　Bonaparte；　taking　off　his　hat；　〃I　came　not　to　sup；

not　for　mere　creature　comforts；　but　for　an　hour　of　brotherly　intercourse

with　a　kindred　spirit。　　The　press　of　business　and　the　weight　of　thought；

but　they　alone；　may　sometimes　prevent　me　from　sharing　the　secrets　of　my

bosom　with　him　for　whom　I　have　so　great　a　sympathy。　　You　perhaps　wonder

when　I　shall　return　the　two　pounds〃



〃Oh；　no；　no！　　Make　a　fire；　make　a　fire；　boy。　　We　will　have　a　pot　of　hot

coffee　presently；〃　said　the　German；　rubbing　his　hands　and　looking　about；

not　knowing　how　best　to　show　his　pleasure　at　the　unexpected　visit。



For　three　weeks　the　German's　diffident　〃Good　evening〃　had　met　with　a

stately　bow；　the　chin　of　Bonaparte　lifting　itself　higher　daily；　and　his

shadow　had　not　darkened　the　cabin　doorway　since　he　came　to　borrow　the　two

pounds。　　The　German　walked　to　the　head　of　the　bed　and　took　down　a　blue　bag

that　hung　there。　　Blue　bags　were　a　speciality　of　the　German's。　　He　kept

above　fifty　stowed　away　in　different　corners　of　his　roomsome　filled　with

curious　stones；　some　with　seeds　that　had　been　in　his　possession　fifteen

years；　some　with　rusty　nails；　buckles；　and　bits　of　old　harnessin　all；　a

wonderful　assortment；　but　highly　prized。



〃We　have　something　here　not　so　bad；〃　said　the　German；　smiling　knowingly；　as

he　dived　his　hand　into　the　bag　and　took　out　a　handful　of　almonds　and

raisins；　〃I　buy　these　for　my　chickens。　　They　increase　in　size；　but　they

still　think　the　old　man　must　have　something　nice　for　them。　　And　the　old

manwell；　a　big　boy　may　have　a　sweet　tooth　sometimes；　may　he　not？　　Ha；

ha！〃　said　the　German；　chuckling　at　his　own　joke；　as　he　heaped　the　plate

with　almonds。　　〃Here　is　a　stonetwo　stones　to　crack　themno　late　patent

improvementwell；　Adam's　nut…cracker；　ha；　ha！　　But　I　think　we　shall　do。　

We　will　not　leave　them　uncracked。　　We　will　consume　a　few　without

fashionable　improvements。〃



Here　the　German　sat　down　on　one　side　of　the　table；　Bonaparte　on　the　other；

each　one　with　a　couple　of　flat　stones　before　him；　and　the　plate　between

them。



〃Do　not　be　afraid；〃　said　the　German；　〃do　not　be　afraid。　　I　do　not　forget

the　boy　at　the　fire；　I　crack　for　him。　　The　bag　is　full。　　Why；　this　is

strange；〃　he　said　suddenly；　cracking　upon　a　large　nut；　〃three　kernels！　　I

have　not　observed　that　before。　　This　must　be　retained。　　This　is　valuable。〃　

He　wrapped　the　nut　gravely　in　paper；　and　put　it　carefully　in　his　waistcoat

pocket。　　〃Valuable；　very　valuable！〃　he　said；　shaking　his　head。



〃Ah；　my　friend；〃　said　Bonaparte；　〃what　joy　it　is　to　be　once　more　in　your

society。〃



The　German's　eyes　glistened；　and　Bonaparte　seized　his　hand　and　squeezed　it

warmly。　　They　then　proceeded　to　crack　and　eat。　　After　a　while　Bonaparte

said；　stuffing　a　handful　of　raisins　into　his　mouth：



〃I　was　so　deeply　grieved；　my　dear　friend；　that　you　and　Tant　Sannie　had　some

slight　unpleasantness　this　evening。〃



〃Oh；　no；　no；〃　said　the　German；　〃it　is　all　right　now。　　A　few　sheep　missing；

but　I　make　it　good　myself。　　I　give　my　twelve　sheep；　and　work　in　the　other

eight。〃



〃It　is　rather　hard　that　you　should　have　to　make　good　the　lost　sheep；　said

Bonaparte；　〃it　is　no　fault　of　yours。〃



〃Well；〃　said　the　German；　〃this　is　the　case。　　Last　evening　I　count　the　sheep

at　the　kraaltwenty　are　missing。　　I　ask　the　herd；　he　tells　me　they　are

with　the　other　flock；　he　tells　me　so　distinctly；　how　can　I　think　he　lies？　

This　afternoon　I　count　the　other　flock。　　The　sheep　are　not　there。　　I　come

back　here：　　the　herd　is　gone；　the　sheep　are　gone。　　But　I　cannotno；　I　will

notbelieve　he　stole　them；〃　said　the　German；　growing　suddenly　excited。　

〃Some　one　else；　but　not　he。　　I　know　that　boy。　　I　knew　him　three　years。　　He

is　a　good　boy。　　I　have　seen　him　deeply　affected　on　account　of　his　soul。　

And　she　would　send　the　police　after　him！　　I　say　I　would　rather　make　the

loss　good　myself。　　I　will　not　have　it；　he　has　fled　in　fear。　　I　know　his

heart。　　It　was；〃　said　the　German；　with　a　little　gentle　hesitation；　〃under

my　words　that　he　first　felt　his　need　of　a　Saviour。〃



Bonaparte　cracked　some　more　almonds；　then　said；　yawning；　and　more　as　though

he　asked　for　the　sake　of　having　something　to　converse　about　than　from　any

interest　he　felt　in　the　subject：



〃And　what　has　become　of　the　herd's　wife？〃



The　German　was　alight　again　in　a　moment。



〃Yes；　his　wife。　　She　has　a　child　six　days　old；　and　Tant　Sannie　would　turn

her　out　into　the　fields　this　night。　　That；〃　said　the　German　rising；　〃that

is　what　I　call　crueltydiabolical　cruelty。　　My　soul　abhors　that　deed。　　The

man　that　could　do　such　a　thing　I　could　run　him　through　with　a　knife！〃　said

the　German；　his　grey　eyes　flashing；　and　his　bushy　black　beard　adding　to　the

murderous　fury　of　his　aspect。　　Then　suddenly　subsiding；　he　said；　〃But　all

is　now　well；　Tant　Sannie　gives　her　word　that　the　maid　shall　remain　for　some

days。　　I　go　to　Oom　Muller's　tomorrow　to　learn　if　the　sheep　may　not　be

there。　　If　they　are　not；　then　I　return。　　They　are　gone；　that　is　all。　　I

make　it　good。〃



〃Tant　Sannie　is　a　singular　woman；〃　said　Bonaparte；　taking　the　tobacco　bag

the　German　passed　to　him。



〃Singular！　　Yes；〃　said　the　German；　〃but　her　heart　is　on　her　right　side。　　I

have　lived　long　years　with　her；　and　I　may　say；　I　have　for　her　an　affection；

which　she　returns。　　I　may　say；〃　added　the　German　with　warmth；　〃I　may　say；

that　there　is　not　one　soul　on　this　farm　for　whom　I　have　not　an　affection。〃



〃Ah；　my　frien