the story of an african farm-第13节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



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



〃Ah；　my　friend；〃　said　Bonaparte；　〃when　the　grace　of　God　is　in　our　hearts；

is　it　not　with　us　all？　　Do　we　not　love　the　very　worm　we　tread　upon；　and　as

we　tread　upon　it？　　Do　we　know　distinctions　of　race；　or　of　sex；　or　of

colour？　　No！



〃'Love　so　amazing；　so　divine；

　　It　fills　my　soul；　my　life；　my　all。'〃



After　a　time　he　sank　into　a　less　fervent　mood；　and　remarked：



〃The　coloured　female　who　waits　upon　Tant　Sannie　appears　to　be　of　a　virtuous

disposition；　an　individual　who〃



〃Virtuous！〃　said　the　German；　〃I　have　confidence　in　her。　　There　is　that　in

her　which　is　pure；　that　which　is　noble。　　The　rich　and　high　that　walk　this

earth　with　lofty　eyelids　might　exchange　with　her。〃



The　German　here　got　up　to　bring　a　coal　for　Bonaparte's　pipe；　and　they　sat

together　talking　for　a　while。　　At　length　Bonaparte　knocked　the　ashes　out　of

his　pipe。



〃It　is　time　that　I　took　my　departure；　dear　friend；〃　he　said；　〃but；　before　I

do　so；　shall　we　not　close　this　evening　of　sweet　communion　and　brotherly

intercourse　by　a　few　words　of　prayer？　　Oh；　how　good　and　how　pleasant　a

thing　it　is　for　brethren　to　dwell　together　in　unity！　　It　is　like　the　dew

upon　the　mountains　of　Hermon；　for　there　the　Lord　bestowed　a　blessing；　even

life　for　evermore。〃



〃Stay　and　drink　some　coffee；〃　said　the　German。



〃No；　thank　you；　my　friend；　I　have　business　that　must　be　done　tonight；〃　said

Bonaparte。　　〃Your　dear　son　appears　to　have　gone　to　sleep。　　He　is　going　to

take　the　wagon　to　the　mill　tomorrow！　　What　a　little　man　he　is。〃



〃A　fine　boy。〃



But　though　the　boy　nodded　before　the　fire　he　was　not　asleep；　and　they　all

knelt　down　to　pray。



When　they　rose　from　their　knees　Bonaparte　extended　his　hand　to　Waldo；　and

patted　him　on　the　head。



〃Good　night；　my　lad；〃　said　he。　　〃As　you　go　to　the　mill　tomorrow；　we　shall

not　see　you　for　some　days。　　Good　night！　　Good…bye！　　The　Lord　bless　and

guide　you；　and　may　He　bring　you　back　to　us　in　safety　and　find　us　all　as　you

have　left　us！〃　　He　laid　some　emphasis　on　the　last　words。　　〃And　you；　my　dear

friend；〃　he　added；　turning　with　redoubled　warmth　to　the　German；　〃long；　long

shall　I　look　back　to　this　evening　as　a　time　of　refreshing　from　the　presence

of　the　Lord；　as　an　hour　of　blessed　intercourse　with　a　brother　in　Jesus。　

May　such　often　return。　　The　Lord　bless　you！〃　he　added；　with　yet　deeper

fervour；　〃richly；　richly。〃



Then　he　opened　the　door　and　vanished　out　into　the　darkness。



〃He；　he；　he！〃　laughed　Bonaparte；　as　he　stumbled　over　the　stones。　　〃If　there

isn't　the　rarest　lot　of　fools　on　this　farm　that　ever　God　Almighty　stuck

legs　to。　　He；　he；　he！　　When　the　worms　come　out　then　the　blackbirds　feed。　

Ha；　ha；　ha！〃　　Then　he　drew　himself　up；　even　when　alone　he　liked　to　pose

with　a　certain　dignity；　it　was　second　nature　to　him。



He　looked　in　at　the　kitchen　door。　　The　Hottentot　maid　who　acted　as

interpreter　between　Tant　Sannie　and　himself　was　gone；　and　Tant　Sannie

herself　was　in　bed。



〃Never　mind；　Bon；　my　boy；〃　he　said；　as　he　walked　round　to　his　own　room；

〃tomorrow　will　do。　　He；　he；　he！〃





Chapter　1。VIII。　　He　Catches　the　Old　Bird。



At　four　o'clock　the　next　afternoon　the　German　rode　across　the　plain；

returning　from　his　search　for　the　lost　sheep。　　He　rode　slowly；　for　he　had

been　in　the　saddle　since　sunrise　and　was　somewhat　weary；　and　the　heat　of

the　afternoon　made　his　horse　sleepy　as　it　picked　its　way　slowly　along　the

sandy　road。　　Every　now　and　then　a　great　red　spider　would　start　out　of　the

karoo　on　one　side　of　the　path　and　run　across　to　the　other；　but　nothing　else

broke　the　still　monotony。　　Presently；　behind　one　of　the　highest　of　the

milk…bushes　that　dotted　the　roadside；　the　German　caught　sight　of　a　Kaffer

woman；　seated　there　evidently　for　such　shadow　as　the　milk…bush　might　afford

from　the　sloping　rays　of　the　sun。



The　German　turned　the　horse's　head　out　of　the　road。　　It　was　not　his　way　to

pass　a　living　creature　without　a　word　of　greeting。　　Coming　nearer；　he　found

it　was　no　other　than　the　wife　of　the　absconding　Kaffer　herd。　　She　had　a

baby　tied　on　her　back　by　a　dirty　strip　of　red　blanket；　another　strip　hardly

larger　was　twisted　round　her　waist；　for　the　rest　her　black　body　was　naked。

She　was　a　sullen；　ill…looking　woman　with　lips　hideously　protruding。



The　German　questioned　her　as　to　how　she　came　there。　　She　muttered　in　broken

Dutch　that　she　had　been　turned　away。　　Had　she　done　evil？　　She　shook　her

head　sullenly。　　Had　she　had　food　given　her？　　She　grunted　a　negative；　and

fanned　the　flies　from　her　baby。　　Telling　the　woman　to　remain　where　she　was；

he　turned　his　horse's　head　to　the　road　and　rode　off　at　a　furious　pace。



〃Hard…hearted！　cruel！　　Oh；　my　God！　　Is　this　the　way？　　Is　this　charity？〃



〃Yes；　yes；　yes；〃　ejaculated　the　old　man　as　he　rode　on；　but；　presently；　his

anger　began　to　evaporate；　his　horse's　pace　slackened；　and　by　the　time　he

had　reached　his　own　door　he　was　nodding　and　smiling。



Dismounting　quickly；　he　went　to　the　great　chest　where　his　provisions　were

kept。　　Here　he　got　out　a　little　meal；　a　little　mealies；　a　few　roaster…

cakes。　　These　he　tied　up　in　three　blue　handkerchiefs；　and　putting　them　into

a　sailcloth　bag；　he　strung　them　over　his　shoulders。　　Then　he　looked

circumspectly　out　at　the　door。　　It　was　very　bad　to　be　discovered　in　the　act

of　giving；　it　made　him　red　up　to　the　roots　of　his　old　grizzled　hair。　　No

one　was　about；　however；　so　he　rode　off　again。　　Beside　the　milk…bush　sat　the

Kaffer　woman　stilllike　Hagar；　he　thought；　thrust　out　by　her　mistress　in

the　wilderness　to　die。　　Telling　her　to　loosen　the　handkerchief　from　her

head；　he　poured　into　it　the　contents　of　his　bag。　　The　woman　tied　it　up　in

sullen　silence。



〃You　must　try　and　get　to　the　next　farm；〃　said　the　German。



The　woman　shook　her　head；　she　would　sleep　in　the　field。



The　German　reflected。　　Kaffer　women　were　accustomed　to　sleep　in　the　open

air；　but　then；　the　child　was　small；　and　after　so　hot　a　day　the　night　might

be　chilly。　　That　she　would　creep　back　to　the　huts　at　the　homestead　when　the

darkness　favoured　her；　the　German's　sagacity　did　not　make　evident　to　him。　

He　took　off　the　old　brown　salt…and…pepper　coat；　and　held　it　out　to　her。　

The　woman　received　it　in　silence；　and　laid　it　across　her　knee。　　〃With　that

they　will　sleep　warmly；　not　so　bad。　　Ha；　ha！〃　said　the　German。　　And　he　rode

home；　nodding　his　head　in　a　manner　that　would　have　made　any　other　man

dizzy。



〃I　wish　he　would　not　come　back　tonight；〃　said　Em；　her　face　wet　with　tears。



〃It　will　be　just　the　same　if　he　comes　back　tomorrow；〃　said　Lyndall。



The　two　girls　sat　on　the　step　of　the　cabin　weeping　for　the　German's　return。　

Lyndall　shaded　her　eyes　with　her　hand　from　the　sunset　light。



〃There　he　comes；〃　she　said；　〃whistling　'Ach　Jerusalem　du　schone'　so　loud　I

can　hear　him　from　here。〃



〃Perhaps　he　has　found　the　sheep。〃



〃Found　them！〃　said　Lyndall。　　〃He　would　whistle　just　so　if　he　knew　he　had　to

die　tonight。〃



〃You　look　at　the　sunset；　eh；　chickens？〃　the　German　said；　as　he　came　up　at　a

smart　canter。　　〃Ah；　yes；　that　is　beautiful！〃　he　added；　as　he　dismounted；

pausing　for　a　moment　with　his　hand　on　the　saddle　to　look　at　the　evening

sky；　where　the　sun　shot　up　long　flaming　streaks；　between　which　and　the　eye

thin　yellow　clouds　floated。　　〃Ei！　you　weep？〃　said　the　German；　as　the　girls

ran　up　to　him。



Before　they　had　time　to　reply　the　voice　of　Tant　Sannie　was　heard。



〃You　child；　of　the　child；　of　the　child　of　a　Kaffer's　dog；　come　here！〃



The　German　looked　up。　　He　thought　the　Dutchwoman；　come　out　to　cool　herself

in　the　yard；　called　to　some　misbehaving　servant。　　The　old　man　looked　round

to　see　who　it　might　be。



〃You　old　vagabond　of　a　praying　German；　are　you　deaf？〃



Tant　Sannie　stood　before　the　steps　of　the　kitchen；　upon　them　sat　the　lean

Hottentot；　upon　the　highest　stood　Bonaparte　Blenkins；　both　hands　folded

under　the　tails　of　his　coat；　and　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　sunset　sky。



The　German　dropped　the　saddle　on　the　ground。



〃Bish；　bish；　bish！　what　may　this　be？〃　he　said；　and　walked　toward　the　house。　

〃Very　strange！〃



The　girls　followed　him：　　Em　still　weeping；　Lyndall　with　her　face　rather

white　and　her　eyes　wide　open。



〃And　I　have　the　heart　of　a　devil；　did　you　say？　　You　could　run　me　through

with　a　knife；　could　you？〃　cried　the　Dutchwoman。　　〃I　could　not　drive　the

Kaffer　maid　away　because　I　was　afraid　of　you；　was　I？　　Oh；　you　miserable

rag！　　I　loved　you；　did　I？　　I　would　have　liked　to　marry　you；　would　I？　would

I？　WOULD　I？〃　cried　the　Boer…woman；　〃you　cat's　tail；　you　dog's　paw！　　Be　near

my　house　tomorrow　morning　when　the　sun　rises；〃　she　gasped；　〃my　Kaffers　will

drag　you　through　the　sand。　　They　would　do　it　gladly；　any　of　them；　for　a　bit

of　tobacco；　for　all　your　prayings　with　them。〃



〃I　am　bewildered；　I　am　bewildered；　said　the　German；　standing　before　her　and

raising　his　hand　to　his　forehead；　〃II　do　not