the story of an african farm-第21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！



end　of　the　riem　tied　round　the　gable；　the　other　end　round　his　waist；　how

easy　to　slide　down　to　it；　and　to　open　it；　through　one　of　the　broken　panes；

and　to　go　in；　and　to　fill　his　arms　with　books；　and　to　clamber　up　again！　

They　had　burnt　one　bookhe　would　have　twenty。　　Every　man's　hand　was

against　hishis　should　be　against　every　man's。　　No　one　would　help　himhe

would　help　himself。



He　lifted　the　black　damp　hair　from　his　knit　forehead；　and　looked　round　to

cool　his　hot　face。　　Then　he　saw　what　a　regal　night　it　was。　　He　knelt

silently　and　looked　up。　　A　thousand　eyes　were　looking　down　at　him；　bright

and　so　cold。　　There　was　a　laughing　irony　in　them。



〃So　hot；　so　bitter；　so　angry？　　Poor　little　mortal？〃



He　was　ashamed。　　He　folded　his　arms；　and　sat　on　the　ridge　of　the　roof

looking　up　at　them。



〃So　hot；　so　bitter；　so　angry？〃



It　was　as　though　a　cold　hand　had　been　laid　upon　his　throbbing　forehead；　and

slowly　they　began　to　fade　and　grow　dim。　　Tant　Sannie　and　the　burnt　book；

Bonaparte　and　the　broken　machine；　the　box　in　the　loft；　he　himself　sitting

therehow　small　they　all　became！　　Even　the　grave　over　yonder。　　Those　stars

that　shone　on　up　above　so　quietly；　they　had　seen　a　thousand　such　little

existences　fight　just　so　fiercely；　flare　up　just　so　brightly　and　go　out；

and　they；　the　old；　old　stars；　shone　on　forever。



〃So　hot；　so　angry；　poor　little　soul？〃　they　said。



The　riem　slipped　from　his　fingers；　he　sat　with　his　arms　folded；　looking　up。



〃We；〃　said　the　stars；　have　seen　the　earth　when　it　was　young。　　We　have　seen

small　things　creep　out　upon　its　surfacesmall　things　that　prayed　and　loved

and　cried　very　loudly；　and　then　crept　under　it　again。　　But　we；〃　said　the

stars；　〃are　as　old　as　the　Unknown。〃



He　leaned　his　chin　against　the　palm　of　his　hand　and　looked　up　at　them。　　So

long　he　sat　there　that　bright　stars　set　and　new　ones　rose；　and　yet　he　sat

on。



Then　at　last　he　stood　up；　and　began　to　loosen　the　riem　from　the　gable。



What　did　it　matter　about　the　books？　　The　lust　and　the　desire　for　them　had

died　out。　　If　they　pleased　to　keep　them　from　him　they　might。　　What　matter？

it　was　a　very　little　thing。　　Why　hate；　and　struggle；　and　fight？　　Let　it　be

as　it　would。



He　twisted　the　riem　round　his　arm　and　walked　back　along　the　ridge　of　the

house。



By　this　time　Bonaparte　Blenkins　had　finished　his　dream　of　Trana；　and　as　he

turned　himself　round　for　a　fresh　doze　he　heard　the　steps　descending　the

ladder。　　His　first　impulse　was　to　draw　the　blanket　over　his　head　and　his

legs　under　him；　and　to　shout；　but　recollecting　that　the　door　was　locked　and

the　window　carefully　bolted；　he　allowed　his　head　slowly　to　crop　out　among

the　blankets；　and　listened　intently。　　Whosoever　it　might　be；　there　was　no

danger　of　their　getting　at　him；　so　he　clambered　out　of　bed；　and　going　on

tiptoe　to　the　door；　applied　his　eye　to　the　keyhole。　　There　was　nothing　to

be　seen；　so　walking　to　the　window；　he　brought　his　face　as　close　to　the

glass　as　his　nose　would　allow。　　There　was　a　figure　just　discernible。　　The

lad　was　not　trying　to　walk　softly；　and　the　heavy　shuffling　of　the　well…

known　velschoens　could　be　clearly　heard　through　the　closed　window　as　they

crossed　the　stones　in　the　yard。　　Bonaparte　listened　till　they　had　died　away

round　the　corner　of　the　wagon…house；　and；　feeling　that　his　bare　legs　were

getting　cold；　he　jumped　back　into　bed　again。



。。。



〃What　do　you　keep　up　in　your　loft？〃　inquired　Bonaparte　of　the　Boer…woman

the　next　evening；　pointing　upwards　and　elucidating　his　meaning　by　the

addition　of　such　Dutch　words　as　he　knew；　for　the　lean　Hottentot　was　gone

home。



〃Dried　skins；〃　said　the　Boer…woman；　〃and　empty　bottles；　and　boxes；　and

sacks；　and　soap。〃



〃You　don't　keep　any　of　your　provisions　theresugar；　now？〃　said　Bonaparte；

pointing　to　the　sugar…basin　and　then　up　at　the　loft。



Tant　Sannie　shook　her　head。



〃Only　salt；　and　dried　peaches。〃



〃Dried　peaches！　Eh？〃　said　Bonaparte。　　〃Shut　the　door；　my　dear　child；　shut

it　tight；〃　he　called　out　to　Em；　who　stood　in　the　dining　room。　　Then　he

leaned　over　the　elbow　of　the　sofa　and　brought　his　face　as　close　as　possible

to　the　Boer…woman's；　and　made　signs　of　eating。　　Then　he　said　something　she

did　not　comprehend；　then　said；　〃Waldo；　Waldo；　Waldo；〃　pointed　up　to　the

loft；　and　made　signs　of　eating　again。



Now　an　inkling　of　his　meaning　dawned　on　the　Boer…woman's　mind。　　To　make　it

clearer；　he　moved　his　legs　after　the　manner　of　one　going　up　a　ladder；

appeared　to　be　opening　a　door；　masticated　vigorously；　said；　〃Peaches；

peaches；　peaches；〃　and　appeared　to　be　coming　down　the　ladder。



It　was　now　evident　to　Tant　Sannie　that　Waldo　had　been　in　her　loft　and　eaten

her　peaches。



To　exemplify　his　own　share　in　the　proceedings；　Bonaparte　lay　down　on　the

sofa；　and　shutting　his　eyes　tightly；　said；　〃Night；　night；　night！〃　　Then　he

sat　up　wildly；　appearing　to　be　intently　listening；　mimicked　with　his　feet

the　coming　down　a　ladder；　and　looked　at　Tant　Sannie。　　This　clearly　showed

how；　roused　in　the　night；　he　had　discovered　the　theft。



〃He　must　have　been　a　great　fool　to　eat　my　peaches；〃　said　Tant　Sannie。　

〃They　are　full　of　mites　as　a　sheepskin；　and　as　hard　as　stones。〃



Bonaparte；　fumbling　in　his　pocket；　did　not　even　hear　her　remark；　and　took

out　from　his　coat…tail　a　little　horsewhip；　nicely　rolled　up。　　Bonaparte

winked　at　the　little　rhinoceros　horsewhip；　at　the　Boer…woman；　and　then　at

the　door。



〃Shall　we　call　himWaldo；　Waldo？〃　he　said。



Tant　Sannie　nodded；　and　giggled。　　There　was　something　so　exceedingly

humorous　in　the　idea　that　he　was　going　to　beat　the　boy；　though　for　her　own

part　she　did　not　see　that　the　peaches　were　worth　it。　　When　the　Kaffer　maid

came　with　the　wash…tub　she　was　sent　to　summon　Waldo；　and　Bonaparte　doubled

up　the　little　whip　and　put　it　in　his　pocket。　　Then　he　drew　himself　up；　and

prepared　to　act　his　important　part　with　becoming　gravity。　　Soon　Waldo　stood

in　the　door；　and　took　off　his　hat。



〃Come　in；　come　in；　my　lad；〃　said　Bonaparte；　〃and　shut　the　door　behind。〃



The　boy　came　in　and　stood　before　them。



〃You　need　not　be　so　afraid；　child；〃　said　Tant　Sannie。　　〃I　was　a　child

myself　once。　　It's　no　great　harm　if　you　have　taken　a　few。〃



Bonaparte　perceived　that　her　remark　was　not　in　keeping　with　the　nature　of

the　proceedings；　and　of　the　little　drama　he　intended　to　act。　　Pursing　out

his　lips；　and　waving　his　hand；　he　solemnly　addressed　the　boy。



〃Waldo；　it　grieves　me　beyond　expression　to　have　to　summon　you　for　so

painful　a　purpose；　but　it　is　at　the　imperative　call　of　duty；　which　I　dare

not　evade。　　I　do　not　state　that　frank　and　unreserved　confession　will

obviate　the　necessity　of　chastisement；　which　if　requisite　shall　be　fully

administered；　but　the　nature　of　that　chastisement　may　be　mitigated　by　free

and　humble　confession。　　Waldo；　answer　me　as　you　would　your　own　father；　in

whose　place　I　now　stand　to　you；　have　you；　or　have　you　not；　did　you；　or　did

you　not；　eat　of　the　peaches　in　the　loft？〃



〃Say　you　took　them；　boy；　say　you　took　them；　then　he　won't　beat　you　much；〃

said　the　Dutchwoman；　good…naturedly；　getting　a　little　sorry　for　him。



The　boy　raised　his　eyes　slowly　and　fixed　them　vacantly　upon　her；　then

suddenly　his　face　grew　dark　with　blood。



〃So；　you　haven't　got　anything　to　say　to　us；　my　lad？〃　said　Bonaparte；

momentarily　forgetting　his　dignity；　and　bending　forward　with　a　little

snarl。　　〃But　what　I　mean　is　just　this；　my　ladwhen　it　takes　a　boy　three…

quarters　of　an　hour　to　fill　a　salt…pot；　and　when　at　three　o'clock　in　the

morning　he　goes　knocking　about　the　doors　of　a　loft；　it's　natural　to　suppose

there's　mischief　in　it。　　It's　certain　there　is　mischief　in　it；　and　where

there's　mischief　in；　it　must　be　taken　out；〃　said　Bonaparte；　grinning　into

the　boy's　face。　　Then；　feeling　that　he　had　fallen　from　that　high　gravity

which　was　as　spice　to　the　pudding；　and　the　flavour　of　the　whole　little

tragedy；　he　drew　himself　up。　　〃Waldo；〃　he　said；　〃confess　to　me　instantly；

and　without　reserve；　that　you　ate　the　peaches。〃



The　boy's　face　was　white　now。　　His　eyes　were　on　the　ground；　his　hands

doggedly　clasped　before　him。



〃What；　do　you　not　intend　to　answer？〃



The　boy　looked　up　at　them　once　from　under　his　bent　eyebrows；　and　then

looked　down　again。



〃The　creature　looks　as　if　all　the　devils　in　hell　were　in　it；〃　cried　Tant

Sannie。　　〃Say　you　took　them；　boy。　　Young　things　will　be　young　things；　I　was

older　than　you　when　I　used　to　eat　bultong　in　my　mother's　loft；　and　get　the

little　niggers　whipped　for　it。　　Say　you　took　them。〃



But　the　boy　said　nothing。



〃I　think　a　little　solitary　confinement　might　perhaps　be　beneficial；〃　said

Bonaparte。　　〃It　will　enable　you；　Waldo；　to　reflect　on　the　enormity　of　the

sin　you　have　committed　against　our　Father　in　heaven。　　And　you　may　also

think　of　the　submission　you　owe　to　those　who　are　older　and　wiser　than　you

are；　and　whose　duty　it　is　to　check　and　correct　you。〃



Saying　t