the story of an african farm-第23节

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Hottentot　maid　took　the　ladder　away；　as　her　husband　was　mending　the　wagon…

house；　and　needed　it；　but　the　trap…door　was　left　open。



For　a　little　while　Tant　Sannie　poked　about　among　the　empty　bottles　and

skins；　and　looked　at　the　bag　of　peaches　that　Waldo　was　supposed　to　have

liked　so；　then　she　sat　down　near　the　trap…door　beside　a　barrel　of　salt

mutton。　　She　found　that　the　pieces　of　meat　were　much　too　large；　and　took

out　her　clasp…knife　to　divide　them。



That　was　always　the　way　when　one　left　things　to　servants；　she　grumbled　to

herself：　　but　when　once　she　was　married　to　her　husband　Bonaparte　it　would

not　matter　whether　a　sheep　spoiled　or　nowhen　once　his　rich　aunt　with　the

dropsy　was　dead。　　She　smiled　as　she　dived　her　hand　into　the　pickle…water。



At　that　instant　her　niece　entered　the　room　below；　closely　followed　by

Bonaparte；　with　his　head　on　one　side；　smiling　mawkishly。　　Had　Tant　Sannie

spoken　at　that　moment　the　life　of　Bonaparte　Blenkins　would　have　run　a

wholly　different　course；　as　it　was；　she　remained　silent；　and　neither

noticed　the　open　trap…door　above　their　heads。



〃Sit　there；　my　love；〃　said　Bonaparte；　motioning　Trana　into　her　aunt's

elbow…chair；　and　drawing　another　close　up　in　front　of　it；　in　which　he

seated　himself。　　〃There；　put　your　feet　upon　the　stove　too。　　Your　aunt　has

gone　out　somewhere。　　Long　have　I　waited　for　this　auspicious　event！〃



Trana；　who　understood　not　one　word　of　English；　sat　down　in　the　chair　and

wondered　if　this　was　one　of　the　strange　customs　of　other　lands；　that　an　old

gentleman　may　bring　his　chair　up　to　yours；　and　sit　with　his　knees　touching

you。　　She　had　been　five　days　in　Bonaparte's　company；　and　feared　the　old

man；　and　disliked　his　nose。



〃How　long　have　I　desired　this　moment！〃　said　Bonaparte。　　〃But　that　aged

relative　of　thine　is　always　casting　her　unhallowed　shadow　upon　us。　　Look

into　my　eyes；　Trana。〃



Bonaparte　knew　that　she　comprehended　not　a　syllable；　but　he　understood　that

it　is　the　eye；　the　tone；　the　action；　and　not　at　all　the　rational　word；　that

touches　the　love…chords。　　He　saw　she　changed　colour。



〃All　night；〃　said　Bonaparte；　〃I　lie　awake；　I　see　naught　but　thy　angelic

countenance。　　I　open　my　arms　to　receive　theewhere　art　thou；　where？　　Thou

art　not　there！〃　said　Bonaparte；　suiting　the　action　to　the　words；　and

spreading　out　his　arms　and　drawing　them　to　his　breast。



〃Oh；　please；　I　don't　understand；〃　said　Trana；　〃I　want　to　go　away。〃



〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　Bonaparte；　leaning　back　in　his　chair；　to　her　great　relief；

and　pressing　his　hands　on　his　heart；　〃since　first　thy　amethystine

countenance　was　impressed　herewhat　have　I　not　suffered；　what　have　I　not

felt？　　Oh；　the　pangs　unspoken；　burning　as　an　ardent　coal　in　a　fiery　and

uncontaminated　bosom！〃　said　Bonaparte；　bending　forward　again。



〃Dear　Lord！〃　said　Trana　to　herself；　〃how　foolish　I　have　been！　　The　old　man

has　a　pain　in　his　stomach；　and　now；　as　my　aunt　is　out；　he　has　come　to　me　to

help　him。〃



She　smiled　kindly　at　Bonaparte；　and　pushing　past　him；　went　to　the　bedroom；

quickly　returning　with　a　bottle　of　red　drops　in　her　hand。



〃They　are　very　good　for　benauwdheid；　my　mother　always　drinks　them；〃　she

said；　holding　the　bottle　out。



The　face　in　the　trap…door　was　a　fiery　red。　　Like　a　tiger…cat　ready　to

spring。　　Tant　Sannie　crouched；　with　the　shoulder　of　mutton　in　her　hand。　

Exactly　beneath　her　stood　Bonaparte。　　She　rose　and　clasped　with　both　arms

the　barrel　of　salt　meat。



〃What；　rose　of　the　desert；　nightingale　of　the　colony；　that　with　thine

amorous　lay　whilest　the　lonesome　night！〃　cried　Bonaparte；　seizing　the　hand

that　held　the　vonlicsense。　　Nay；　struggle　not！　　Fly　as　a　stricken　fawn　into

the　arms　that　would　embrace　thee；　thou〃



Here　a　stream　of　cold　pickle…water；　heavy　with　ribs　and　shoulders；

descending　on　his　head　abruptly　terminated　his　speech。　　Half…blinded；

Bonaparte　looked　up　through　the　drops　that　hung　from　his　eyelids；　and　saw

the　red　face　that　looked　down　at　him。　　With　one　wild　cry　he　fled。　　As　he

passed　out　at　the　front　door　a　shoulder　of　mutton；　well…directed；　struck

the　black　coat　in　the　small　of　the　back。



〃Bring　the　ladder！　bring　the　ladder！　　I　will　go　after　him！〃　cried　the　Boer…

woman；　as　Bonaparte　Blenkins　wildly　fled　into　the　fields。



。。。



Late　in　the　evening　of　the　same　day　Waldo　knelt　on　the　floor　of　his　cabin。　

He　bathed　the　foot　of　his　dog　which　had　been　pierced　by　a　thorn。　　The

bruises　on　his　own　back　had　had　five　days　to　heal　in；　and；　except　a　little

stiffness　in　his　movements；　there　was　nothing　remarkable　about　the　boy。



The　troubles　of　the　young　are　soon　over；　they　leave　no　external　mark。　　If

you　wound　the　tree　in　its　youth　the　bark　will　quickly　cover　the　gash；　but

when　the　tree　is　very　old；　peeling　the　bark　off；　and　looking　carefully；　you

will　see　the　scar　there　still。　　All　that　is　buried　is　not　dead。



Waldo　poured　the　warm　milk　over　the　little　swollen　foot；　Doss　lay　very

quiet；　with　tears　in　his　eyes。　　Then　there　was　a　tap　at　the　door。　　In　an

instant　Doss　looked　wide　awake；　and　winked　the　tears　out　from　between　his

little　lids。



〃Come　in；〃　said　Waldo；　intent　on　his　work；　and　slowly　and　cautiously　the

door　opened。



〃Good　evening；　Waldo；　my　boy；〃　said　Bonaparte　Blenkins　in　a　mild　voice；　not

venturing　more　than　his　nose　within　the　door。　　〃How　are　you　this　evening？〃



Doss　growled　and　showed　his　little　teeth；　and　tried　to　rise；　but　his　paw

hurt　him　so　he　whined。



〃I'm　very　tired；　Waldo；　my　boy；〃　said　Bonaparte　plaintively。



Doss　showed　his　little　white　teeth　again。　　His　master　went　on　with　his　work

without　looking　round。　　There　are　some　people　at　whose　hands　it　is　best　not

to　look。　　At　last　he　said：



〃Come　in。〃



Bonaparte　stepped　cautiously　a　little　way　into　the　room；　and　left　the　door

open　behind　him。　　He　looked　at　the　boy's　supper　on　the　table。



〃Waldo；　I've　had　nothing　to　eat　all　dayI'm　very　hungry；〃　he　said。



〃Eat！〃　said　Waldo　after　a　moment；　bending　lower　over　his　dog。



〃You　won't　go　and　tell　her　that　I　am　here；　will　you；　Waldo？〃　said　Bonaparte

most　uneasily。　　〃You've　heard　how　she　used　me；　Waldo？　　I've　been　badly

treated；　you'll　know　yourself　what　it　is　some　day　when　you　can't　carry　on　a

little　conversation　with　a　lady　without　having　salt　meat　and　pickle…water

thrown　at　you。　　Waldo；　look　at　me；　do　I　look　as　a　gentleman　should？〃



But　the　boy　neither　looked　up　nor　answered；　and　Bonaparte　grew　more　uneasy。



〃You　wouldn't　go　and　tell　her　that　I　am　here；　would　you？〃　said　Bonaparte；

whiningly。　　〃There's　no　knowing　what　she　would　do　to　me。　　I've　such　trust

in　you；　Waldo；　I've　always　thought　you　such　a　promising　lad；　though　you

mayn't　have　known　it；　Waldo。〃



〃Eat；〃　said　the　boy；　〃I　shall　say　nothing。〃



Bonaparte；　who　knew　the　truth　when　another　spoke　it；　closed　the　door；

carefully　putting　on　the　button。　　Then　he　looked　to　see　that　the　curtain　of

the　window　was　closely　pulled　down；　and　seated　himself　at　the　table。　　He

was　soon　munching　the　cold　meat　and　bread。　　Waldo　knelt　on　the　floor；

bathing　the　foot　with　hands　which　the　dog　licked　lovingly。　　Once　only　he

glanced　at　the　table；　and　turned　away　quickly。



〃Ah；　yes！　　I　don't　wonder　that　you　can't　look　at　me；　Waldo；〃　said

Bonaparte；　〃my　condition　would　touch　any　heart。　　You　see；　the　water　was

fatty；　and　that　has　made　all　the　sand　stick　to　me；　and　my　hair；〃　said

Bonaparte；　tenderly　touching　the　little　fringe　at　the　back　of　his　head；　〃is

all　caked　over　like　a　little　plank；　you　wouldn't　think　it　was　hair　at　all；〃

said　Bonaparte；　plaintively。　　〃I　had　to　creep　all　along　the　stone　walls　for

fear　she'd　see　me；　and　with　nothing　on　my　head　but　a　red　handkerchief；　tied

under　my　chin；　Waldo；　and　to　hide　in　a　sloot　the　whole　day；　with　not　a

mouthful　of　food；　Waldo。　　And　she　gave　me　such　a　blow；　just　here；〃　said

Bonaparte。



He　had　cleared　the　plate　of　the　last　morsel；　when　Waldo　rose　and　walked　to

the　door。



〃Oh；　Waldo；　my　dear　boy；　you　are　not　going　to　call　her；〃　said　Bonaparte；

rising　anxiously。



〃I　am　going　to　sleep　in　the　wagon；〃　said　the　boy；　opening　the　door。



〃Oh；　we　can　both　sleep　in　this　bed；　there's　plenty　of　room。　　Do　stay；　my

boy；　please。〃



But　Waldo　stepped　out。



〃It　was　such　a　little　whip；　Waldo；〃　said　Bonaparte；　following　him

deprecatingly。　　〃I　didn't　think　it　would　hurt　you　so　much。　　It　was　such　a

little　whip。　　I　am　sure　you　didn't　take　the　peaches。　　You　aren't　going　to

call　her；　Waldo；　are　you？〃



But　the　boy　walked　off。



Bonaparte　waited　till　his　figure　had　passed　round　the　front　of　the　wagon…

house；　and　then　slipped　out。　　He　hid　himself　round　the　corner；　but　kept

peeping　out　to　see　who　was　coming。　　He　felt　sure　the　boy　was　gone　to　call

Tant　Sannie。　　His　teeth　chattered　with　inward　cold　as　he　looked　round　into

the　darkness　and　thought　of　the　snakes　that　might　bite　him；　and　the

dreadful　things　that　might　attack　him；　and　the　dead　that　might　arise　out　of

their　graves　if　he　s