the story of an african farm-第35节

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and　mouth　and　hands；　and　left　her。



Tant　Sannie　was　well　satisfied　when　told　of　the　betrothment。　　She　herself

contemplated　marriage　within　the　year　with　one　or　other　of　her　numerous

vrijers；　and　she　suggested　that　the　weddings　might　take　place　together。



Em　set　to　work　busily　to　prepare　her　own　household　linen　and　wedding

garments。　　Gregory　was　with　her　daily；　almost　hourly；　and　the　six　months

which　elapsed　before　Lyndall's　return　passed；　as　he　felicitously　phrased

it；　〃like　a　summer　night；　when　you　are　dreaming　of　some　one　you　love。〃



Late　one　evening；　Gregory　sat　by　his　little　love；　turning　the　handle　of　her

machine　as　she　drew　her　work　through　it；　and　they　talked　of　the　changes

they　would　make　when　the　Boer…woman　was　gone；　and　the　farm　belonged　to　them

alone。　　There　should　be　a　new　room　here；　and　a　kraal　there。　　So　they

chatted　on。　　Suddenly　Gregory　dropped　the　handle；　and　impressed　a　fervent

kiss　on　the　fat　hand　that　guided　the　linen。



〃You　are　so　beautiful；　Em；〃　said　the　lover。　　〃It　comes　over　me　in　a　flood

suddenly　how　I　love　you。〃



Em　smiled。



〃Tant　Sannie　says　when　I　am　her　age　no　one　will　look　at　me；　and　it　is　true。

My　hands　are　as　short　and　broad　as　a　duck's　foot；　and　my　forehead　is　so

low；　and　I　haven't　any　nose。　　I　can't　be　pretty。〃



She　laughed　softly。　　It　was　so　nice　to　think　he　should　be　so　blind。



〃When　my　cousin　comes　tomorrow　you　will　see　a　beautiful　woman；　Gregory；〃

she　added　presently。　　〃She　is　like　a　little　queen：　　her　shoulders　are　so

upright；　and　her　head　looks　as　though　it　ought　to　have　a　little　crown　upon

it。　　You　must　come　to　see　her　tomorrow　as　soon　as　she　comes。　　I　am　sure　you

will　love　her。〃



〃Of　course　I　shall　come　to　see　her；　since　she　is　your　cousin；　but　do　you

think　I　could　ever　think　any　woman　as　lovely　as　I　think　you？〃



He　fixed　his　seething　eyes　upon　her。



〃You　could　not　help　seeing　that　she　is　prettier；〃　said　Em；　slipping　her

right　hand　into　his；　〃but　you　will　never　be　able　to　like　any　one　so　much　as

you　like　me。〃



Afterward；　when　she　wished　her　lover　good　night；　she　stood　upon　the

doorstep　to　call　a　greeting　after　him；　and　she　waited；　as　she　always　did；

till　the　brown　pony's　hoofs　became　inaudible　behind　the　kopje。



Then　she　passed　through　the　room　where　Tant　Sannie　lay　snoring；　and　through

the　little　room　that　was　all　draped　in　white；　waiting　for　her　cousin's

return；　on　to　her　own　room。



She　went　to　the　chest　of　drawers　to　put　away　the　work　she　had　finished；　and

sat　down　on　the　floor　before　the　lowest　drawer。　　In　it　were　the　things　she

was　preparing　for　her　marriage。　　Piles　of　white　linen；　and　some　aprons　and

quilts；　and　in　a　little　box　in　the　corner　a　spray　of　orange…blossom　which

she　had　bought　from　a　smouse。　　There；　too；　was　a　ring　Gregory　had　given

her；　and　a　veil　his　sister　had　sent；　and　there　was　a　little　roll　of　fine

embroidered　work　which　Trana　had　given　her。　　It　was　too　fine　and　good　even

for　Gregory's　wifejust　right　for　something　very　small　and　soft。　　She

would　keep　it。　　And　she　touched　it　gently　with　her　forefinger；　smiling；　and

then　she　blushed　and　hid　it　far　behind　the　other　things。　　She　knew　so　well

all　that　was　in　that　drawer；　and　yet　she　turned　them　all　over　as　though　she

saw　them　for　the　first　time；　packed　them　all　out；　and　packed　them　all　in；

without　one　fold　or　crumple；　and　then　sat　down　and　looked　at　them。



Tomorrow　evening　when　Lyndall　came　she　would　bring　her　here；　and　show　it

her　all。　　Lyndall　would　so　like　to　see　itthe　little　wreath；　and　the　ring；

and　the　white　veil！　　It　would　be　so　nice！　　Then　Em　fell　to　seeing　pictures。　

Lyndall　should　live　with　them　till　she　herself　got　married　some　day。



Every　day　when　Gregory　came　home；　tired　from　his　work；　he　would　look　about

and　say；　〃Where　is　my　wife？　　Has　no　one　seen　my　wife？　　Wife；　some　coffee！〃

and　she　would　give　him　some。



Em's　little　face　grew　very　grave　at　last；　and　she　knelt　up　and　extended　her

hands　over　the　drawer　of　linen。



〃Oh；　God！〃　she　said；　〃I　am　so　glad！　　I　do　not　know　what　I　have　done　that　I

should　be　so　glad。　　Thank　you！〃





Chapter　2。IV。　　Lyndall。



She　was　more　like　a　princess；　yes；　far　more　like　a　princess；　than　the　lady

who　still　hung　on　the　wall　in　Tant　Sannie's　bedroom。　　So　Em　thought。　　She

leaned　back　in　the　little　armchair；　she　wore　a　grey　dressing…gown；　and　her

long　hair　was　combed　out　and　hung　to　the　ground。　　Em；　sitting　before　her；

looked　up　with　mingled　respect　and　admiration。



Lyndall　was　tired　after　her　long　journey；　and　had　come　to　her　room　early。　

Her　eyes　ran　over　the　familiar　objects。　　Strange　to　go　away　for　four　years；

and　come　back；　and　find　that　the　candle　standing　on　the　dressing…table

still　cast　the　shadow　of　an　old　crone's　head　in　the　corner　beyond　the

clothes…horse。　　Strange　that　even　a　shadow　should　last　longer　than　a　man！　

She　looked　about　among　the　old　familiar　objects；　all　was　there；　but　the　old

self　was　gone。



〃What　are　you　noticing？〃　asked　Em。



〃Nothing　and　everything。　　I　thought　the　windows　were　higher。　　If　I　were

you；　when　I　get　this　place　I　should　raise　the　walls。　　There　is　not　room　to

breathe　here。　　One　suffocates。〃



〃Gregory　is　going　to　make　many　alterations；〃　said　Em；　and　drawing　nearer　to

the　grey　dressing…gown　respectfully。　　〃Do　you　like　him；　Lyndall？　　Is　he　not

handsome？〃



〃He　must　have　been　a　fine　baby；〃　said　Lyndall；　looking　at　the　white　dimity

curtain　that　hung　above　the　window。



Em　was　puzzled。



〃There　are　some　men；〃　said　Lyndall；　〃whom　you　never　can　believe　were　babies

at　all；　and　others　you　never　see　without　thinking　how　very　nice　they　must

have　looked　when　they　wore　socks　and　pink　sashes。〃



Em　remained　silent；　then　she　said　with　a　little　dignity；　〃When　you　know　him

you　will　love　him　as　I　do。　　When　I　compare　other　people　with　him；　they　seem

so　weak　and　little。　　Our　hearts　are　so　cold；　our　loves　are　mixed　up　with　so

many　other　things。　　But　heno　one　is　worthy　of　his　love。　　I　am　not。　　It　is

so　great　and　pure。〃



〃You　need　not　make　yourself　unhappy　on　that　pointyour　poor　return　for　his

love；　my　dear；〃　said　Lyndall。　　〃A　man's　love　is　a　fire　of　olive…wood。　　It

leaps　higher　every　moment；　it　roars；　it　blazes；　it　shoots　out　red　flames；

it　threatens　to　wrap　you　round　and　devour　youyou　who　stand　by　like　an

icicle　in　the　glow　of　its　fierce　warmth。　　You　are　self…reproached　at　your

own　chilliness　and　want　of　reciprocity。　　The　next　day；　when　you　go　to　warm

your　hands　a　little；　you　find　a　few　ashes！　　'Tis　a　long　love　and　cool

against　a　short　love　and　hot；　men；　at　all　events；　have　nothing　to　complain

of。〃



〃You　speak　so　because　you　do　not　know　men；〃　said　Em；　instantly　assuming　the

dignity　of　superior　knowledge　so　universally　affected　by　affianced　and

married　women　in　discussing　man's　nature　with　their　uncontracted　sisters。



〃You　will　know　them　too　some　day；　and　then　you　will　think　differently；〃

said　Em；　with　the　condescending　magnanimity　which　superior　knowledge　can

always　afford　to　show　to　ignorance。



Lyndall's　little　lip　quivered　in　a　manner　indicative　of　intense　amusement。　

She　twirled　a　massive　ring　upon　her　forefingera　ring　more　suitable　for

the　hand　of　a　man；　and　noticeable　in　designa　diamond　cross　let　into　gold；

with　the　initials　〃R。R。〃　below　it。



〃Ah；　Lyndall；〃　Em　cried；　〃perhaps　you　are　engaged　yourselfthat　is　why　you

smile。　　Yes；　I　am　sure　you　are。　　Look　at　this　ring！〃



Lyndall　drew　the　hand　quickly　from　her。



〃I　am　not　in　so　great　a　hurry　to　put　my　neck　beneath　any　man's　foot；　and　I

do　not　so　greatly　admire　the　crying　of　babies；〃　she　said；　as　she　closed　her

eyes　half　wearily　and　leaned　back　in　the　chair。　　〃There　are　other　women

glad　of　such　work。〃



Em　felt　rebuked　and　ashamed。　　How　could　she　take　Lyndall　and　show　her　the

white　linen　and　the　wreath；　and　the　embroidery？　　She　was　quiet　for　a　little

while；　and　then　began　to　talk　about　Trana　and　the　old　farm…servants；　till

she　saw　her　companion　was　weary；　then　she　rose　and　left　her　for　the　night。

But　after　Em　was　gone　Lyndall　sat　on；　watching　the　old　crone's　face　in　the

corner；　and　with　a　weary　look；　as　though　the　whole　world's　weight　rested　on

these　frail　young　shoulders。



The　next　morning；　Waldo；　starting　off　before　breakfast　with　a　bag　of

mealies　slung　over　his　shoulder　to　feed　the　ostriches；　heard　a　light　step

behind　him。



〃Wait　for　me；　I　am　coming　with　you；〃　said　Lyndall；　adding　as　she　came　up　to

him；　〃if　I　had　not　gone　to　look　for　you　yesterday　you　would　not　have　come

to　greet　me　till　now。　　Do　you　not　like　me　any　longer；　Waldo？〃



〃Yesbutyou　are　changed。〃



It　was　the　old　clumsy；　hesitating　mode　of　speech。



〃You　like　the　pinafores　better？〃　she　said　quickly。　　She　wore　a　dress　of　a

simple　cotton　fabric；　but　very　fashionably　made；　and　on　her　head　was　a

broad　white　hat。　　To　Waldo　she　seemed　superbly　attired。　　She　saw　it。　　〃My

dress　has　changed　a　little；〃　she　said；　〃and　I　also；　but　not　to　you。　　Hang

the　bag