the story of an african farm-第40节
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〃I told you so！ I knew it！〃 said Tant Sannie。 〃The dear Lord doesn't send
dreams for nothing。 Didn't I tell you this morning that I dreamed of a
great beast like a sheep； with red eyes； and I killed it？ Wasn't the white
wool his hair； and the red eyes his weak eyes； and my killing him meant
marriage？ Get supper ready quickly； the sheep's inside and roaster…cakes。
We shall sit up tonight。〃
To young Piet Vander Walt that supper was a period of intense torture。
There was something overawing in that assembly of English people； with
their incomprehensible speech； and moreover； it was his first courtship；
his first wife had courted him； and ten months of severe domestic rule had
not raised his spirit nor courage。 He ate little； and when he raised a
morsel to his lips glanced guiltily round to see if he were not observed。
He had put three rings on his little finger； with the intention of sticking
it out stiffly when he raised a coffee…cup； now the little finger was
curled miserably among its fellows。 It was small relief when the meal was
over； and Tant Sannie and he repaired to the front room。 Once seated
there； he set his knees close together； stood his black hat upon them； and
wretchedly turned the brim up and down。 But supper had cheered Tant
Sannie； who found it impossible longer to maintain that decorous silence；
and whose heart yearned over the youth。
〃I was related to your aunt Selena who died；〃 said Tant Sannie。 〃My
mother's stepbrother's child was married to her father's brother's
stepnephew's niece。〃
〃Yes； aunt；〃 said the young man； 〃I know we were related。〃
〃It was her cousin；〃 said Tant Sannie； now fairly on the flow； 〃who had the
cancer cut out of her breast by the other doctor； who was not the right
doctor they sent for； but who did it quite as well。〃
〃Yes； aunt；〃 said the young man。
〃I've heard about it often；〃 said Tant Sannie。 〃And he was the son of the
old doctor that they say died on Christmas…day； but I don't know if that's
true。 People do tell such awful lies。 Why should he die on Christmas…day
more than any other day？〃
〃Yes； aunt； why？〃 said the young man meekly。
〃Did you ever have the toothache？〃 asked Tant Sannie。
〃No； aunt。〃
〃Well； they say that doctornot the son of the old doctor that died on
Christmas…day； the other that didn't come when he was sent forhe gave
such good stuff for the toothache that if you opened the bottle in the room
where any one was bad they got better directly。 You could see it was good
stuff；〃 said Tant Sannie； 〃it tasted horrid。 That was a real doctor！ He
used to give a bottle so high；〃 said the Boer…woman； raising her hand a
foot from the table； 〃you could drink at it for a month and it wouldn't get
done； and the same medicine was good for all sorts of sicknessescroup；
measles； jaundice； dropsy。 Now you have to buy a new kind for each
sickness。 The doctors aren't so good as they used to be。〃
〃No； aunt；〃 said the young man； who was trying to gain courage to stick out
his legs and clink his spurs together。 He did so at last。
Tant Sannie had noticed the spurs before； but she thought it showed a nice
manly spirit； and her heart warmed yet more to the youth。
〃Did you ever have convulsions when you were a baby？〃 asked Tant Sannie。
〃Yes；〃 said the young man。
〃Strange；〃 said Tant Sannie； 〃I had convulsions too。 Wonderful that we
should be so much alike！〃
〃Aunt；〃 said the young man explosively； 〃can we sit up tonight？〃
Tant Sannie hung her head and half closed her eyes； but finding that her
little wiles were thrown away； the young man staring fixedly at his hat；
she simpered； 〃Yes；〃 and went away to fetch candles。
In the dining room Em worked at her machine； and Gregory sat close beside
her； his great blue eyes turned to the window where Lyndall leaned out
talking to Waldo。
Tant Sannie took two candles out of the cupboard and held them up
triumphantly； winking all round the room。
〃He's asked for them；〃 she said。
〃Does he want them for his horse's rubbed back？〃 asked Gregory； new to up…
country life。
〃No；〃 said Tant Sannie； indignantly； 〃we're going to sit up！〃 and she
walked off in triumph with the candles。
Nevertheless； when all the rest of the house had retired； when the long
candle was lighted； when the coffee…kettle was filled； when she sat in the
elbow…chair； with her lover on a chair close beside her； and when the vigil
of the night was fairly begun； she began to find it wearisome。 The young
man looked chilly； and said nothing。
〃Won't you put your feet on my stove？〃 said Tant Sannie。
〃No thank you； aunt；〃 said the young man； and both lapsed into silence。
At last Tant Sannie； afraid of going to sleep； tapped a strong cup of
coffee for herself and handed another to her lover。 This visibly revived
both。
〃How long were you married； cousin？〃
〃Ten months； aunt。〃
〃How old was your baby？〃
〃Three days when it died。〃
〃It's very hard when we must give our husbands and wives to the Lord；〃 said
Tant Sannie。
〃Very；〃 said the young man； 〃but it's the Lord's will。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Tant Sannie； and sighed。
〃She was such a good wife； aunt： I've known her break a churn…stick over a
maid's head for only letting dust come on a milk cloth。〃
Tant Sannie felt a twinge of jealousy。 She had never broken a churn…stick
on a maid's head。
〃I hope your wife made a good end；〃 she said。
〃Oh； beautiful； aunt： she said up a psalm and two hymns and a half before
she died。〃
〃Did she leave any messages？〃 asked Tant Sannie。
〃No；〃 said the young man； 〃but the night before she died I was lying at the
foot of her bed； I felt her foot kick me。
〃'Piet；' she said。
〃'Annie； my heart；' said I。
〃'My little baby that died yesterday has been here； and it stood over the
wagon…box；' she said。
〃'What did it say？' I asked。
〃'It said that if I died you must marry a fat woman。'
〃'I will；' I said； and I went to sleep again。 Presently she woke me。
〃'The little baby has been here again； and it says you must marry a woman
over thirty； and who's had two husbands。'
〃I didn't go to sleep after that for a long time； aunt； but when I did she
woke me。
〃'The baby has been here again；' she said； 'and it says you mustn't marry a
woman with a mole。' I told her I wouldn't； and the next day she died。〃
〃That was a vision from the Redeemer；〃 said Tant Sannie。
The young man nodded his head mournfully。 He thought of a younger sister
of his wife's who was not fat； and who had a mole； and of whom his wife had
always been jealous； and he wished the little baby had liked better staying
in heaven than coming and standing over the wagon…chest。
〃I suppose that's why you came to me；〃 said Tant Sannie。
〃Yes； aunt。 And pa said I ought to get married before shearing…time。 It
is bad if there's no one to see after things then； and the maids waste such
a lot of fat。〃
〃When do you want to get married？〃
〃Next month； aunt；〃 said the young man in a tone of hopeless resignation。
〃May I kiss you； aunt？〃
〃Fie！ fie！〃 said Tant Sannie； and then gave him a resounding kiss。 Come；
draw your chair a little closer；〃 she said； and their elbows now touching；
they sat on through the night。
The next morning at dawn； as Em passed through Tant Sannie's bedroom； she
found the Boer…woman pulling off her boots preparatory to climbing into
bed。
〃Where is Piet Vander Walt？〃
〃Just gone；〃 said Tant Sannie； 〃and I am going to marry him this day four
weeks。 I am dead sleepy；〃 she added； 〃the stupid thing doesn't know how to
talk love…talk at all；〃 and she climbed into the four…poster； clothes and
all； and drew the quilt up to her chin。
。。。
On the day preceding Tant Sannie's wedding； Gregory Rose sat in the blazing
sun on the stone wall behind his daub…and…wattle house。 It was warm； but
he was intently watching a small buggy that was being recklessly driven
over the bushes in the direction of the farmhouse。 Gregory never stirred
till it had vanished； then； finding the stones hot； he slipped down and
walked into the house。 He kicked the little pail that lay in the doorway；
and sent it into one corner； that did him good。 Then he sat down on the
box； and began cutting letters out of a piece of newspaper。 Finding that
the snippings littered the floor； he picked them up and began scribbling on
his blotting…paper。 He tried the effect of different initials before the
name Rose： G。 Rose； E。 Rose； L。 Rose； Rose； L。L。； L。L。 Rose。 When he had
covered the sheet； he looked at it discontentedly a little while； then
suddenly began to write a letter：
〃Beloved Sister；
〃It is a long while since I last wrote to you； but I have had no time。
This is the first morning I have been at home since I don't know when。 Em
