the story of an african farm-第5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！



argument。　　What　effect　it　had　on　the　questioner　was　not　evident；　for　he

made　no　reply；　and　turned　away　from　her。



Drawing　closer　to　Lyndall's　feet；　he　said　after　a　while　in　a　low　voice：



〃Lyndall；　has　it　never　seemed　to　you　that　the　stones　were　talking　with　you？　

Sometimes；〃　he　added　in　a　yet　lower　tone；　〃I　lie　under　there　with　my　sheep；

and　it　seems　that　the　stones　are　really　speakingspeaking　of　the　old

things；　of　the　time　when　the　strange　fishes　and　animals　lived　that　are

turned　into　stone　now；　and　the　lakes　were　here；　and　then　of　the　time　when

the　little　Bushmen　lived　here；　so　small　and　so　ugly；　and　used　to　sleep　in

the　wild　dog　holes；　and　in　the　sloots；　and　eat　snakes；　and　shot　the　bucks

with　their　poisoned　arrows。　　It　was　one　of　them；　one　of　these　old　wild

Bushmen；　that　painted　those；〃　said　the　boy；　nodding　toward　the　pictures

〃one　who　was　different　from　the　rest。　　He　did　not　know　why；　but　he　wanted

to　make　something　beautifulhe　wanted　to　make　something；　so　he　made　these。　

He　worked　hard；　very　hard；　to　find　the　juice　to　make　the　paint；　and　then　he

found　this　place　where　the　rocks　hang　over；　and　he　painted　them。　　To　us

they　are　only　strange　things；　that　make　us　laugh；　but　to　him　they　were　very

beautiful。〃



The　children　had　turned　round　and　looked　at　the　pictures。



〃He　used　to　kneel　here　naked；　painting；　painting；　painting；　and　he　wondered

at　the　things　he　made　himself；〃　said　the　boy；　rising　and　moving　his　hand　in

deep　excitement。　　〃Now　the　Boers　have　shot　them　all；　so　that　we　never　see　a

little　yellow　face　peeping　out　among　the　stones。〃　　He　paused；　a　dreamy　look

coming　over　his　face。　　〃And　the　wild　bucks　have　gone；　and　those　days；　and

we　are　here。　　But　we　will　be　gone　soon；　and　only　the　stones　will　lie　on

here；　looking　at　everything　like　they　look　now。　　I　know　that　it　is　I　who　am

thinking；〃　the　fellow　added　slowly；　〃but　it　seems　as　though　it　were　they

who　are　talking。　　Has　it　never　seemed　so　to　you；　Lyndall？〃



〃No；　it　never　seems　so　to　me；〃　she　answered。



The　sun　had　dipped　now　below　the　hills；　and　the　boy；　suddenly　remembering

the　ewes　and　lambs；　started　to　his　feet。



〃Let　us　also　go　to　the　house　and　see　who　has　come；〃　said　Em；　as　the　boy

shuffled　away　to　rejoin　his　flock；　while　Doss　ran　at　his　heels；　snapping　at

the　ends　of　the　torn　trousers　as　they　fluttered　in　the　wind。





Chapter　1。III。　　I　Was　A　Stranger；　and　Ye　Took　Me　In。



As　the　two　girls　rounded　the　side　of　the　kopje；　an　unusual　scene　presented

itself。　　A　large　group　was　gathered　at　the　back　door　of　the　homestead。



On　the　doorstep　stood　the　Boer…woman；　a　hand　on　each　hip；　her　face　red　and

fiery；　her　head　nodding　fiercely。　　At　her　feet　sat　the　yellow　Hottentot

maid；　her　satellite；　and　around　stood　the　black　Kaffer　maids；　with　blankets

twisted　round　their　half…naked　figures。　　Two；　who　stamped　mealies　in　a

wooden　block；　held　the　great　stampers　in　their　hands；　and　stared　stupidly

at　the　object　of　attraction。　　It　certainly　was　not　to　look　at　the　old

German　overseer；　who　stood　in　the　centre　of　the　group；　that　they　had　all

gathered　together。　　His　salt…and…pepper　suit；　grizzly　black　beard；　and　grey

eyes　were　as　familiar　to　every　one　on　the　farm　as　the　red　gables　of　the

homestead　itself；　but　beside　him　stood　the　stranger；　and　on　him　all　eyes

were　fixed。　　Ever　and　anon　the　newcomer　cast　a　glance　over　his　pendulous

red　nose　to　the　spot　where　the　Boer…woman　stood；　and　smiled　faintly。



〃I'm　not　a　child；〃　cried　the　Boer…woman；　in　low　Cape　Dutch；　〃and　I　wasn't

born　yesterday。　　No；　by　the　Lord；　no！　　You　can't　take　me　in！　　My　mother

didn't　wean　me　on　Monday。　　One　wink　of　my　eye　and　I　see　the　whole　thing。　

I'll　have　no　tramps　sleeping　on　my　farm；〃　cried　Tant　Sannie　blowing。　　〃No；

by　the　devil；　no！　not　though　he　had　sixty…times…six　red　noses。〃



There　the　German　overseer　mildly　interposed　that　the　man　was　not　a　tramp；

but　a　highly　respectable　individual；　whose　horse　had　died　by　an　accident

three　days　before。



〃Don't　tell　me；〃　cried　the　Boer…woman；　〃the　man　isn't　born　that　can　take　me

in。　　If　he'd　had　money；　wouldn't　he　have　bought　a　horse？　　Men　who　walk　are

thieves；　liars；　murderers；　Rome's　priests；　seducers！　　I　see　the　devil　in

his　nose！〃　cried　Tant　Sannie　shaking　her　fist　at　him；　〃and　to　come　walking

into　the　house　of　this　Boer's　child　and　shaking　hands　as　though　he　came　on

horseback！　　Oh；　no；　no！〃



The　stranger　took　off　his　hat；　a　tall；　battered　chimneypot；　and　disclosed　a

bald　head；　at　the　back　of　which　was　a　little　fringe　of　curled　white　hair；

and　he　bowed　to　Tant　Sannie。



〃What　does　she　remark；　my　friend？〃　he　inquired；　turning　his　crosswise…

looking　eyes　on　the　old　German。



The　German　rubbed　his　old　hands　and　hesitated。



〃AhwellahtheDutchyou　knowdo　not　like　people　who　walkin　this

countryah！〃



〃My　dear　friend；〃　said　the　stranger；　laying　his　hand　on　the　German's　arm；

〃I　should　have　bought　myself　another　horse；　but　crossing；　five　days　ago；　a

full　river；　I　lost　my　pursea　purse　with　five　hundred　pounds　in　it。　　I

spent　five　days　on　the　bank　of　the　river　trying　to　find　itcouldn't。　　Paid

a　Kaffer　nine　pounds　to　go　in　and　look　for　it　at　the　risk　of　his　life

couldn't　find　it。〃



The　German　would　have　translated　this　information；　but　the　Boer…woman　gave

no　ear。



〃No；　no；　he　goes　tonight。　　See　how　he　looks　at　mea　poor　unprotected

female！　　If　he　wrongs　me；　who　is　to　do　me　right？〃　cried　Tant　Sannie。



〃I　think；〃　said　the　German　in　an　undertone；　if　you　didn't　look　at　her　quite

so　much　it　might　be　advisable。　　Sheahshemightimagine　that　you　liked

her　too　well；in　factah〃



〃Certainly；　my　dear　friend；　certainly；〃　said　the　stranger。　　〃I　shall　not

look　at　her。〃



Saying　this；　he　turned　his　nose　full　upon　a　small　Kaffer　of　two　years　old。

That　small　naked　son　of　Ham　became　instantly　so　terrified　that　he　fled　to

his　mother's　blanket　for　protection；　howling　horribly。



Upon　this　the　newcomer　fixed　his　eyes　pensively　on　the　stamp…block；　folding

his　hands　on　the　head　of　his　cane。　　His　boots　were　broken；　but　he　still　had

the　cane　of　a　gentleman。



〃You　vagabonds　se　Engelschman！〃　said　Tant　Sannie；　looking　straight　at　him。



This　was　a　near　approach　to　plain　English；　but　the　man　contemplated　the

block　abstractedly；　wholly　unconscious　that　any　antagonism　was　being

displayed　toward　him。



〃You　might　not　be　a　Scotchman　or　anything　of　that　kind；　might　you？〃

suggested　the　German。　　〃It　is　the　English　that　she　hates。〃



〃My　dear　friend；〃　said　the　stranger；　〃I　am　Irish　every　inch　of　mefather

Irish；　mother　Irish。　　I've　not　a　drop　of　English　blood　in　my　veins。〃



〃And　you　might　not　be　married；　might　you？〃　persisted　the　German。　　〃If　you

had　a　wife　and　children；　now？　　Dutch　people　do　not　like　those　who　are　not

married。〃



〃Ah；〃　said　the　stranger；　looking　tenderly　at　the　block；　〃I　have　a　dear　wife

and　three　sweet　little　childrentwo　lovely　girls　and　a　noble　boy。〃



This　information　having　been　conveyed　to　the　Boer…woman；　she；　after　some

further　conversation；　appeared　slightly　mollified；　but　remained　firm　to　her

conviction　that　the　man's　designs　were　evil。　　



〃For；　dear　Lord！〃　she　cried；　〃all　Englishmen　are　ugly；　but　was　there　ever

such　a　red…rag…nosed　thing　with　broken　boots　and　crooked　eyes　before？　　Take

him　to　your　room；〃　she　cried　to　the　German；　〃but　all　the　sin　he　does　I　lay

at　your　door。〃



The　German　having　told　him　how　matters　were　arranged；　the　stranger　made　a

profound　bow　to　Tant　Sannie　and　followed　his　host；　who　led　the　way　to　his

own　little　room。



〃I　thought　she　would　come　to　her　better　self　soon；〃　the　German　said

joyously。　　〃Tant　Sannie　is　not　wholly　bad；　far　from　it；　far。〃　　Then　seeing

his　companion　cast　a　furtive　glance　at　him；　which　he　mistook　for　one　of

surprise；　he　added　quickly；　〃Ah；　yes；　yes；　we　are　all　a　primitive　people

herenot　very　lofty。　　We　deal　not　in　titles。　　Every　one　is　Tante　and　Oom

aunt　and　uncle。　　This　may　be　my　room；〃　he　said；　opening　the　door。　　〃It　is

rough；　the　room　is　rough；　not　a　palacenot　quite。　　But　it　may　be　better

than　the　fields；　a　little　better！〃　he　said；　glancing　round　at　his

companion。　　〃Come　in；　come　in。　　There　is　something　to　eata　mouthful：　　not

the　fare　of　emperors　or　kings；　but　we　do　not　starve；　not　yet；〃　he　said；

rubbing　his　hands　together　and　looking　round　with　a　pleased；　half…nervous

smile　on　his　old　face。



〃My　friend；　my　dear　friend；〃　said　the　stranger；　seizing　him　by　the　hand；

〃may　the　Lord　bless　you；　the　Lord　bless　and　reward　youthe　God　of　the

fatherless　and　the　stranger。　　But　for　you　I　would　this　night　have　slept　in

the　fields；　with　the　dews　of　heaven　upon　my　head。〃



Late　that　evening　Lyndall　came　down　to　the　cabin　with　the　German's　rations。

Through　the　tiny　square　window　the　light　streamed　forth；　and　without

knocking　she　raised　the　latch　and　entered。　　There　was　a　fire　burning　on　the

hearth；　and　it　cast　its　ruddy　glow　over　the　little　dingy　room；　with　its

worm…eaten　rafters　and　mud　floo