the story of an african farm-第63节

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Only　then；　when　there　comes　a　pause；　a　blank　in　your　life；　when　the　old

idol　is　broken；　when　the　old　hope　is　dead；　when　the　old　desire　is　crushed；

then　the　Divine　compensation　of　Nature　is　made　manifest。　　She　shows　herself

to　you。　　So　near　she　draws　you；　that　the　blood　seems　to　flow　from　her　to

you；　through　a　still　uncut　cord：　　you　feel　the　throb　of　her　life。



When　that　day　comes；　that　you　sit　down　broken；　without　one　human　creature

to　whom　you　cling；　with　your　loves　the　dead　and　the　living…dead；　when　the

very　thirst　for　knowledge　through　long…continued　thwarting　has　grown　dull；

when　in　the　present　there　is　no　craving；　and　in　the　future　no　hope；　then；

oh；　with　a　beneficent　tenderness；　Nature　infolds　you。



Then　the　large　white　snow…flakes　as　they　flutter　down；　softly；　one　by　one；

whisper　soothingly；　〃Rest；　poor　heart；　rest！〃　　It　is　as　though　our　mother

smoothed　our　hair；　and　we　are　comforted。



And　yellow…legged　bees　as　they　hum　make　a　dreamy　lyric；　and　the　light　on

the　brown　stone　wall　is　a　great　work　of　art；　and　the　glitter　through　the

leaves　makes　the　pulses　beat。



Well　to　die　then；　for；　if　you　live；　so　surely　as　the　years　come；　so　surely

as　the　spring　succeeds　the　winter；　so　surely　will　passions　arise。　　They

will　creep　back；　one　by　one；　into　the　bosom　that　has　cast　them　forth；　and

fasten　there　again；　and　peace　will　go。　　Desire；　ambition；　and　the　fierce

agonizing　flood　of　love　for　the　living　they　will　spring　again。　　Then　Nature

will　draw　down　her　veil；　with　all　your　longing　you　shall　not　be　able　to

raise　one　corner；　you　cannot　bring　back　those　peaceful　days。　　Well　to　die

then！



Sitting　there　with　his　arms　folded　on　his　knees；　and　his　hat　slouched　down

over　his　face；　Waldo　looked　out　into　the　yellow　sunshine　that　tinted　even

the　very　air　with　the　colour　of　ripe　corn；　and　was　happy。



He　was　an　uncouth　creature　with　small　learning；　and　no　prospect　in　the

future　but　that　of　making　endless　tables　and　stone　walls；　yet　it　seemed　to

him　as　he　sat　there　that　life　was　a　rare　and　very　rich　thing。　　He　rubbed

his　hands　in　the　sunshine。　　Ah；　to　live　on　so；　year　after　year；　how　well！　

Always　in　the　present；　letting　each　day　glide；　bringing　its　own　labour；　and

its　own　beauty；　the　gradual　lighting　up　of　the　hills；　night　and　the　stars；

firelight　and　the　coals！　　To　live　on　so；　calmly；　far　from　the　paths　of　men；

and　to　look　at　the　lives　of　clouds　and　insects；　to　look　deep　into　the　heart

of　flowers；　and　see　how　lovingly　the　pistil　and　the　stamens　nestle　there

together；　and　to　see　in　the　thorn…pods　how　the　little　seeds　suck　their　life

through　the　delicate　curled…up　string；　and　how　the　little　embryo　sleeps

inside！　　Well；　how　well；　to　sit　so　on　one　side　taking　no　part　in　the

world's　life；　but　when　great　men　blossom　into　books　looking　into　those

flowers　also；　to　see　how　the　world　of　men　too　opens　beautifully；　leaf　after

leaf。　　Ah！　life　is　delicious；　well　to　live　long；　and　see　the　darkness

breaking；　and　the　day　coming！　　The　day　when　soul　shall　not　thrust　back　soul

that　would　come　to　it；　when　men　shall　not　be　driven　to　seek　solitude

because　of　the　crying…out　of　their　hearts　for　love　and　sympathy。　　Well　to

live　long　and　see　the　new　time　breaking。　　Well　to　live　long；　life　is　sweet；

sweet；　sweet！　　In　his　breast　pocket；　where　of　old　the　broken　slate　used　to

be；　there　was　now　a　little　dancing　shoe　of　his　friend　who　was　sleeping。　　He

could　feel　it　when　he　folded　his　arm　tight　against　his　breast；　and　that　was

well　also。　　He　drew　his　hat　lower　over　his　eyes　and　sat　so　motionless　that

the　chickens　thought　he　was　asleep；　and　gathered　closer　around　him。　　One

even　ventured　to　peck　at　his　boot；　but　he　ran　away　quickly。　　Tiny；　yellow

fellow　that　he　was；　he　knew　that　men　were　dangerous；　even　sleeping　they

might　awake。　　But　Waldo　did　not　sleep；　and　coming　back　from　his　sunshiny

dream；　stretched　out　his　hand　for　the　tiny　thing　to　mount。　　But　the　chicken

eyed　the　hand；　and　then　ran　off　to　hide　under　its　mother's　wing；　and　from

beneath　it　it　sometimes　put　out　its　round　head　to　peep　at　the　great　figure

sitting　there。　　Presently　its　brothers　ran　off　after　a　little　white　moth

and　it　ran　out　to　join　them；　and　when　the　moth　fluttered　away　over　their

heads　they　stood　looking　up　disappointed；　and　then　ran　back　to　their

mother。



Waldo　through　his　half…closed　eyes　looked　at　them。　　Thinking；　fearing；

craving；　those　tiny　sparks　of　brother　life；　what　were　they；　so　real　there

in　that　old　yard　on　that　sunshiny　afternoon？　　A　few　yearswhere　would　they

be？　　Strange　little　brother　spirits！　　He　stretched　his　hand　toward　them；

for　his　heart　went　out　to　them；　but　not　one　of　the　little　creatures　came

nearer　him；　and　he　watched　them　gravely　for　a　time；　then　he　smiled；　and

began　muttering　to　himself　after　his　old　fashion。　　Afterward　he　folded　his

arms　upon　his　knees；　and　rested　his　forehead　on　them。　　And　so　he　sat　there

in　the　yellow　sunshine；　muttering；　muttering；　muttering；　to　himself。



It　was　not　very　long　after　when　Em　came　out　at　the　back　door　with　a　towel

thrown　across　her　head；　and　in　her　hand　a　cup　of　milk。



〃Ah；〃　she　said；　coming　close　to　him；　〃he　is　sleeping　now。　　He　will　find　it

when　he　wakes；　and　be　glad　of　it。〃



She　put　it　down　upon　the　ground　beside　him。　　The　mother…hen　was　at　work

still　among　the　stones；　but　the　chickens　had　climbed　about　him　and　were

perching　on　him。　　One　stood　upon　his　shoulder；　and　rubbed　its　little　head

softly　against　his　black　curls：　　another　tried　to　balance　itself　on　the

very　edge　of　the　old　felt　hat。　　One　tiny　fellow　stood　upon　his　hand；　and

tried　to　crow；　another　had　nestled　itself　down　comfortably　on　the　old　coat…

sleeve　and　gone　to　sleep　there。



Em　did　not　drive　them　away；　but　she　covered　the　glass　softly　at　his　side。　

〃He　will　wake　soon；〃　she　said；　〃and　be　glad　of　it。〃



But　the　chickens　were　wiser。









End