the story of an african farm-第8节

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so？　　How　do　you　know　that　God　talked　to　Moses；　except　that　Moses　wrote　it？

That　is　what　I　hate！〃



The　girl　knit　her　brows。　　Perhaps　her　thoughts　made　a　longer　journey　than

the　German　dreamed　of；　for；　mark　you；　the　old　dream　little　how　their　words

and　lives　are　texts　and　studies　to　the　generation　that　shall　succeed　them。

Not　what　we　are　taught；　but　what　we　see；　makes　us；　and　the　child　gathers

the　food　on　which　the　adult　feeds　to　the　end。



When　the　German　looked　up　next　there　was　a　look　of　supreme　satisfaction　in

the　little　mouth　and　the　beautiful　eyes。



〃What　dost　see；　chicken？〃　he　asked。



The　child　said　nothing；　and　an　agonizing　shriek　was　borne　on　the　afternoon

breeze。



〃Oh；　God！　my　God！　　I　am　killed！〃　cried　the　voice　of　Bonaparte；　as　he；　with

wide　open　mouth　and　shaking　flesh；　fell　into　the　room；　followed　by　a　half…

grown　ostrich；　who　put　its　head　in　at　the　door；　opened　its　beak　at　him；　and

went　away。



〃Shut　the　door！　shut　the　door！　　As　you　value　my　life；　shut　the　door！〃　cried

Bonaparte；　sinking　into　a　chair；　his　face　blue　and　white；　with　a

greenishness　about　the　mouth。　　〃Ah；　my　friend；〃　he　said　tremulously；

〃eternity　has　looked　me　in　the　face！　　My　life's　thread　hung　upon　a　cord！　

The　valley　of　the　shadow　of　death！〃　said　Bonaparte；　seizing　the　German's

arm。



〃Dear；　dear；　dear！〃　said　the　German；　who　had　closed　the　lower　half　of　the

door；　and　stood　much　concerned　beside　the　stranger；　〃you　have　had　a　fright。

I　never　knew　so　young　a　bird　to　chase　before；　but　they　will　take　dislikes

to　certain　people。　　I　sent　a　boy　away　once　because　a　bird　would　chase　him。

Ah；　dear；　dear！〃



〃When　I　looked　round；〃　said　Bonaparte；　〃the　red　and　yawning　cavity　was

above　me；　and　the　reprehensible　paw　raised　to　strike　me。　　My　nerves；〃　said

Bonaparte；　suddenly　growing　faint；　〃always　delicatehighly　strungare

brokenbroken！　　You　could　not　give　a　little　wine；　a　little　brandy　my

friend？〃



The　old　German　hurried　away　to　the　bookshelf；　and　took　from　behind　the

books　a　small　bottle；　half　of　whose　contents　he　poured　into　a　cup。　

Bonaparte　drained　it　eagerly。



〃How　do　you　feel　now？〃　asked　the　German；　looking　at　him　with　much　sympathy。



〃A　little；　slightly；　better。〃



The　German　went　out　to　pick　up　the　battered　chimneypot　which　had　fallen

before　the　door。



〃I　am　sorry　you　got　the　fright。　　The　birds　are　bad　things　till　you　know

them；〃　he　said　sympathetically；　as　he　put　the　hat　down。



〃My　friend；〃　said　Bonaparte；　holding　out　his　hand；　〃I　forgive　you；　do　not

be　disturbed。　　Whatever　the　consequences；　I　forgive　you。　　I　know；　I

believe；　it　was　with　no　ill…intent　that　you　allowed　me　to　go　out。　　Give　me

your　hand。　　I　have　no　ill…feeling；　none！〃



〃You　are　very　kind；〃　said　the　German；　taking　the　extended　hand；　and　feeling

suddenly　convinced　that　he　was　receiving　magnanimous　forgiveness　for　some

great　injury；　〃you　are　very　kind。〃



〃Don't　mention　it；〃　said　Bonaparte。



He　knocked　out　the　crown　of　his　caved…in　old　hat；　placed　it　on　the　table

before　him；　leaned　his　elbows　on　the　table　and　his　face　in　his　hands；　and

contemplated　it。



〃Ah；　my　old　friend；〃　he　thus　apostrophized　the　hat；　〃you　have　served　me

long；　you　have　served　me　faithfully；　but　the　last　day　has　come。　　Never　more

shall　you　be　borne　upon　the　head　of　your　master。　　Never　more　shall　you

protect　his　brow　from　the　burning　rays　of　summer　or　the　cutting　winds　of

winter。　　Henceforth　bare…headed　must　your　master　go。　　Good…bye；　good…bye；

old　hat！〃



At　the　end　of　this　affecting　appeal　the　German　rose。　　He　went　to　the　box　at

the　foot　of　his　bed；　out　of　it　he　took　a　black　hat；　which　had　evidently

been　seldom　worn　and　carefully　preserved。



〃It's　not　exactly　what　you　may　have　been　accustomed　to；〃　he　said　nervously；

putting　it　down　beside　the　battered　chimneypot；　〃but　it　might　be　of　some

usea　protection　to　the　head；　you　know。〃



〃My　friend；〃　said　Bonaparte；　〃you　are　not　following　my　advice；　you　are

allowing　yourself　to　be　reproached　on　my　account。　　Do　not　make　yourself

unhappy。　　No；　I　shall　go　bare…headed。〃



〃No；　no；　no！〃　cried　the　German　energetically。　　〃I　have　no　use　for　the　hat；

none　at　all。　　It　is　shut　up　in　the　box。〃



〃Then　I　will　take　it；　my　friend。　　It　is　a　comfort　to　one's　own　mind　when

you　have　unintentionally　injured　any　one　to　make　reparation。　　I　know　the

feeling。　　The　hat　may　not　be　of　that　refined　cut　of　which　the　old　one　was；

but　it　will　serve；　yes；　it　will　serve。　　Thank　you；〃　said　Bonaparte；

adjusting　it　on　his　head；　and　then　replacing　it　on　the　table。　　〃I　shall　lie

down　now　and　take　a　little　repose；〃　he　added；　〃I　much　fear　my　appetite　for

supper　will　be　lost。〃



〃I　hope　not；　I　hope　not；〃　said　the　German；　reseating　himself　at　his　work；

and　looking　much　concerned　as　Bonaparte　stretched　himself　on　the　bed　and

turned　the　end　of　the　patchwork　quilt　over　his　feet。



〃You　must　not　think　to　make　your　departure；　not　for　many　days；〃　said　the

German　presently。　　〃Tant　Sannie　gives　her　consent；　and〃



〃My　friend；〃　said　Bonaparte；　closing　his　eyes　sadly；　〃you　are　kind；　but

were　it　not　that　tomorrow　is　the　Sabbath；　weak　and　trembling　as　I　lie　here；

I　would　proceed　on　my　way。　　I　must　seek　work；　idleness　but　for　a　day　is

painful。　　Work；　labourthat　is　the　secret　of　all　true　happiness！〃



He　doubled　the　pillar　under　his　head；　and　watched　how　the　German　drew　the

leather　thongs　in　and　out。



After　a　while　Lyndall　silently　put　her　book　on　the　shelf　and　went　home；　and

the　German　stood　up　and　began　to　mix　some　water　and　meal　for　roaster…cakes。　

As　he　stirred　them　with　his　hands　he　said：



〃I　make　always　a　double　supply　on　Saturday　night；　the　hands　are　then　free

as　the　thoughts　for　Sunday。〃



〃The　blessed　Sabbath！〃　said　Bonaparte。



There　was　a　pause。　　Bonaparte　twisted　his　eyes　without　moving　his　head；　to

see　if　supper　were　already　on　the　fire。



〃You　must　sorely　miss　the　administration　of　the　Lord's　word　in　this

desolate　spot；〃　added　Bonaparte。　　〃Oh；　how　love　I　Thine　house；　and　the

place　where　Thine　honour　dwelleth！〃



〃Well；　we　do；　yes；〃　said　the　German；　〃but　we　do　our　best。　　We　meet

together；　and　Iwell；　I　say　a　few　words；　and　perhaps　they　are　not　wholly

lost；　not　quite。〃



〃Strange　coincidence；〃　said　Bonaparte；　〃my　plan　always　was　the　same。　　Was

in　the　Free　State　oncesolitary　farmone　neighbour。　　Every　Sunday　I

called　together　friend　and　neighbour；　child　and　servant；　and　said；　'Rejoice

with　me；　that　we　may　serve　the　Lord；'　and　then　I　addressed　them。　　Ah；　those

were　blessed　times；〃　said　Bonaparte；　〃would　they　might　return。〃



The　German　stirred　at　the　cakes；　and　stirred；　and　stirred；　and　stirred。　　He

could　give　the　stranger　his　bed；　and　he　could　give　the　stranger　his　hat；

and　he　could　give　the　stranger　his　brandy；　but　his　Sunday　service！



After　a　good　while　he　said：



〃I　might　speak　to　Tant　Sannie；　I　might　arrange；　you　might　take　the　service

in　my　place；　if　it〃



〃My　friend；〃　said　Bonaparte；　〃it　would　give　me　the　profoundest　felicity；

the　most　unbounded　satisfaction；　but　in　these　worn…out　habiliments；　in

these　deteriorated　garments；　it　would　not　be　possible；　it　would　not　be

fitting　that　I　should　officiate　in　service　of　One　whom；　for　respect；　we

shall　not　name。　　No；　my　friend；　I　will　remain　here；　and；　while　you　are

assembling　yourselves　together　in　the　presence　of　the　Lord；　I；　in　my

solitude；　will　think　of　and　pray　for　you。　　No；　I　will　remain　here！〃



It　was　a　touching　picturethe　solitary　man　there　praying　for　them。　　The

German　cleared　his　hands　from　the　meal；　and　went　to　the　chest　from　which　he

had　taken　the　black　hat。　　After　a　little　careful　feeling　about；　he　produced

a　black　cloth　coat；　trousers；　and　waistcoat；　which　he　laid　on　the　table；

smiling　knowingly。　　They　were　of　new　shining　cloth；　worn　twice　a　year；　when

he　went　to　the　town　to　nachtmaal。　　He　looked　with　great　pride　at　the　coat

as　he　unfolded　it　and　held　it　up。



〃It's　not　the　latest　fashion；　perhaps；　not　a　West　End　cut；　not　exactly；　but

it　might　do；　it　might　serve　at　a　push。　　Try　it　on；　try　it　on！〃　he　said；　his

old　grey　eyes　twinkling　with　pride。



Bonaparte　stood　up　and　tried　on　the　coat。　　It　fitted　admirably；　the

waistcoat　could　be　made　to　button　by　ripping　up　the　back；　and　the　trousers

were　perfect；　but　below　were　the　ragged　boots。　　The　German　was　not

disconcerted。　　Going　to　the　beam　where　a　pair　of　top…boots　hung；　he　took

them　off；　dusted　them　carefully；　and　put　them　down　before　Bonaparte。　　The

old　eyes　now　fairly　brimmed　over　with　sparkling　enjoyment。



〃I　have　only　worn　them　once。　　They　might　serve；　they　might　be　endured。〃



Bonaparte　drew　them　on　and　stood　upright；　his　head　almost　touching　the

beams。　　The　German　looked　at　him　with　profound　admiration。　　It　was

wonderful　what　a　difference　feathers　made　in　the　bird。





Chapter　1。V。　　Sunday　Services。



Service　No。　I。



The　boy　Waldo　kissed　the　pages　of　his　book　and　looked　up。　　Far　over　the

flat　lay　th