the story of an african farm-第15部分
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The first thing that fell was a shower of yellow faded papers。 Bonaparte
opened them carefully one by one； and smoothed them out on his knee。 There
was something very valuable to be hidden so carefully； though the German
characters he could not decipher。 When he came to the last one； he felt
there was something hard in it。
〃You've got it； Bon； my boy！ you've got it！〃 he cried； slapping his leg
hard。 Edging nearer to the door； for the light was fading； he opened the
paper carefully。 There was nothing inside but a plain gold wedding…ring。
〃Better than nothing！〃 said Bonaparte； trying to put it on his little
finger； which； however； proved too fat。
He took it off and set it down on the table before him； and looked at it
with his crosswise eyes。
〃When that auspicious hour； Sannie；〃 he said； 〃shall have arrived； when；
panting； I shall lead thee； lighted by Hymen's torch； to the connubial
altar； then upon thy fair amaranthine finger； my joyous bride； shall this
ring repose。
〃Thy fair body； oh； my girl；
Shall Bonaparte possess；
His fingers in thy money…bags；
He therein； too； shall mess。〃
Having given utterance to this flood of poesy； he sat lost in joyous
reflection。
〃He therein； too； shall mess；〃 he repeated meditatively。
At this instant； as Bonaparte swore； and swore truly to the end of his
life； a slow and distinct rap was given on the crown of his bald head。
Bonaparte started and looked up。 No riem or strap； hung down from the
rafters above； and not a human creature was near the door。 It was growing
dark； he did not like it。 He began to fold up the papers expeditiously。
He stretched out his hand for the ring。 The ring was gone！ Gone； although
no human creature had entered the room； gone； although no form had crossed
the doorway。 Gone！
He would not sleep there； that was certain。
He stuffed the papers into his pocket。 As he did so； three slow and
distinct taps were given on the crown of his head。 Bonaparte's jaw fell：
each separate joint lost its power： he could not move； he dared not rise；
his tongue lay loose in his mouth。
〃Take all； take all！〃 he gurgled in his throat。 〃II do not want them。
Take〃
Here a resolute tug at the grey curls at the back of his head caused him to
leap up； yelling wildly。 Was he to sit still paralyzed； to be dragged away
bodily to the devil？ With terrific shrieks he fled； casting no glance
behind。
。。。
When the dew was falling； and the evening was dark； a small figure moved
toward the gate of the furthest ostrich…camp； driving a bird before it。
When the gate was opened and the bird driven in and the gate fastened； it
turned away； but then suddenly paused near the stone wall。
〃Is that you； Waldo？〃 said Lyndall； hearing a sound。
The boy was sitting on the damp ground with his back to the wall。 He gave
her no answer。
〃Come；〃 she said； bending over him； 〃I have been looking for you all day。〃
He mumbled something。
〃You have had nothing to eat。 I have put some supper in your room。 You
must come home with me； Waldo。〃
She took his hand； and the boy rose slowly。
She made him take her arm； and twisted her small fingers among his。
〃You must forget；〃 she whispered。 〃Since it happened I walk； I talk； I
never sit still。 If we remember； we cannot bring back the dead。〃 She knit
her little fingers closer among his。 〃Forgetting is the best thing。 He
did watch it coming；〃 she whispered presently。 〃That is the dreadful
thing； to see it coming！〃 She shuddered。 〃I want it to come so to me too。
Why do you think I was driving that bird？〃 she added quickly。 〃That was
Hans； the bird that hates Bonaparte。 I let him out this afternoon； I
thought he would chase him and perhaps kill him。〃
The boy showed no sign of interest。
〃He did not catch him； but he put his head over the half…door of your cabin
and frightened him horribly。 He was there； busy stealing your things。
Perhaps he will leave them alone now； but I wish the bird had trodden on
him。〃
They said no more till they reached the door of the cabin。
〃There is a candle and supper on the table。 You must eat；〃 she said
authoritatively。 〃I cannot stay with you now； lest they find out about the
bird。〃
He grasped her arm and brought his mouth close to her ear。
〃There is no God！〃 he almost hissed； 〃no God； not anywhere！〃
She started。
〃Not anywhere！〃
He ground it out between his teeth； and she felt his hot breath on her
cheek。
〃Waldo； you are mad；〃 she said； drawing herself from him； instinctively。
He loosened his grasp and turned away from her also。
In truth； is it not life's way？ We fight our little battles alone； you
yours； I mine。 We must not help or find help。
When your life is most real； to me you are mad； when your agony is
blackest； I look at you and wonder。 Friendship is good； a strong stick；
but when the hour comes to lean hard； it gives。 In the day of their
bitterest need all souls are alone。
Lyndall stood by him in the dark； pityingly； wonderingly。 As he walked to
the door； she came after him。
〃Eat your supper； it will do you good；〃 she said。
She rubbed her cheek against his shoulder and then ran away。
In the front room the little woolly Kaffer girl was washing Tant Sannie's
feet in a small tub； and Bonaparte； who sat on the wooden sofa； was pulling
off his shoes and stockings that his own feet might be washed also。 There
were three candles burning in the room； and he and Tant Sannie sat close
together； with the lean Hottentot not far off； for when ghosts are about
much light is needed； there is great strength in numbers。 Bonaparte had
completely recovered from the effects of his fright in the afternoon； and
the numerous doses of brandy that it had been necessary to administer to
him to effect his restoration had put him into a singularly pleasant and
amiable mood。
〃That boy Waldo；〃 said Bonaparte； rubbing his toes； 〃took himself off
coolly this morning as soon as the wagon came； and has not done a stiver of
work all day。 I'll not have that kind of thing now I'm master of this
farm。〃
The Hottentot maid translated。
〃Ah； I expect he's sorry that his father's dead；〃 said Tant Sannie。 〃It's
nature； you know。 I cried the whole morning when my father died。 One can
always get another husband； but one can't get another father；〃 said Tant
Sannie； casting a sidelong glance at Bonaparte。
Bonaparte expressed a wish to give Waldo his orders for the next day's
work； and accordingly the little woolly…headed Kaffer was sent to call him。
After a considerable time the boy appeared； and stood in the doorway。
If they had dressed him in one of the swallow…tailed coats； and oiled his
hair till the drops fell from it； and it lay as smooth as an elder's on
sacrament Sunday； there would still have been something unanointed in the
aspect of the fellow。 As it was； standing there in his strange old
costume； his head presenting much the appearance of having been deeply
rolled in sand； his eyelids swollen； the hair hanging over his forehead；
and a dogged sullenness on his features； he presented most the appearance
of an ill…conditioned young buffalo。
〃Beloved Lord；〃 cried Tant Sannie； 〃how he looks！ Come in； boy。 Couldn't
you come and say good…day to me？ Don't you want some supper？〃
He said he wanted nothing； and turned his heavy eyes away from her。
〃There's a ghost been seen in your father's room；〃 said Tant Sannie。 〃If
you're afraid you can sleep in the kitchen。〃
〃I will sleep in our room；〃 said the boy slowly。
〃Well； you can go now；〃 she said； 〃but be up early to take the sheep。 The
herd〃
〃Yes； be up early； my boy；〃 interrupted Bonaparte； smiling。 〃I am to be
master of this farm now； and we shall be good friends； I trust； very good
friends； if you try to do your duty； my dear boy。〃
Waldo turned to go； and Bonaparte； looking benignly at the candle；
stretched out one unstockinged foot； over which Waldo； looking at nothing
in particular； fell with a heavy thud upon the floor。
〃Dear me！ I hope you are not hurt； my boy；〃 said Bonaparte。 〃You'll have
many a harder thing than that though； before you've gone through life；〃 he
added consolingly； as Waldo picked himself up。
The lean Hottentot laughed till the room rang again； and Tant Sannie
tittered till her sides ached。
When he had gone the little maid began to wash Bonaparte's feet。
〃Oh； Lord； beloved Lord； how he did fall！ I can't think of it；〃 cried Tant
Sannie； and she laughed again。 〃I always did know he was not right； but
this evening any one could see it；〃 she added； wiping the tears of mirth
from her face。 〃His eyes are as wild as if the devil was in them。 He
never was like other children。 The dear Lord knows； if he doesn't walk
alone for hours talking to himself。 If you sit in the room with him you
can see his lips moving the whole time； and if you talk to him twenty times
he doesn't hear you。 Daft…eyes； he's as mad as mad can be。〃
This repetition of the word mad conveyed meaning to Bonaparte's mind。 He
left off paddling his toes in the water。
〃Mad； mad？ I know that kind of mad；〃 said Bonaparte； 〃and I know the thing
to give for it。 The front end of a little horsewhip； the tip！ Nice thing；
takes it out；〃 said Bonaparte。
The Hottentot laughed； and translated。
〃No more walking about and talking to themselves on this farm now；〃 said
Bonaparte； 〃no more minding of sheep and reading of books at the same time。
The point of a horsewhip is a little thing； but I think he'll have a taste
of it before long。〃 Bonaparte rubbed his hands and looked pleasantly
across his nose； and then the three laughed together grimly。
And Waldo in his cabin crouched in the dark in a corner； with his knees
drawn u
