the story of an african farm-第6部分
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manner that evinced his high estimation of the contents of the saucepan and
his profound satisfaction therein。 〃Bish！ bish！ my chicken；〃 he said； as
Lyndall tapped her little foot up and down upon the floor。 〃Bish！ bish！ my
chicken； you will wake him。〃
He moved the candle so that his own head might intervene between it and the
sleeper's face； and； smoothing his newspaper； he adjusted his spectacles to
read。
The child's grey…black eyes rested on the figure on the bed； then turned to
the German； then rested on the figure again。
〃I think he is a liar。 Good night； Uncle Otto；〃 she said slowly； turning
to the door。
Long after she had gone the German folded his paper up methodically； and
put it in his pocket。
The stranger had not awakened to partake of the soup； and his son had
fallen asleep on the ground。 Taking two white sheepskins from the heap of
sacks in the corner； the old man doubled them up； and lifting the boy's
head gently from the slate on which it rested； placed the skins beneath it。
〃Poor lambie； poor lambie！〃 he said； tenderly patting the great rough bear…
like head； 〃tired is he！〃
He threw an overcoat across the boy's feet； and lifted the saucepan from
the fire。 There was no place where the old man could comfortably lie down
himself； so he resumed his seat。 Opening a much…worn Bible； he began to
read； and as he read pleasant thoughts and visions thronged on him。
〃I was a stranger； and ye took me in；〃 he read。
He turned again to the bed where the sleeper lay。
〃I was a stranger。〃
Very tenderly the old man looked at him。 He saw not the bloated body nor
the evil face of the man； but； as it were； under deep disguise and fleshly
concealment； the form that long years of dreaming had made very real to
him。 〃Jesus； lover； and is it given to us； weak and sinful； frail and
erring； to serve Thee； to take Thee in！〃 he said softly； as he rose from
his seat。 Full of joy； he began to pace the little room。 Now and again as
he walked he sang the lines of a German hymn； or muttered broken words of
prayer。 The little room was full of light。 It appeared to the German that
Christ was very near him； and that at almost any moment the thin mist of
earthly darkness that clouded his human eyes might be withdrawn； and that
made manifest of which the friends at Emmaus； beholding it； said； 〃It is
the Lord！〃
Again； and yet again； through the long hours of that night； as the old man
walked he looked up to the roof of his little room； with its blackened
rafters； and yet saw them not。 His rough bearded face was illuminated with
a radiant gladness； and the night was not shorter to the dreaming sleepers
than to him whose waking dreams brought heaven near。
So quickly the night fled； that he looked up with surprise when at four
o'clock the first grey streaks of summer dawn showed themselves through the
little window。 Then the old man turned to rake together the few coals that
lay under the ashes； and his son； turning on the sheepskins； muttered
sleepily to know if it were time to rise。
〃Lie still； lie still！ I would only make a fire；〃 said the old man。
〃Have you been up all night？〃 asked the boy。
〃Yes； but it has been short； very short。 Sleep again； my chicken； it is
yet early。〃
And he went out to fetch more fuel。
Chapter 1。IV。 Blessed is He That Believeth。
Bonaparte Blenkins sat on the side of the bed。 He had wonderfully revived
since the day before； held his head high； talked in a full sonorous voice；
and ate greedily of all the viands offered him。 At his side was a basin of
soup； from which he took a deep draught now and again as he watched the
fingers of the German； who sat on the mud floor mending the bottom of a
chair。
Presently he looked out； where； in the afternoon sunshine； a few half…grown
ostriches might be seen wandering listlessly about； and then he looked in
again at the little whitewashed room； and at Lyndall； who sat in the
doorway looking at a book。 Then he raised his chin and tried to adjust an
imaginary shirt…collar。 Finding none； he smoothed the little grey fringe
at the back of his head； and began：
〃You are a student of history； I perceive； my friend； from the study of
these volumes that lie scattered about this apartment； this fact has been
made evident to me。〃
〃Wella littleperhapsit may be；〃 said the German meekly。
〃Being a student of history then；〃 said Bonaparte； raising himself loftily；
〃you will doubtless have heard of my great； of my celebrated kinsman；
Napoleon Bonaparte？〃
〃Yes； yes；〃 said the German； looking up。
〃I； sir；〃 said Bonaparte； 〃was born at this hour； on an April afternoon；
three…and…fifty years ago。 The nurse； sirshe was the same who attended
when the Duke of Sutherland was bornbrought me to my mother。 'There is
only one name for this child；' she said： 'he has the nose of his great
kinsman；' and so Bonaparte Blenkins became my nameBonaparte Blenkins。
Yes； sir；〃 said Bonaparte； 〃there is a stream on my maternal side that
connects me with a stream on his maternal side。〃
The German made a sound of astonishment。
〃The connection；〃 said Bonaparte； 〃is one which could not be easily
comprehended by one unaccustomed to the study of aristocratic pedigrees；
but the connection is close。〃
〃Is it possible！〃 said the German； pausing in his work with much interest
and astonishment。 〃Napoleon an Irishman！〃
〃Yes；〃 said Bonaparte； 〃on the mother's side； and that is how we are
related。 There wasn't a man to beat him；〃 said Bonaparte； stretching
himself〃not a man except the Duke of Wellington。 And it's a strange
coincidence；〃 added Bonaparte； bending forward； 〃but he was a connection of
mine。 His nephew； the Duke of Wellington's nephew； married a cousin of
mine。 She was a woman！ See her at one of the court ballsamber satin
daisies in her hair。 Worth going a hundred miles to look at her！ Often
seen her there myself； sir！〃
The German moved the leather thongs in and out； and thought of the strange
vicissitudes of human life； which might bring the kinsman of dukes and
emperors to his humble room。
Bonaparte appeared lost among old memories。
〃Ah； that Duke of Wellington's nephew！〃 he broke forth suddenly； 〃many's
the joke I've had with him。 Often came to visit me at Bonaparte Hall。
Grand place I had thenpark； conservatory； servants。 He had only one
fault； that Duke of Wellington's nephew；〃 said Bonaparte； observing that
the German was deeply interested in every word； 〃He was a cowardwhat you
might call a coward。 You've never been in Russia； I suppose？〃 said
Bonaparte； fixing his crosswise looking eyes on the German's face。
〃No； no；〃 said the old man humbly。 〃France； England； Germany； a little in
this country； it is all I have travelled。〃
〃I； my friend；〃 said Bonaparte； 〃I have been in every country in the world；
and speak every civilised language； excepting only Dutch and German。 I
wrote a book of my travelsnoteworthy incidents。 Publisher got it
cheated me out of it。 Great rascals those publishers！ Upon one occasion
the Duke of Wellington's nephew and I were travelling in Russia。 All of a
sudden one of the horses dropped down dead as a doornail。 There we were
cold nightsnow four feet thickgreat forestone horse not being able to
move the sledgenight coming onwolves。
〃'Spree！' says the Duke of Wellington's nephew。
〃'Spree； do you call it？ says I。 'Look out。'
〃There； sticking out under a bush； was nothing less than the nose of a
bear。 The Duke of Wellington's nephew was up a tree like a shot； I stood
quietly on the ground； as cool as I am at this moment； loaded my gun； and
climbed up the tree。 There was only one bough。
〃'Bon；' said the Duke of Wellington's nephew； 'you'd better sit in front。'
〃'All right；' said I； 'but keep your gun ready。 There are more coming。'
He'd got his face buried in my back。
〃'How many are there？' said he。
〃'Four；' said I。
〃'How many are there now？' said he。
〃'Eight；' said I。
〃'How many are there now？' said he。
〃'Ten；' said I。
〃'Ten！ ten！' said he； and down goes his gun。
〃'Wallie；' I said； 'what have you done？ We're dead men now。'
〃'Bon； my old fellow；' said he； 'I couldn't help it； my hands trembled so！'
〃'Wall；' I said； turning round and seizing his hand； 'Wallie； my dear lad；
good…bye。 I'm not afraid to die。 My legs are longthey hang downthe
first bear that comes and I don't hit him； off goes my foot。 When he takes
it I shall give you my gun and go。 You may yet be saved； but tell； oh；
tell Mary Ann that I thought of her； that I prayed for her。'
〃'Good…bye； old fellow；' said he。
〃'God bless you；' said I。
〃By this time the bears were sitting in a circle all around the tree。
Yes；〃 said Bonaparte impressively； fixing his eyes on the German； 〃a
regular； exact； circle。 The marks of their tails were left in the snow；
and I measured it afterward； a drawing…master couldn't have done it better。
It was that saved me。 If they'd rushed on me at once； poor old Bon would
never have been here to tell this story。 But they came on； sir；
systematically； one by one。 All the rest sat on their tails and waited。
The first fellow came up； and I shot him； the second fellowI shot him；
the thirdI shot him。 At last the tenth came； he was the biggest of all
the leader； you may say。
〃'Wall；' I said； 'give me your hand。 My fingers are stiff with the cold；
there is only one bullet left。 I shall miss him。 While he is eating me
you get down and take your gun； and live； dear friend； live to remember the
man who gave his life for you！' By that time the bear was at me。 I felt
his paw on my trousers。
〃'Oh； Bonnie！ Bonnie！' said the Duke of Wellington's nephew。 But I just
took my gun and put the muzzle to the bear's earover h
