the story of an african farm-第16章

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the　boy　climbed　slowly　over　the　wall。　　He　would　have　walked　off　sullenly；

but　he　wanted　his　book；　and　he　waited　until　it　should　be　given　him。



〃Ha！〃　said　Bonaparte；　raising　his　eyes　from　the　leaves　of　the　book　which　he

was　examining；　〃I　hope　your　coat　has　not　been　injured；　it　is　of　an　elegant

cut。　　An　heirloom；　I　presume；　from　your　paternal　grandfather？　　It　looks

nice　now。〃



〃Oh；　Lord！　oh！　Lord！〃　cried　Tant　Sannie；　laughing　and　holding　her　sides；

how　the　child　looksas　though　he　thought　the　mud　would　never　wash　off。　

Oh；　Lord；　I　shall　die！　　You；　Bonaparte；　are　the　funniest　man　I　ever　saw。〃



Bonaparte　Blenkins　was　now　carefully　inspecting　the　volume　he　had　picked

up。　　Among　the　subjects　on　which　the　darkness　of　his　understanding　had　been

enlightened　during　his　youth；　Political　Economy　had　not　been　one。　　He　was

not；　therefore；　very　clear　as　to　what　the　nature　of　the　book　might　be；　and

as　the　name　of　the　writer；　J。S。　Mill；　might；　for　anything　he　knew　to　the

contrary；　have　belonged　to　a　venerable　member　of　the　British　and　Foreign

Bible　Society；　it　by　no　means　threw　light　upon　the　question。　　He　was　not　in

any　way　sure　that　Political　Economy　had　nothing　to　do　with　the　cheapest　way

of　procuring　clothing　for　the　army　and　navy；　which　would　be　certainly　both

a　political　and　economical　subject。



But　Bonaparte　soon　came　to　a　conclusion　as　to　the　nature　of　the　book　and

its　contents；　by　the　application　of　a　simple　rule　now　largely　acted　upon；

but　which；　becoming　universal；　would　save　much　thought　and　valuable　time。　

It　is　of　marvellous　simplicity；　of　infinite　utility；　of　universal

applicability。　　It　may　easily　be　committed　to　memory　and　runs　thus：



Whenever　you　come　into　contact　with　any　book；　person；　or　opinion　of　which

you　absolutely　comprehend　nothing；　declare　that　book；　person　or　opinion　to

be　immoral。　　Bespatter　it；　vituperate　against　it；　strongly　insist　that　any

man　or　woman　harbouring　it　is　a　fool　or　a　knave；　or　both。　　Carefully

abstain　from　studying　it。　　Do　all　that　in　you　lies　to　annihilate　that　book；

person；　or　opinion。



Acting　on　this　rule；　so　wide　in　its　comprehensiveness；　so　beautifully

simple　in　its　working；　Bonaparte　approached　Tant　Sannie　with　the　book　in

his　hand。　　Waldo　came　a　step　nearer；　eyeing　it　like　a　dog　whose　young　has

fallen　into　evil　hands。



〃This　book；〃　said　Bonaparte；　〃is　not　a　fit　and　proper　study　for　a　young　and

immature　mind。〃



Tant　Sannie　did　not　understand　a　word；　and　said：



〃What？〃



〃This　book；〃　said　Bonaparte；　bringing　down　his　finger　with　energy　on　the

cover；　〃this　book　is　sleg；　sleg；　Davel；　Davel！〃



Tant　Sannie　perceived　from　the　gravity　of　his　countenance　that　it　was　no

laughing　matter。　　From　the　words　〃sleg〃　and　〃Davel〃　she　understood　that　the

book　was　evil；　and　had　some　connection　with　the　prince　who　pulls　the　wires

of　evil　over　the　whole　earth。



〃Where　did　you　get　this　book？〃　she　asked；　turning　her　twinkling　little　eyes

on　Waldo。　　〃I　wish　that　my　legs　may　be　as　thin　as　an　Englishman's　if　it

isn't　one　of　your　father's。　　He　had　more　sins　than　all　the　Kaffers　in

Kafferland；　for　all　that　he　pretended　to　be　so　good　all　those　years；　and　to

live　without　a　wife　because　he　was　thinking　of　the　one　that　was　dead！　　As

though　ten　dead　wives　could　make　up　for　one　fat　one　with　arms　and　legs！〃

cried　Tant　Sannie；　snorting。



〃It　was　not　my　father's　book；〃　said　the　boy　savagely。　　〃I　got　it　from　your

loft。〃



〃My　loft！　my　book！　　How　dare　you？〃　cried　Tant　Sannie。



〃It　was　Em's　father's。　　She　gave　it　me；〃　he　muttered　more　sullenly。



〃Give　it　here。　　What　is　the　name　of　it？　　What　is　it　about？〃　she　asked；

putting　her　finger　upon　the　title。



Bonaparte　understood。



〃Political　Economy；〃　he　said　slowly。



〃Dear　Lord！〃　said　Tant　Sannie；　〃cannot　one　hear　from　the　very　sound　what　an

ungodly　book　it　is！　　One　can　hardly　say　the　name。　　Haven't　we　got　curses

enough　on　this　farm？〃　cried　Tant　Sannie；　eloquently；　〃my　best　imported

Merino　ram　dying　of　nobody　knows　what；　and　the　short…horn　cow　casting　her

two　calves；　and　the　sheep　eaten　up　with　the　scab　and　the　drought？　　And　is

this　a　time　to　bring　ungodly　things　about　the　place；　to　call　down　the

vengeance　of　Almighty　God　to　punish　us　more？　　Didn't　the　minister　tell　me

when　I　was　confirmed　not　to　read　any　book　except　my　Bible　and　hymn…book；

that　the　devil　was　in　all　the　rest？　　And　I　never　have　read　any　other　book；〃

said　Tant　Sannie　with　virtuous　energy；　〃and　I　never　will！〃



Waldo　saw　that　the　fate　of　his　book　was　sealed；　and　turned　sullenly　on　his

heel。



〃So　you　will　not　stay　to　hear　what　I　say！〃　cried　Tant　Sannie。　　〃There；　take

your　Polity…gollity…gominy；　your　devil's　book！〃　she　cried；　flinging　the

book　at　his　head　with　much　energy。



It　merely　touched　his　forehead　on　one　side　and　fell　to　the　ground。



〃Go　on；〃　she　cried；　〃I　know　you　are　going　to　talk　to　yourself。　　People　who

talk　to　themselves　always　talk　to　the　devil。　　Go　and　tell　him　all　about　it。

Go；　go！　run！〃　cried　Tant　Sannie。



But　the　boy　neither　quickened　nor　slackened　his　pace；　and　passed　sullenly

round　the　back　of　the　wagon…house。



Books　have　been　thrown　at　other　heads　before　and　since　that　summer

afternoon；　by　hands　more　white　and　delicate　than　those　of　the　Boer…woman；

but　whether　the　result　of　the　process　has　been　in　any　case　wholly

satisfactory；　may　be　questioned。　　We　love　that　with　a　peculiar　tenderness；

we　treasure　it　with　a　peculiar　care；　it　has　for　us　quite　a　fictitious

value；　for　which　we　have　suffered。　　If　we　may　not　carry　it　anywhere　else　we

will　carry　it　in　our　hearts；　and　always　to　the　end。



Bonaparte　Blenkins　went　to　pick　up　the　volume；　now　loosened　from　its　cover；

while　Tant　Sannie　pushed　the　stumps　of　wood　further　into　the　oven。　

Bonaparte　came　close　to　her；　tapped　the　book　knowingly；　nodded；　and　looked

at　the　fire。　　Tant　Sannie　comprehended；　and；　taking　the　volume　from　his

hand；　threw　it　into　the　back　of　the　oven。　　It　lay　upon　the　heap　of　coals；

smoked；　flared；　and　blazed；　and　the　〃Political　Economy〃　was　no　moregone

out　of　existence；　like　many　another　poor　heretic　of　flesh　and　blood。



Bonaparte　grinned；　and　to　watch　the　process　brought　his　face　so　near　the

oven　door　that　the　white　hair　on　his　eyebrows　got　singed。　　He　then　inquired

if　there　were　any　more　in　the　loft。



Learning　that　there　were；　he　made　signs　indicative　of　taking　up　armfuls　and

flinging　them　into　the　fire。　　But　Tant　Sannie　was　dubious。　　The　deceased

Englishman　had　left　all　his　personal　effects　specially　to　his　child。　　It

was　all　very　well　for　Bonaparte　to　talk　of　burning　the　books。　　He　had　had

his　hair　spiritually　pulled；　and　she　had　no　wish　to　repeat　his　experience。



She　shook　her　head。　　Bonaparte　was　displeased。　　But　then　a　happy　thought

occurred　to　him。　　He　suggested　that　the　key　of　the　loft　should　henceforth

be　put　into　his　own　safe　care　and　keepingno　one　gaining　possession　of　it

without　his　permission。　　To　this　Tant　Sannie　readily　assented；　and　the　two

walked　lovingly　to　the　house　to　look　for　it。





Chapter　1。XII。　　He　Bites。



Bonaparte　Blenkins　was　riding　home　on　the　grey　mare。　　He　had　ridden　out

that　afternoon；　partly　for　the　benefit　of　his　health；　partly　to　maintain

his　character　as　overseer　of　the　farm。　　As　he　rode　on　slowly；　he

thoughtfully　touched　the　ears　of　the　grey　mare　with　his　whip。



〃No；　Bon；　my　boy；〃　he　addressed　himself；　〃don't　propose！　　You　can't　marry

for　four　years；　on　account　of　the　will；　then　why　propose？　　Wheedle　her；

tweedle　her；　teedle　her；　but　don't　let　her　make　sure　of　you。　　When　a

woman；〃　said　Bonaparte；　sagely　resting　his　finger　against　the　side　of　his

nose；　〃When　a　woman　is　sure　of　you　she　does　what　she　likes　with　you；　but

when　she　isn't；　you　do　what　you　like　with　her。　　And　I〃　said　Bonaparte。



Here　he　drew　the　horse　up　suddenly　and　looked。　　He　was　now　close　to　the

house；　and　leaning　over　the　pigsty　wall；　in　company　with　Em；　who　was

showing　her　the　pigs；　was　a　strange　female　figure。　　It　was　the　first

visitor　that　had　appeared　on　the　farm　since　his　arrival；　and　he　looked　at

her　with　interest。　　She　was　a　tall；　pudgy　girl　of　fifteen；　weighing　a

hundred　and　fifty　pounds；　with　baggy　pendulous　cheeks　and　up…turned　nose。　

She　strikingly　resembled　Tant　Sannie；　in　form　and　feature；　but　her　sleepy

good　eyes　lacked　that　twinkle　that　dwelt　in　the　Boer…woman's　small　orbs。　

She　was　attired　in　a　bright　green　print；　wore　brass　rings　in　her　ears　and

glass　beads　round　her　neck；　and　was　sucking　the　tip　of　her　large　finger　as

she　looked　at　the　pigs。



〃Who　is　it　that　has　come？〃　asked　Bonaparte；　when　he　stood　drinking　his

coffee　in　the　front　room。



〃Why；　my　niece；　to　be　sure；〃　said　Tant　Sannie；　the　Hottentot　maid

translating。　　〃She's　the　only　daughter　of　my　only　brother　Paul；　and　she's

come　to　visit　me。　　She'll　be　a　nice　mouthful　to　the　man　that　can　get　her；〃

added　Tant　Sannie。　　〃Her　father's　got　two　thousand　pounds　in　the　green

wagon　box　under　his　bed；　and　a　farm；　and　five　thousand　sheep；　and　God

Almighty　knows　how　many　goats　and　horses。　　They　milk　ten　cows　in　mid…

winter；　and　the　young　men　are　after　her　like　flies　about　a　bowl　of　milk。　

She　says　she　means　to　get　married　in　four　months；　but　she　doesn't　yet　know

to　whom。　　It　was　so　with　me　when　I　was　young；〃　said　Tant　Sannie。　　〃I've　sat

up　with　the　young　men　four　and　five　nights　a　week。　　And　they　will　come

riding　again；　as　soon　as　ever　they　know　that　the　time's　up　that　the

Englishman　made　me　agree　not　to　marry　in。〃



The　Boer…woman　smirked　complacently。



〃Where　are　you　going　to？〃　asked　Tant　Sannie　presently；　seeing　that

Bonaparte　rose。



〃Ha！　　I'm　just　going　to　the　kraals；　I'll　be　in　to　supper；〃　said　Bonaparte。



Nevertheless；　when　he　reached　his　own　door　he　stopped　and　turned　in　there。

Soon　after　he　stood　before　the　little　glass；　arrayed　in　his　best　white

shirt　with　the　little　tucks；　and　shaving　himself。　　He　had　on　his　very　best

trousers；　and　had　heavily　oiled　the　little　fringe　at　the　back　of　his　head；

which；　however；　refused　to　become　darker。　　But　what　distressed　him　most　was

his　noseit　was　very　red。　　He　rubbed　his　finger　and　thumb　on　the　wall；　and

put　a　little　whitewash　on　it；　but；　finding　it　rather　made　matters　worse；　he

rubbed　it　off　again。　　Then　he　looked　carefully　into　his　own　eyes。　　They

certainly　were　a　little　pulled　down　at　the　outer　corners；　which　gave　them

the　appearance　of　looking　crosswise；　but　then　they　were　a　nice　blue。　　So　he

put　on　his　best　coat；　took　up　his　stick；　and　went　out　to　supper；　feeling　on

the　whole　well　satisfied。



〃Aunt；〃　said　Trana　to　Tant　Sannie　when　that　night　they　lay　together　in　the

great　wooden　bed；　〃why　does　the　Englishman　sigh　so　when　he　looks　at　me？〃



〃Ha！〃　said　Tant　Sannie；　who　was　half　asleep；　but　suddenly　started；　wide

awake。　　〃It's　because　he　thinks　you　look　like　me。　　I　tell　you；　Trana；〃　said

Tant　Sannie；　〃the　man　is　mad　with　love　of　me。　　I　told　him　the　other　night　I

co