the story of an african farm-第2章

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He　tried　to　count　again；　and　sat　up　to　listen　better。



〃Dying；　dying；　dying！〃　said　the　watch；　〃dying；　dying；　dying！〃



He　heard　it　distinctly。　　Where　were　they　going　to；　all　those　people？



He　lay　down　quickly；　and　pulled　the　cover　up　over　his　head：　　but　presently

the　silky　curls　reappeared。



〃Dying；　dying；　dying！〃　said　the　watch；　〃dying；　dying；　dying！〃



He　thought　of　the　words　his　father　had　read　that　evening〃For　wide　is　the

gate；　and　broad　is　the　way；　that　leadeth　to　destruction　and　many　there　be

which　go　in　thereat。〃



〃Many；　many；　many！〃　said　the　watch。



〃Because　strait　is　the　gate；　and　narrow　is　the　way；　that　leadeth　unto　life；

and　few　there　be　that　find　it。〃



〃Few；　few；　few！〃　said　the　watch。



The　boy　lay　with　his　eyes　wide　open。　　He　saw　before　him　a　long　stream　of

people；　a　great　dark　multitude；　that　moved　in　one　direction；　then　they　came

to　the　dark　edge　of　the　world　and　went　over。　　He　saw　them　passing　on　before

him；　and　there　was　nothing　that　could　stop　them。　　He　thought　of　how　that

stream　had　rolled　on　through　all　the　long　ages　of　the　pasthow　the　old

Greeks　and　Romans　had　gone　over；　the　countless　millions　of　China　and　India；

they　were　going　over　now。　　Since　he　had　come　to　bed；　how　many　had　gone！



And　the　watch　said；　〃Eternity；　eternity；　eternity！〃



〃Stop　them！　stop　them！〃　cried　the　child。



And　all　the　while　the　watch　kept　ticking　on；　just　like　God's　will；　that

never　changes　or　alters；　you　may　do　what　you　please。



Great　beads　of　perspiration　stood　on　the　boy's　forehead。　　He　climbed　out　of

bed　and　lay　with　his　face　turned　to　the　mud　floor。



〃Oh；　God；　God！　save　them！〃　he　cried　in　agony。　　〃Only　some；　only　a　few！　

Only　for　each　moment　I　am　praying　here　one！〃　　He　folded　his　little　hands

upon　his　head。　　〃God！　　God！　save　them！〃



He　grovelled　on　the　floor。



Oh；　the　long；　long　ages　of　the　past；　in　which　they　had　gone　over！　　Oh；　the

long；　long　future；　in　which　they　would　pass　away！　　Oh；　God！　the　long；　long；

long　eternity；　which　has　no　end！



The　child　wept；　and　crept　closer　to　the　ground。



。。。





The　Sacrifice。



The　farm　by　daylight　was　not　as　the　farm　by　moonlight。　　The　plain　was　a

weary　flat　of　loose　red　sand；　sparsely　covered　by　dry　karoo　bushes；　that

cracked　beneath　the　tread　like　tinder；　and　showed　the　red　earth　everywhere。　

Here　and　there　a　milk…bush　lifted　its　pale…coloured　rods；　and　in　every

direction　the　ants　and　beetles　ran　about　in　the　blazing　sand。　　The　red

walls　of　the　farmhouse；　the　zinc　roofs　of　the　outbuildings；　the　stone　walls

of　the　kraals；　all　reflected　the　fierce　sunlight；　till　the　eye　ached　and

blenched。　　No　tree　or　shrub　was　to　be　seen　far　or　near。　　The　two　sunflowers

that　stood　before　the　door；　out…stared　by　the　sun；　drooped　their　brazen

faces　to　the　sand；　and　the　little　cicada…like　insects　cried　aloud　among　the

stones　of　the　kopje。



The　Boer…woman；　seen　by　daylight；　was　even　less　lovely　than　when；　in　bed；

she　rolled　and　dreamed。　　She　sat　on　a　chair　in　the　great　front　room；　with

her　feet　on　a　wooden　stove；　and　wiped　her　flat　face　with　the　corner　of　her

apron；　and　drank　coffee；　and　in　Cape　Dutch　swore　that　the　beloved　weather

was　damned。　　Less　lovely；　too；　by　daylight　was　the　dead　Englishman's　child；

her　little　stepdaughter；　upon　whose　freckles　and　low；　wrinkled　forehead　the

sunlight　had　no　mercy。



〃Lyndall；〃　the　child　said　to　her　little　orphan　cousin；　who　sat　with　her　on

the　floor　threading　beads；　〃how　is　it　your　beads　never　fall　off　your

needle？〃



〃I　try；〃　said　the　little　one　gravely；　moistening　her　tiny　finger。　　〃That　is

why。〃



The　overseer；　seen　by　daylight；　was　a　huge　German；　wearing　a　shabby　suit；

and　with　a　childish　habit　of　rubbing　his　hands　and　nodding　his　head

prodigiously　when　pleased　at　anything。　　He　stood　out　at　the　kraals　in　the

blazing　sun；　explaining　to　two　Kaffer　boys　the　approaching　end　of　the

world。　　The　boys；　as　they　cut　the　cakes　of　dung；　winked　at　each　other；　and

worked　as　slowly　as　they　possibly　could；　but　the　German　never　saw　it。



Away；　beyond　the　kopje；　Waldo　his　son　herded　the　ewes　and　lambsa　small

and　dusty　herdpowdered　all　over　from　head　to　foot　with　red　sand；　wearing

a　ragged　coat　and　shoes　of　undressed　leather；　through　whose　holes　the　toes

looked　out。　　His　hat　was　too　large；　and　had　sunk　down　to　his　eyes；

concealing　completely　the　silky　black　curls。　　It　was　a　curious　small

figure。　　His　flock　gave　him　little　trouble。　　It　was　too　hot　for　them　to

move　far；　they　gathered　round　every　little　milk…bush；　as　though　they　hoped

to　find　shade；　and　stood　there　motionless　in　clumps。　　He　himself　crept

under　a　shelving　rock　that　lay　at　the　foot　of　the　kopje；　stretched　himself

on　his　stomach；　and　waved　his　dilapidated　little　shoes　in　the　air。



Soon；　from　the　blue　bag　where　he　kept　his　dinner；　he　produced　a　fragment　of

slate；　an　arithmetic；　and　a　pencil。　　Proceeding　to　put　down　a　sum　with

solemn　and　earnest　demeanour；　he　began　to　add　it　up　aloud：　　〃Six　and　two　is

eightand　four　is　twelveand　two　is　fourteenand　four　is　eighteen。〃　

Here　he　paused。　　〃And　four　is　eighteenandfouriseighteen。〃　　The　last

was　very　much　drawled。　　Slowly　the　pencil　slipped　from　his　fingers；　and　the

slate　followed　it　into　the　sand。　　For　a　while　he　lay　motionless；　then　began

muttering　to　himself；　folded　his　little　arms；　laid　his　head　down　upon　them；

and　might　have　been　asleep；　but　for　the　muttering　sound　that　from　time　to

time　proceeded　from　him。　　A　curious　old　ewe　came　to　sniff　at　him；　but　it

was　long　before　he　raised　his　head。　　When　he　did；　he　looked　at　the　far…off

hills　with　his　heavy　eyes。



〃Ye　shall　receiveye　shall　receiveshall；　shall；　shall；〃　he　muttered。



He　sat　up　then。　　Slowly　the　dulness　and　heaviness　melted　from　his　face；　it

became　radiant。　　Midday　had　come　now；　and　the　sun's　rays　were　poured　down

vertically；　the　earth　throbbed　before　the　eye。



The　boy　stood　up　quickly；　and　cleared　a　small　space　from　the　bushes　which

covered　it。　　Looking　carefully；　he　found　twelve　small　stones　of　somewhat

the　same　size；　kneeling　down；　he　arranged　them　carefully　on　the　cleared

space　in　a　square　pile；　in　shape　like　an　altar。　　Then　he　walked　to　the　bag

where　his　dinner　was　kept；　in　it　was　a　mutton　chop　and　a　large　slice　of

brown　bread。　　The　boy　took　them　out　and　turned　the　bread　over　in　his　hand；

deeply　considering　it。　　Finally　he　threw　it　away　and　walked　to　the　altar

with　the　meat；　and　laid　it　down　on　the　stones。　　Close　by　in　the　red　sand　he

knelt　down。　　Sure；　never　since　the　beginning　of　the　world　was　there　so

ragged　and　so　small　a　priest。　　He　took　off　his　great　hat　and　placed　it

solemnly　on　the　ground；　then　closed　his　eyes　and　folded　his　hands。　　He

prayed　aloud：



〃Oh；　God；　my　Father；　I　have　made　Thee　a　sacrifice。　　I　have　only　twopence；

so　I　cannot　buy　a　lamb。　　If　the　lambs　were　mine；　I　would　give　Thee　one；　but

now　I　have　only　this　meat；　it　is　my　dinner　meat。　　Please；　my　Father；　send

fire　down　from　heaven　to　burn　it。　　Thou　hast　said；　Whosoever　shall　say　unto

this　mountain；　Be　thou　cast　into　the　sea；　nothing　doubting；　it　shall　be

done。　　I　ask　for　the　sake　of　Jesus　Christ。　　Amen。〃



He　knelt　down　with　his　face　upon　the　ground；　and　he　folded　his　hands　upon

his　curls。　　The　fierce　sun　poured　down　its　heat　upon　his　head　and　upon　his

altar。　　When　he　looked　up　he　knew　what　he　should　seethe　glory　of　God！　

For　fear　his　very　heart　stood　still；　his　breath　came　heavily；　he　was　half

suffocated。　　He　dared　not　look　up。　　Then　at　last　he　raised　himself。　　Above

him　was　the　quiet　blue　sky；　about　him　the　red　earth；　there　were　the　clumps

of　silent　ewes　and　his　altarthat　was　all。



He　looked　upnothing　broke　the　intense　stillness　of　the　blue　overhead。　　He

looked　round　in　astonishment；　then　he　bowed　again；　and　this　time　longer

than　before。



When　he　raised　himself　the　second　time　all　was　unaltered。　　Only　the　sun　had

melted　the　fat　of　the　little　mutton　chop；　and　it　ran　down　upon　the　stones。



Then；　the　third　time　he　bowed　himself。　　When　at　last　he　looked　up；　some

ants　had　come　to　the　meat　on　the　altar。　　He　stood　up　and　drove　them　away。　

Then　he　put　his　hat　on　his　hot　curls；　and　sat　in　the　shade。　　He　clasped　his

hands　about　his　knees。　　He　sat　to　watch　what　would　come　to　pass。　　The　glory

of　the　Lord　God　Almighty！　　He　knew　he　should　see　it。



〃My　dear　God　is　trying　me；〃　he　said；　and　he　sat　there　through　the　fierce

heat　of　the　afternoon。　　Still　he　watched　and　waited　when　the　sun　began　to

slope；　and　when　it　neared　the　horizon　and　the　sheep　began　to　cast　long

shadows　across　the　karoo；　he　still　sat　there。　　He　hoped　when　the　first　rays

touched　the　hills　till　the　sun　dipped　behind　them　and　was　gone。　　Then　he

called　his　ewes　together；　and　broke　down　the　altar；　and　threw　the　meat　far；

far　away　into　the　field。



He　walked　home　behind　his　flock。　　His　heart　was　heavy。　　He　reasoned　so：　

〃God　cannot　lie。　　I　had　faith。　　No　fire　came。　　I　am　like　CainI　am　not

His。　　He　will　not　hear　my　prayer。　　God　hates　me。〃



The　boy's　heart　was　heavy。　　When　he　reached　the　kraal　gate　the　two　girls

met　him。



〃Come；〃　said　the　yellow…haired　Em；　〃let　us　play　coop。〃　　There　is　still　time

before　it　gets　quite　dark。　　You；　Waldo；　go　and　hide　on　the　kopje；　Lyndall

and　I　will　shut　eyes　here；　and　we　will　not　look。〃



The　girls　hid　their　faces　in　the　stone　wall　of　the　sheep…kraal；　and　the　boy

clambered　half　way　up　the　kopje。　　He　crouched　down　between　two　stones　and

gave　the　call。　　Just　then　the　milk…herd　came　walking　out　of　the　cow…kraal

with　two　pails。　　He　was　an　ill…looking　Kaffer。



〃Ah！〃　thought　the　boy；　〃perhaps　he　will　die　tonight；　and　go　to　hell！　　I

must　pray　for　him；　I　must　pray！〃



Then　he　thought〃Where　am　I　going　to？〃　and　he　prayed　desperately。



〃Ah！　this　is　not　right　at　all；〃　little　Em　said；　peeping　between　the　stones；

and　finding　him　in　a　very　curious　posture。　　〃What　are　you　doing　Waldo？　　It

is　not　the　play；　you　know。　　You　should　run　out　when　we　come　to　the　white

stone。　　Ah；　you　do　not　play　nicely。〃



〃II　will　play　nicely　now；〃　said　the　boy；　coming　out　and　standing

sheepishly　before　them；　〃II　only　forgot；　I　will　play　now。〃



〃He　has　been　to　sleep；〃　said　freckled　Em。



〃No；〃　said　beautiful　little　Lyndall；　looking　curiously　at　him：　　〃he　has

been　crying。〃



She　never　made　a　mistake。



。。。





The　Confession。



One　night；　two　years　after；　the　boy　sat　alone　on　the　kopje。　　He　had　crept

softly　from　his　father's　room　and　come　there。　　He　often　did；　because；　when

he　prayed　or　cried　aloud；　his　father　might　awake　and　hear　him；　and　none

knew　his　great　sorrow；　and　none　knew　his　grief；　but　he　himself；　and　he

buried　them　deep　in　his　heart。



He　turned　up　the　brim　of　his　great　hat　and　looked　at　the　moon；　but　most　at

the　leaves　of　the　prickly　pear　that　grew　just　before　him。　　They　glinted；

and　glinted；　and　glinted；　just　like　his　own　heartcold；　so　hard；　and　very

wicked。　　His　physical　heart　had　pain　also；