the story of an african farm-第32章

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unearth　a　mole；　an　occupation　to　which　he　had　been　zealously　addicted　from

the　third　month；　but　in　which　he　had　never　on　any　single　occasion　proved

successful。



Waldo　shouldered　his　bag；　and　Lyndall　walked　on　before　in　silence；　with　the

dog　close　to　her　side。　　Perhaps　she　thought　of　the　narrowness　of　the　limits

within　which　a　human　soul　may　speak　and　be　understood　by　its　nearest　of

mental　kin；　of　how　soon　it　reaches　that　solitary　land　of　the　individual

experience；　in　which　no　fellow　footfall　is　ever　heard。　　Whatever　her

thoughts　may　have　been；　she　was　soon　interrupted。　　Waldo　came　close　to　her；

and　standing　still；　produced　with　awkwardness　from　his　breast…pocket　a

small　carved　box。



〃I　made　it　for　you；〃　he　said；　holding　it　out。



〃I　like　it；〃　she　said；　examining　it　carefully。



The　workmanship　was　better　than　that　of　the　grave…post。　　The　flowers　that

covered　it　were　delicate；　and　here　and　there　small　conical　protuberances

were　let　in　among　them。　　She　turned　it　round　critically。　　Waldo　bent　over

it　lovingly。



〃There　is　one　strange　thing　about　it；〃　he　said　earnestly；　putting　a　finger

on　one　little　pyramid。　　〃I　made　it　without　these；　and　I　felt　something　was

wrong；　I　tried　many　changes；　and　at　last　I　let　these　in；　and　then　it　was

right。　　But　why　was　it？　　They　are　not　beautiful　in　themselves。〃



〃They　relieve　the　monotony　of　the　smooth　leaves；　I　suppose。〃



He　shook　his　head　as　over　a　weighty　matter。



〃The　sky　is　monotonous；〃　he　said；　〃when　it　is　blue；　and　yet　it　is

beautiful。　　I　have　thought　of　that　often；　but　it　is　not　monotony；　and　it　is

not　variety　makes　beauty。　　What　is　it？　　The　sky；　and　your　face；　and　this

boxthe　same　thing　is　in　them　all；　only　more　in　the　sky　and　in　your　face。

But　what　is　it？〃



She　smiled。



〃So　you　are　at　your　old　work　still。　　Why；　why；　why？　　What　is　the　reason？　

It　is　enough　for　me；〃　she　said；　〃if　I　find　out　what　is　beautiful　and　what

is　ugly；　what　is　real　and　what　is　not。　　Why　it　is　there；　and　over　the　final

cause　of　things　in　general；　I　don't　trouble　myself；　there　must　be　one；　but

what　is　it　to　me？　　If　I　howl　to　all　eternity　I　shall　never　get　hold　of　it；

and　if　I　did　I　might　be　no　better　off。　　But　you　Germans　are　born　with　an

aptitude　for　borrowing；　you　can't　help　yourselves。　　You　must　sniff　after

reasons；　just　as　that　dog　must　after　a　mole。　　He　knows　perfectly　well　he

will　never　catch　it；　but　he's　under　the　imperative　necessity　of　digging　for

it。〃



〃But　he　might　find　it。〃



〃Might！but　he　never　has　and　never　will。　　Life　is　too　short　to　run　after

mights；　we　must　have　certainties。〃



She　tucked　the　box　under　her　arm　and　was　about　to　walk　on；　when　Gregory

Rose；　with　shining　spurs；　an　ostrich　feather　in　his　hat；　and　a　silver…

headed　whip；　careered　past。　　He　bowed　gallantly　as　he　went　by。　　They　waited

till　the　dust　of　the　horse's　hoofs　had　laid　itself。



〃There；〃　said　Lyndall；　〃goes　a　true　womanone　born　for　the　sphere　that

some　women　have　to　fill　without　being　born　for　it。　　How　happy　he　would　be

sewing　frills　into　his　little　girl's　frocks；　and　how　pretty　he　would　look

sitting　in　a　parlour；　with　a　rough　man　making　love　to　him！　　Don't　you　think

so？〃



〃I　shall　not　stay　here　when　he　is　master；〃　Waldo　answered；　not　able　to

connect　any　kind　of　beauty　with　Gregory　Rose。



〃I　should　imagine　not。　　The　rule　of　a　woman　is　tyranny；　but　the　rule　of　a

man…woman　grinds　fine。　　Where　are　you　going？〃



〃Anywhere。〃



〃What　to　do？〃



〃Seesee　everything。〃



〃You　will　be　disappointed。〃



〃And　were　you？〃



〃Yes；　and　you　will　be　more　so。　　I　want　things　that　men　and　the　world　give；

you　do　not。　　If　you　have　a　few　yards　of　earth　to　stand　on；　and　a　bit　of

blue　over　you；　and　something　that　you　cannot　see　to　dream　about；　you　have

all　that　you　need；　all　that　you　know　how　to　use。　　But　I　like　to　see　real

men。　　Let　them　be　as　disagreeable　as　they　please；　they　are　more　interesting

to　me　than　flowers；　or　trees；　or　stars；　or　any　other　thing　under　the　sun。　

Sometimes；〃　she　added；　walking　on；　and　shaking　the　dust　daintily　from　her

skirts；　〃when　I　am　not　too　busy　trying　to　find　a　new　way　of　doing　my　hair

that　will　show　my　little　neck　to　better　advantage；　or　over　other　work　of

that　kind；　sometimes　it　amuses　me　intensely　to　trace　out　the　resemblance

between　one　man　and　another：　　to　see　how　Tant　Sannie　and　I；　you　and

Bonaparte；　St。　Simon　on　his　pillow；　and　the　emperor　dining　off　larks'

tongues；　are　one　and　the　same　compound；　merely　mixed　in　different

proportions。



〃What　is　microscopic　in　one　is　largely　developed　in　another；　what　is　a

rudimentary　in　one　man　is　an　active　organ　in　another；　but　all　things　are　in

all　men；　and　one　soul　is　the　model　of　all。　　We　shall　find　nothing　new　in

human　nature　after　we　have　once　carefully　dissected　and　analyzed　the　one

being　we　ever　shall　truly　knowourself。　　The　Kaffer　girl　threw　some　coffee

on　my　arm　in　bed　this　morning；　I　felt　displeased；　but　said　nothing。　　Tant

Sannie　would　have　thrown　the　saucer　at　her　and　sworn　for　an　hour；　but　the

feeling　would　be　the　same　irritated　displeasure。　　If　a　huge　animated

stomach　like　Bonaparte　were　put　under　a　glass　by　a　skilful　mental

microscopist；　even　he　would　be　found　to　have　an　embryonic　doubling

somewhere　indicative　of　a　heart；　and　rudimentary　buddings　that　might　have

become　conscience　and　sincerity。　　Let　me　take　your　arm　Waldo。



〃How　full　you　are　of　mealie　dust。　　No；　never　mind。　　It　will　brush　off。　　And

sometimes　what　is　more　amusing　still　than　tracing　the　likeness　between　man

and　man；　is　to　trace　the　analogy　there　always　is　between　the　progress　and

development　of　one　individual　and　of　a　whole　nation；　or；　again；　between　a

single　nation　and　the　entire　human　race。　　It　is　pleasant　when　it　dawns　on

you　that　the　one　is　just　the　other　written　out　in　large　letters；　and　very

odd　to　find　all　the　little　follies　and　virtues；　and　developments　and

retrogressions；　written　out　in　the　big　world's　book　that　you　find　in　your

little　internal　self。　　It　is　the　most　amusing　thing　I　know　of；　but　of

course；　being　a　woman；　I　have　not　often　time　for　such　amusements。　

Professional　duties　always　first；　you　know。　　It　takes　a　great　deal　of　time

and　thought　always　to　look　perfectly　exquisite；　even　for　a　pretty　woman。　

Is　the　old　buggy　still　in　existence；　Waldo？〃



〃Yes；　but　the　harness　is　broken。〃



〃Well；　I　wish　you　would　mend　it。　　You　must　teach　me　to　drive。　　I　must　learn

something　while　I　am　here。　　I　got　the　Hottentot　girl　to　show　me　how　to　make

sarsarties　this　morning；　and　Tant　Sannie　is　going　to　teach　me　to　make

kapjes。　　I　will　come　and　sit　with　you　this　afternoon　while　you　mend　the

harness。〃



〃Thank　you。〃



〃No；　don't　thank　me；　I　come　for　my　own　pleasure。　　I　never　find　any　one　I

can　talk　to。　　Women　bore　me；　and　men；　I　talk　so　to'Going　to　the　ball　this

evening？　　Nice　little　dog　that　of　yours。　　Pretty　little　ears。　　So　fond　of

pointer　pups！'　　And　they　think　me　fascinating；　charming！　　Men　are　like　the

earth；　and　we　are　the　moon；　we　turn　always　one　side　to　them；　and　they　think

there　is　no　other；　because　they　don't　see　itbut　there　is。〃



They　had　reached　the　house　now。



〃Tell　me　when　you　set　to　work；〃　she　said；　and　walked　toward　the　door。



Waldo　stood　to　look　after　her；　and　Doss　stood　at　his　side；　a　look　of

painful　uncertainty　depicted　on　his　small　countenance；　and　one　little　foot

poised　in　the　air。　　Should　he　stay　with　his　master　or　go？　　He　looked　at　the

figure　with　the　wide　straw　hat　moving　toward　the　house；　and　he　looked　up　at

his　master；　then　he　put　down　the　little　paw　and　went。　　Waldo　watched　them

both　in　at　the　door　and　then　walked　away　alone。　　He　was　satisfied　that　at

least　his　dog　was　with　her。





Chapter　2。V。　　Tant　Sannie　Holds　An　Upsitting；　and　Gregory　Writes　A　Letter。



It　was　just　after　sunset；　and　Lyndall　had　not　yet　returned　from　her　first

driving…lesson；　when　the　lean　coloured　woman　standing　at　the　corner　of　the

house　to　enjoy　the　evening　breeze；　saw　coming　along　the　road　a　strange

horseman。　　Very　narrowly　she　surveyed　him；　as　slowly　he　approached。　　He　was

attired　in　the　deepest　mourning；　the　black　crepe　round　his　tall　hat　totally

concealing　the　black　felt；　and　nothing　but　a　dazzling　shirt…front　relieving

the　funereal　tone　of　his　attire。　　He　rode　much　forward　in　his　saddle；　with

his　chin　resting　on　the　uppermost　of　his　shirt…studs；　and　there　was　an　air

of　meek　subjection　to　the　will　of　Heaven；　and　to　what　might　be　in　store　for

him；　that　bespoke　itself　even　in　the　way　in　which　he　gently　urged　his

steed。　　He　was　evidently　in　no　hurry　to　reach　his　destination；　for　the

nearer　he　approached　to　it　the　slacker　did　his　bridle　hang。　　The　coloured

woman　having　duly　inspected　him；　dashed　into　the　dwelling。



〃Here　is　another　one！〃　she　cried〃a　widower；　I　see　it　by　his　hat。〃



〃Good　Lord！〃　said　Tant　Sannie；　〃it's　the　seventh　I've　had　this　month；　but

the　men　know　where　sheep　and　good　looks　and　money　in　the　bank　are　to　be

found；〃　she　added；　winking　knowingly。　　〃How　does　he　look？〃



〃Nineteen；　weak　eyes；　white　hair；　little　round　nose；〃　said　the　maid。



〃Then　it's　he！　then　it's　he！〃　said　Tant　Sannie　triumphantly；　〃little　Piet

Vander　Walt；　whose　wife　died　last　monthtwo　farms；　twelve　thousand　sheep。

I've　not　seen　him；　but　my　sister…in…law　told　me　about　him；　and　I　dreamed

about　him　last　night。〃



Here　Piet's　black　hat　appeared　in　the　doorway；　and　the　Boer…woman　drew

herself　up　in　dignified　silence；　extended　the　tips　of　her　fingers；　and

motioned　solemnly　to　a　chair。　　The　young　man　seated　himself；　sticking　his

feet　as　far　under　it　as　they　would　go；　and　said　mildly：



〃I　am　Little　Piet　Vander　Walt；　and　my　father　is　Big　Piet　Vander　Walt。〃



Tant　Sannie　said　solemnly：　　〃Yes。〃



〃Aunt；〃　said　the　young　man；　starting　up　spasmodically；　〃can　I　off…saddle？〃



〃Yes。〃



He　seized　his　hat；　and　disappeared　with　a　rush　through　the　door。



〃I　told　you　so！　　I　knew　it！〃　said　Tant　Sannie。　　〃The　dear　Lord　doesn't　send

dreams　for　nothing。　　Didn't　I　tell　you　this　morning　that　I　dreamed　of　a

great　beast　like　a　sheep；　with　red　eyes；　and　I　killed　it？　　Wasn't　the　white

wool　his　hair；　and　the　red　eyes　his　weak　eyes；　and　my　killing　him　meant

marriage？　　Get　supper　ready　quickly；　the　sheep's　inside　and　roaster…cakes。

We　shall　sit　up　tonight。〃



To　young　Piet　Vander　Walt　that　supper　was　a　period　of　intense　torture。　

There　was　something　overawing　in　that　assembly　of　English　people；　with

their　incomprehensible　speech；　and　moreover；　it　was　his　first　courtship；

his　first　wife　had　courted　him；　and　ten　months　of　severe　domestic　rule　had

not　raised　his　spirit　nor　courage。　　He　ate　little；　and　when　he　raised　a

morsel　to　his　lips　glanced　guiltily　round　to　see　if　he　were　not　observed。　

He　had　put　three　rings　on　his　little　finger；　with　the　intention　of　sticking

it　out　stiffly　when　he　raised　a　coffee…cup；　now　the　little　finger　was

curled　miserably　among　its　fellows。　　It　was　small