the story of an african farm-第51章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



motherhood　really　turned　the　old　Boer…woman's　head？



〃Yes；〃　said　Tant　Sannie；　〃I　had　almost　forgotten　to　tell　you。　　By　the　Lord

if　I　had　him　here！　　We　were　walking　to　church　last　Sacrament　Sunday；　Piet

and　I。　　Close　in　front　of　us　with　old　Tant　Trana；　with　dropsy　and　cancer；

and　can't　live　eight　months。　　Walking　by　her　was　something　with　its　hands

under　its　coat…tails；　flap；　flap；　flap；　and　its　chin　in　the　air；　and　a

stick…up　collar；　and　the　black　hat　on　the　very　back　of　the　head。　　I　knew

him！　　'Who's　that？'　I　asked。　　'The　rich　Englishman　that　Tant　Trana　married

last　week。'　　'Rich　Englishman！　　I'll　rich　Englishman　him；'　I　said；　'I'll

tell　Tant　Trana　a　thing　or　two。　　My　fingers　were　just　in　his　little　white

curls。　　If　it　hadn't　been　the　blessed　Sacrament；　he　wouldn't　have　walked　so

sourka；　sourka；　sourka；　any　more。　　But　I　thought。　　Wait　till　I've　had　it；

and　then。　　But　he；　sly　fox；　son　of　Satan；　seed　of　the　Amalekite；　he　saw

me　looking　at　him　in　the　church。



〃The　blessed　Sacrament　wasn't　half　over　when　he　takes　Tant　Trana　by　the

arm；　and　out　they　go。　　I　clap　my　baby　down　to　its　father；　and　I　go　after

them。　　But；〃　said　Tant　Sannie；　regretfully；　〃I　couldn't　get　up　to　them；　I

am　too　fat。　　When　I　got　to　the　corner　he　was　pulling　Tant　Trana　up　into　the

cart。　　'Tant　Trana；'　I　said；　'you've　married　a　Kaffer's　dog；　a　Hottentot's

brakje。'　　I　hadn't　any　more　breath。　　He　winked　at　me；　he　winked　at　ME；〃

said　Tant　Sannie；　her　sides　shaking　with　indignation；　〃first　with　one　eye；

and　then　with　the　other；　and　then　drove　away。　　Child　of　the　Amalekite！〃

said　Tant　Sannie；　〃if　it　hadn't　been　the　blessed　Sacrament。　　Lord；　Lord；

Lord！〃



Here　the　little　Bush…girl　came　running　to　say　that　the　horses　would　stand

no　longer；　and　still　breathing　out　vengeance　against　her　old　adversary　she

laboured　toward　the　cart。　　Shaking　hands　and　affectionately　kissing　Em；　she

was　with　some　difficulty　drawn　up。　　Then　slowly　the　cart　rolled　away；　the

good　Boer…woman　putting　her　head　out　between　the　sails　to　smile　and　nod。



Em　stood　watching　it　for　a　time；　then　as　the　sun　dazzled　her　eyes　she

turned　away。　　There　was　no　use　in　going　to　sit　with　Gregory！　he　liked　best

sitting　there　alone；　staring　across　the　the　green　karoo；　and　till　the　maid

had　done　churning　there　was　nothing　to　do；　so　Em　walked　away　to　the　wagon…

house；　and　climbed　on　to　the　end　of　Waldo's　table；　and　sat　there；　swinging

one　little　foot　slowly　to　and　fro；　while　the　wooden　curls　from　the　plane

heaped　themselves　up　against　her　black　print　dress。



〃Waldo；〃　she　said　at　last；　〃Gregory　has　given　me　the　money　he　got　for　the

wagon　and　oxen；　and　I　have　fifty　pounds　besides　that　once　belonged　to　some

one。　　I　know　what　they　would　have　liked　to　have　done　with　it。　　You　must

take　it　and　go　to　some　place　and　study　for　a　year　or　two。〃



〃No；　little　one；　I　will　not　take　it；〃　he　said；　as　he　planed　slowly　away；

〃the　time　was　when　I　would　have　been　very　grateful　to　any　one　who　would

have　given　me　a　little　money；　a　little　help；　a　little　power　of　gaining

knowledge。　　But　now；　I　have　gone　so　far　alone　I　may　go　on　to　the　end。　　I

don't　want　it；　little　one。〃



She　did　not　seem　pained　at　his　refusal；　but　swung　her　foot　to　and　fro；　the

little　old　wrinkled　forehead　more　wrinkled　up　than　ever。



〃Why　is　it　always　so；　Waldo；　always　so？〃　she　said；　〃we　long　for　things；　and

long　for　them；　and　pray　for　them；　we　would　give　all　we　have　to　come　near　to

them；　but　we　never　reach　them。　　Then　at　last；　too　late；　just　when　we　don't

want　them　any　more；　when　all　the　sweetness　is　taken　out　of　them；　then　they

come。　　We　don't　want　them　then；〃　she　said；　folding　their　hands　resignedly

on　her　little　apron。　　After　a　while　she　added：　　〃I　remember　once；　very　long

ago；　when　I　was　a　very　little　girl；　my　mother　had　a　workbox　full　of

coloured　reels。　　I　always　wanted　to　play　with　them；　but　she　would　never　let

me。　　At　last　one　day　she　said　I　might　take　the　box。　　I　was　so　glad　I　hardly

knew　what　to　do。　　I　ran　round　the　house；　and　sat　down　with　it　on　the　back

steps。　　But　when　I　opened　the　box　all　the　cottons　were　taken　out。〃



She　sat　for　a　while　longer；　till　the　Kaffer　maid　had　finished　churning；　and

was　carrying　the　butter　toward　the　house。　　Then　Em　prepared　to　slip　off　the

table；　but　first　she　laid　her　little　hand　on　Waldo's。　　He　stopped　his

planing　and　looked　up。



〃Gregory　is　going　to　the　town　tomorrow。　　He　is　going　to　give　in　our　bans　to

the　minister；　we　are　going　to　be　married　in　three　weeks。〃



Waldo　lifted　her　very　gently　from　the　table。　　He　did　not　congratulate　her；

perhaps　he　thought　of　the　empty　box；　but　he　kissed　her　forehead　gravely。



She　walked　away　toward　the　house；　but　stopped　when　she　got　half…way。　　〃I

will　bring　you　a　glass　of　buttermilk　when　it　is　cool；〃　she　called　out；　and

soon　her　clear　voice　came　ringing　out　through　the　back　windows　as　she　sang

the　〃Blue　Water〃　to　herself；　and　washed　the　butter。



Waldo　did　not　wait　till　she　returned。　　Perhaps　he　had　at　last　really　grown

weary　of　work；　perhaps　he　felt　the　wagon…house　chilly　（for　he　had　shuddered

two　or　three　times）；　though　this　was　hardly　likely　in　that　warm　summer

weather；　or；　perhaps；　and　most　probably；　one　of　his　old　dreaming　fits　had

come　upon　him　suddenly。



He　put　his　tools　together；　ready　for　tomorrow；　and　walked　slowly　out。　　At

the　side　of　the　wagon…house　there　was　a　world　of　bright　sunshine；　and　a　hen

with　her　chickens　was　scratching　among　the　gravel。　　Waldo　seated　himself

near　them　with　his　back　against　the　red…brick　wall。　　The　long　afternoon　was

half　spent；　and　the　kopje　was　just　beginning　to　cast　its　shadow　over　the

round…headed　yellow　flowers　that　grew　between　it　and　the　farmhouse。　　Among

the　flowers　the　white　butterflies　hovered　and　on　the　old　kraal　mounds　three

white　kids　gambolled；　and　at　the　door　of　one　of　the　huts　an　old　grey…headed

Kaffer…woman　sat　on　the　ground　mending　her　mats。　　A　balmy；　restful

peacefulness　seemed　to　reign　everywhere。　　Even　the　old　hen　seemed　well

satisfied。　　She　scratched　among　the　stones　and　called　to　her　chickens　when

she　found　a　treasure；　and　all　the　while　tucked　to　herself　with　intense

inward　satisfaction。



Waldo；　as　he　sat　with　his　knees　drawn　up　to　his　chin　and　his　arms　folded　on

them；　looked　at　it　all　and　smiled。　　An　evil　world；　a　deceitful；

treacherous；　mirage…like　world　it　might　be；　but　a　lovely　world　for　all

that；　and　to　sit　there　gloating　in　the　sunlight　was　perfect。　　It　was　worth

having　been　a　little　child；　and　having　cried　and　prayed　so　one　might　sit

there。　　He　moved　his　hands　as　though　he　were　washing　them　in　the　sunshine。　

There　will　always　be　something　worth　living　for　while　there　are　shimmery

afternoons。　　Waldo　chuckled　with　intense　inward　satisfaction　as　the　old　hen

had　doneshe；　over　the　insects　and　the　warmth；　he；　over　the　old　brick

walls；　and　the　haze；　and　the　little　bushes。　　Beauty　is　God's　wine；　with

which　He　recompenses　the　souls　that　love　Him；　He　makes　them　drunk。



The　fellow　looked；　and　at　last　stretched　out　one　hand　to　a　little　ice…plant

that　grew　on　the　sod　wall　of　the　sty；　not　as　though　he　would　have　picked

it；　but　as　it　were　in　a　friendly　greeting。　　He　loved　it。　　One　little　leaf

of　the　ice…plant　stood　upright；　and　the　sun　shone　through　it。　　He　could　see

every　little　crystal　cell　like　a　drop　of　ice　in　the　transparent　green；　and

it　thrilled　him。



There　are　only　rare　times　when　a　man's　soul　can　see　Nature。



So　long　as　any　passion　holds　its　revel　there；　the　eyes　are　holden　that　they

should　not　see　her。



Go　out　if　you　will　and　walk　alone　on　the　hillside　in　the　evening；　but　if

your　favourite　child　lies　ill　at　home；　or　your　lover　comes　tomorrow；　or　at

your　heart　there　lies　a　scheme　for　the　holding　of　wealth；　then　you　will

return　as　you　went　out；　you　will　have　seen　nothing。　　For　Nature；　ever；　like

the　Old　Hebrew　God；　cries　out；　〃Thou　shalt　have　no　other　gods　before　me。〃　

Only　then；　when　there　comes　a　pause；　a　blank　in　your　life；　when　the　old

idol　is　broken；　when　the　old　hope　is　dead；　when　the　old　desire　is　crushed；

then　the　Divine　compensation　of　Nature　is　made　manifest。　　She　shows　herself

to　you。　　So　near　she　draws　you；　that　the　blood　seems　to　flow　from　her　to

you；　through　a　still　uncut　cord：　　you　feel　the　throb　of　her　life。



When　that　day　comes；　that　you　sit　down　broken；　without　one　human　creature

to　whom　you　cling；　with　your　loves　the　dead　and　the　living…dead；　when　the

very　thirst　for　knowledge　through　long…continued　thwarting　has　grown　dull；

when　in　the　present　there　is　no　craving；　and　in　the　future　no　hope；　then；

oh；　with　a　beneficent　tenderness；　Nature　infolds　you。



Then　the　large　white　snow…flakes　as　they　flutter　down；　softly；　one　by　one；

whisper　soothingly；　〃Rest；　poor　heart；　rest！〃　　It　is　as　though　our　mother

smoothed　our　hair；　and　we　are　comforted。



And　yellow…legged　bees　as　they　hum　make　a　dreamy　lyric；　and　the　light　on

the　brown　stone　wall　is　a　great　work　of　art；　and　the　glitter　through　the

leaves　makes　the　pulses　beat。



Well　to　die　then；　for；　if　you　live；　so　surely　as　the　years　come；　so　surely

as　the　spring　succeeds　the　winter；　so　surely　will　passions　arise。　　They

will　creep　back；　one　by　one；　into　the　bosom　that　has　cast　them　forth；　and

fasten　there　again；　and　peace　will　go。　　Desire；　ambition；　and　the　fierce

agonizing　flood　of　love　for　the　living　they　will　spring　again。　　Then　Nature

will　draw　down　her　veil；　with　all　your　longing　you　shall　not　be　able　to

raise　one　corner；　you　cannot　bring　back　those　peaceful　days。　　Well　to　die

then！



Sitting　there　with　his　arms　folded　on　his　knees；　and　his　hat　slouched　down

over　his　face；　Waldo　looked　out　into　the　yellow　sunshine　that　tinted　even

the　very　air　with　the　colour　of　ripe　corn；　and　was　happy。



He　was　an　uncouth　creature　with　small　learning；　and　no　prospect　in　the

future　but　that　of　making　endless　tables　and　stone　walls；　yet　it　seemed　to

him　as　he　sat　there　that　life　was　a　rare　and　very　rich　thing。　　He　rubbed

his　hands　in　the　sunshine。　　Ah；　to　live　on　so；　year　after　year；　how　well！　

Always　in　the　present；　letting　each　day　glide；　bringing　its　own　labour；　and

its　own　beauty；　the　gradual　lighting　up　of　the　hills；　night　and　the　stars；

firelight　and　the　coals！　　To　live　on　so；　calmly；　far　from　the　paths　of　men；

and　to　look　at　the　lives　of　clouds　and　insects；　to　look　deep　into　the　heart

of　flowers；　and　see　how　lovingly　the　pistil　and　the　stamens　nestle　there

together；　and　to　see　in　the　thorn…pods　how　the　little　seeds　suck　their　life

through　the　delicate　curled…up　string；　and　how　the　little　embryo　sleeps

inside！　　Well；　how　well；　to　sit　so　on　one　side　taking　no　part　in　the

world's　life；　but　when　great　men　blossom　into　books　looking　into　those

flowers　also；　to　see　how　the　world　of　men　too　opens　beautifully；　leaf　after

leaf。　　Ah！　life　is　delicious；　well　to　live　long；　and　see　the　darkness

breaking；　and　the　day　coming！　　The　day　when　soul　shall　not　thrust　back　soul

that　would　come　to　it；