the story of an african farm-第7章

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〃Don't　mention　it；〃　said　Bonaparte。



He　knocked　out　the　crown　of　his　caved…in　old　hat；　placed　it　on　the　table

before　him；　leaned　his　elbows　on　the　table　and　his　face　in　his　hands；　and

contemplated　it。



〃Ah；　my　old　friend；〃　he　thus　apostrophized　the　hat；　〃you　have　served　me

long；　you　have　served　me　faithfully；　but　the　last　day　has　come。　　Never　more

shall　you　be　borne　upon　the　head　of　your　master。　　Never　more　shall　you

protect　his　brow　from　the　burning　rays　of　summer　or　the　cutting　winds　of

winter。　　Henceforth　bare…headed　must　your　master　go。　　Good…bye；　good…bye；

old　hat！〃



At　the　end　of　this　affecting　appeal　the　German　rose。　　He　went　to　the　box　at

the　foot　of　his　bed；　out　of　it　he　took　a　black　hat；　which　had　evidently

been　seldom　worn　and　carefully　preserved。



〃It's　not　exactly　what　you　may　have　been　accustomed　to；〃　he　said　nervously；

putting　it　down　beside　the　battered　chimneypot；　〃but　it　might　be　of　some

usea　protection　to　the　head；　you　know。〃



〃My　friend；〃　said　Bonaparte；　〃you　are　not　following　my　advice；　you　are

allowing　yourself　to　be　reproached　on　my　account。　　Do　not　make　yourself

unhappy。　　No；　I　shall　go　bare…headed。〃



〃No；　no；　no！〃　cried　the　German　energetically。　　〃I　have　no　use　for　the　hat；

none　at　all。　　It　is　shut　up　in　the　box。〃



〃Then　I　will　take　it；　my　friend。　　It　is　a　comfort　to　one's　own　mind　when

you　have　unintentionally　injured　any　one　to　make　reparation。　　I　know　the

feeling。　　The　hat　may　not　be　of　that　refined　cut　of　which　the　old　one　was；

but　it　will　serve；　yes；　it　will　serve。　　Thank　you；〃　said　Bonaparte；

adjusting　it　on　his　head；　and　then　replacing　it　on　the　table。　　〃I　shall　lie

down　now　and　take　a　little　repose；〃　he　added；　〃I　much　fear　my　appetite　for

supper　will　be　lost。〃



〃I　hope　not；　I　hope　not；〃　said　the　German；　reseating　himself　at　his　work；

and　looking　much　concerned　as　Bonaparte　stretched　himself　on　the　bed　and

turned　the　end　of　the　patchwork　quilt　over　his　feet。



〃You　must　not　think　to　make　your　departure；　not　for　many　days；〃　said　the

German　presently。　　〃Tant　Sannie　gives　her　consent；　and〃



〃My　friend；〃　said　Bonaparte；　closing　his　eyes　sadly；　〃you　are　kind；　but

were　it　not　that　tomorrow　is　the　Sabbath；　weak　and　trembling　as　I　lie　here；

I　would　proceed　on　my　way。　　I　must　seek　work；　idleness　but　for　a　day　is

painful。　　Work；　labourthat　is　the　secret　of　all　true　happiness！〃



He　doubled　the　pillar　under　his　head；　and　watched　how　the　German　drew　the

leather　thongs　in　and　out。



After　a　while　Lyndall　silently　put　her　book　on　the　shelf　and　went　home；　and

the　German　stood　up　and　began　to　mix　some　water　and　meal　for　roaster…cakes。　

As　he　stirred　them　with　his　hands　he　said：



〃I　make　always　a　double　supply　on　Saturday　night；　the　hands　are　then　free

as　the　thoughts　for　Sunday。〃



〃The　blessed　Sabbath！〃　said　Bonaparte。



There　was　a　pause。　　Bonaparte　twisted　his　eyes　without　moving　his　head；　to

see　if　supper　were　already　on　the　fire。



〃You　must　sorely　miss　the　administration　of　the　Lord's　word　in　this

desolate　spot；〃　added　Bonaparte。　　〃Oh；　how　love　I　Thine　house；　and　the

place　where　Thine　honour　dwelleth！〃



〃Well；　we　do；　yes；〃　said　the　German；　〃but　we　do　our　best。　　We　meet

together；　and　Iwell；　I　say　a　few　words；　and　perhaps　they　are　not　wholly

lost；　not　quite。〃



〃Strange　coincidence；〃　said　Bonaparte；　〃my　plan　always　was　the　same。　　Was

in　the　Free　State　oncesolitary　farmone　neighbour。　　Every　Sunday　I

called　together　friend　and　neighbour；　child　and　servant；　and　said；　'Rejoice

with　me；　that　we　may　serve　the　Lord；'　and　then　I　addressed　them。　　Ah；　those

were　blessed　times；〃　said　Bonaparte；　〃would　they　might　return。〃



The　German　stirred　at　the　cakes；　and　stirred；　and　stirred；　and　stirred。　　He

could　give　the　stranger　his　bed；　and　he　could　give　the　stranger　his　hat；

and　he　could　give　the　stranger　his　brandy；　but　his　Sunday　service！



After　a　good　while　he　said：



〃I　might　speak　to　Tant　Sannie；　I　might　arrange；　you　might　take　the　service

in　my　place；　if　it〃



〃My　friend；〃　said　Bonaparte；　〃it　would　give　me　the　profoundest　felicity；

the　most　unbounded　satisfaction；　but　in　these　worn…out　habiliments；　in

these　deteriorated　garments；　it　would　not　be　possible；　it　would　not　be

fitting　that　I　should　officiate　in　service　of　One　whom；　for　respect；　we

shall　not　name。　　No；　my　friend；　I　will　remain　here；　and；　while　you　are

assembling　yourselves　together　in　the　presence　of　the　Lord；　I；　in　my

solitude；　will　think　of　and　pray　for　you。　　No；　I　will　remain　here！〃



It　was　a　touching　picturethe　solitary　man　there　praying　for　them。　　The

German　cleared　his　hands　from　the　meal；　and　went　to　the　chest　from　which　he

had　taken　the　black　hat。　　After　a　little　careful　feeling　about；　he　produced

a　black　cloth　coat；　trousers；　and　waistcoat；　which　he　laid　on　the　table；

smiling　knowingly。　　They　were　of　new　shining　cloth；　worn　twice　a　year；　when

he　went　to　the　town　to　nachtmaal。　　He　looked　with　great　pride　at　the　coat

as　he　unfolded　it　and　held　it　up。



〃It's　not　the　latest　fashion；　perhaps；　not　a　West　End　cut；　not　exactly；　but

it　might　do；　it　might　serve　at　a　push。　　Try　it　on；　try　it　on！〃　he　said；　his

old　grey　eyes　twinkling　with　pride。



Bonaparte　stood　up　and　tried　on　the　coat。　　It　fitted　admirably；　the

waistcoat　could　be　made　to　button　by　ripping　up　the　back；　and　the　trousers

were　perfect；　but　below　were　the　ragged　boots。　　The　German　was　not

disconcerted。　　Going　to　the　beam　where　a　pair　of　top…boots　hung；　he　took

them　off；　dusted　them　carefully；　and　put　them　down　before　Bonaparte。　　The

old　eyes　now　fairly　brimmed　over　with　sparkling　enjoyment。



〃I　have　only　worn　them　once。　　They　might　serve；　they　might　be　endured。〃



Bonaparte　drew　them　on　and　stood　upright；　his　head　almost　touching　the

beams。　　The　German　looked　at　him　with　profound　admiration。　　It　was

wonderful　what　a　difference　feathers　made　in　the　bird。





Chapter　1。V。　　Sunday　Services。



Service　No。　I。



The　boy　Waldo　kissed　the　pages　of　his　book　and　looked　up。　　Far　over　the

flat　lay　the　kopje；　a　mere　speck；　the　sheep　wandered　quietly　from　bush　to

bush；　the　stillness　of　the　early　Sunday　rested　everywhere；　and　the　air　was

fresh。



He　looked　down　at　his　book。　　On　its　page　a　black　insect　crept。　　He　lifted

it　off　with　his　finger。　　Then　he　leaned　on　his　elbow；　watching　its

quivering　antennae　and　strange　movements；　smiling。



〃Even　you；〃　he　whispered；　〃shall　not　die。　　Even　you　He　loves。　　Even　you　He

will　fold　in　His　arms　when　He　takes　everything　and　makes　it　perfect　and

happy。〃



When　the　thing　had　gone　he　smoothed　the　leaves　of　his　Bible　somewhat

caressingly。　　The　leaves　of　that　book　had　dropped　blood　for　him　once；　they

had　taken　the　brightness　out　of　his　childhood；　from　between　them　had　sprung

the　visions　that　had　clung　about　him　and　made　night　horrible。　　Adder…like

thoughts　had　lifted　their　heads；　had　shot　out　forked　tongues　at　him；　asking

mockingly　strange；　trivial　questions　that　he　could　not　answer；　miserable

child：



Why　did　the　women　in　Mark　see　only　one　angel　and　the　women　in　Luke　two？　

Could　a　story　be　told　in　opposite　ways　and　both　ways　be　true？　　Could　it？

could　it？　　Then　again：　　Is　there　nothing　always　right；　and　nothing　always

wrong？　　Could　Jael　the　wife　of　Heber　the　Kenite　〃put　her　hand　to　the　nail；

and　her　right　hand　to　the　workman's　hammer？〃　and　could　the　Spirit　of　the

Lord　chant　paeans　over　her；　loud　paeans；　high　paeans；　set　in　the　book　of

the　Lord；　and　no　voice　cry　out　it　was　a　mean　and　dastardly　sin　to　lie；　and

kill　the　trusting　in　their　sleep？　　Could　the　friend　of　God　marry　his　own

sister；　and　be　beloved；　and　the　man　who　does　it　today　goes　to　hell；　to

hell？　　Was　there　nothing　always　right　or　always　wrong？



Those　leaves　had　dropped　blood　for　him　once：　　they　had　made　his　heart　heavy

and　cold；　they　had　robbed　his　childhood　of　its　gladness；　now　his　fingers

moved　over　them　caressingly。



〃My　father　God　knows；　my　father　knows；〃　he　said；　〃we　cannot　understand；　He

knows。〃　　　After　a　while　he　whispered；　smiling〃I　heard　your　voice　this

morning　when　my　eyes　were　not　yet　open；　I　felt　you　near　me；　my　Father。　　Why

do　you　love　me　so？　　His　face　was　illuminated。　　〃In　the　last　four　months　the

old　question　has　gone　from　me。　　I　know　you　are　good；　I　know　you　love

everything；　I　know；　I　know；　I　know！　　I　could　not　have　borne　it　any　more；

not　any　more。〃　　He　laughed　softly。　　〃And　all　the　while　I　was　so　miserable

you　were　looking　at　me　and　loving　me；　and　I　never　knew　it。　　But　I　know　it

now。　I　feel　it；〃　said　the　boy；　and　he　laughed　low；　〃I　feel　it！〃　he　laughed。



After　a　while　he　began　partly　to　sing；　partly　to　chant　the　disconnected

verses　of　hymns；　those　which　spoke　his　gladness；　many　times　over。　　The

sheep　with　their　senseless　eyes　turned　to　look　at　him　as　he　sang。



At　last　he　lapsed　into　quiet。　　Then　as　the　boy　lay　there　staring　at　bush

and　sand；　he　saw　a　vision。



He　had　crossed　the　river　of　Death；　and　walked　on　the　other　bank　in　the

Lord's　land　of　Beulah。　　His　feet　sank　into　the　dark　grass；　and　he　walked

alone。　　Then；　far　over　the　fields；　he　saw　a　figure　coming　across　the　dark

green　grass。　　At　first　he　thought　it　must　be　one　of　the　angels；　but　as　it

came　nearer　he　began　to　feel　what　it　was。　　And　it　came　closer；　closer　to

him；　and　then　the　voice　said；　〃Come；〃　and　he　knew　surely　Who　it　was。　　He

ran　to　the　dear　feet　and　touched　them　with　his　hands；　yes；　he　held　them

fast！　　He　lay　down　beside　them。　　When　he　looked　up　the　face　was　over　him；

and　the　glorious　eyes　were　loving　him；　and　they　two　were　there　alone

together。



He　laughed　a　deep　laugh；　then　started　up　like　one　suddenly　awakened　from

sleep。



〃Oh；　God！　　He　cried；　〃I　cannot　wait；　I　cannot　wait！　　I　want　to　die；　I　want

to　see　Him；　I　want　to　touch　him。　　Let　me　die！〃　　He　folded　his　hands；

trembling。　　〃How　can　I　wait　so　longfor　long；　long　years　perhaps？　　I　want

to　dieto　see　Him。　　I　will　die　any　death。　　Oh；　let　me　come！〃



Weeping　he　bowed　himself；　and　quivered　from　head　to　foot。　　After　a　long

while　he　lifted　his　head。



〃Yes；　I　will　wait；　I　will　wait。　　But　not　long；　do　not　let　it　be　very　long；

Jesus　King。　　I　want　you；　oh；　I　want　yousoon；　soon！〃　　He　sat　still；

staring　across　the　plain　with　his　tearful　eyes。



Service　No。　II。



In　the　front　room　of　the　farmhouse　sat　Tant　Sannie　in　her　elbow…chair。　　In

her　hand　was　her　great　brass…clasped　hymn…book；　round　her　neck　was　a　clean

white　handkerchief；　under　her　feet　was　a　wooden　stove。　　There　too　sat　Em

and　Lyndall；　in　clean　pinafores　and　new　shoes。　　There　too　was　the　spruce

Hottentot　in　a　starched　white　kapje；　and　her　husband　on　the　other　side　of

the　door；　with　his　wool　oiled　and　very　much　combed　out；　and　staring　at　his

new　leather　boots。　　The　Kaffer　servants　were　not　there　because　Tant　Sannie

held　they　were　descended　from　apes；　and　needed　no　salvation。　　But　the　rest

were　gathered　for　the　Sunday　service；　and　waited　the　officiator。