the story of an african farm-第15章

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pass　a　living　creature　without　a　word　of　greeting。　　Coming　nearer；　he　found

it　was　no　other　than　the　wife　of　the　absconding　Kaffer　herd。　　She　had　a

baby　tied　on　her　back　by　a　dirty　strip　of　red　blanket；　another　strip　hardly

larger　was　twisted　round　her　waist；　for　the　rest　her　black　body　was　naked。

She　was　a　sullen；　ill…looking　woman　with　lips　hideously　protruding。



The　German　questioned　her　as　to　how　she　came　there。　　She　muttered　in　broken

Dutch　that　she　had　been　turned　away。　　Had　she　done　evil？　　She　shook　her

head　sullenly。　　Had　she　had　food　given　her？　　She　grunted　a　negative；　and

fanned　the　flies　from　her　baby。　　Telling　the　woman　to　remain　where　she　was；

he　turned　his　horse's　head　to　the　road　and　rode　off　at　a　furious　pace。



〃Hard…hearted！　cruel！　　Oh；　my　God！　　Is　this　the　way？　　Is　this　charity？〃



〃Yes；　yes；　yes；〃　ejaculated　the　old　man　as　he　rode　on；　but；　presently；　his

anger　began　to　evaporate；　his　horse's　pace　slackened；　and　by　the　time　he

had　reached　his　own　door　he　was　nodding　and　smiling。



Dismounting　quickly；　he　went　to　the　great　chest　where　his　provisions　were

kept。　　Here　he　got　out　a　little　meal；　a　little　mealies；　a　few　roaster…

cakes。　　These　he　tied　up　in　three　blue　handkerchiefs；　and　putting　them　into

a　sailcloth　bag；　he　strung　them　over　his　shoulders。　　Then　he　looked

circumspectly　out　at　the　door。　　It　was　very　bad　to　be　discovered　in　the　act

of　giving；　it　made　him　red　up　to　the　roots　of　his　old　grizzled　hair。　　No

one　was　about；　however；　so　he　rode　off　again。　　Beside　the　milk…bush　sat　the

Kaffer　woman　stilllike　Hagar；　he　thought；　thrust　out　by　her　mistress　in

the　wilderness　to　die。　　Telling　her　to　loosen　the　handkerchief　from　her

head；　he　poured　into　it　the　contents　of　his　bag。　　The　woman　tied　it　up　in

sullen　silence。



〃You　must　try　and　get　to　the　next　farm；〃　said　the　German。



The　woman　shook　her　head；　she　would　sleep　in　the　field。



The　German　reflected。　　Kaffer　women　were　accustomed　to　sleep　in　the　open

air；　but　then；　the　child　was　small；　and　after　so　hot　a　day　the　night　might

be　chilly。　　That　she　would　creep　back　to　the　huts　at　the　homestead　when　the

darkness　favoured　her；　the　German's　sagacity　did　not　make　evident　to　him。　

He　took　off　the　old　brown　salt…and…pepper　coat；　and　held　it　out　to　her。　

The　woman　received　it　in　silence；　and　laid　it　across　her　knee。　　〃With　that

they　will　sleep　warmly；　not　so　bad。　　Ha；　ha！〃　said　the　German。　　And　he　rode

home；　nodding　his　head　in　a　manner　that　would　have　made　any　other　man

dizzy。



〃I　wish　he　would　not　come　back　tonight；〃　said　Em；　her　face　wet　with　tears。



〃It　will　be　just　the　same　if　he　comes　back　tomorrow；〃　said　Lyndall。



The　two　girls　sat　on　the　step　of　the　cabin　weeping　for　the　German's　return。　

Lyndall　shaded　her　eyes　with　her　hand　from　the　sunset　light。



〃There　he　comes；〃　she　said；　〃whistling　'Ach　Jerusalem　du　schone'　so　loud　I

can　hear　him　from　here。〃



〃Perhaps　he　has　found　the　sheep。〃



〃Found　them！〃　said　Lyndall。　　〃He　would　whistle　just　so　if　he　knew　he　had　to

die　tonight。〃



〃You　look　at　the　sunset；　eh；　chickens？〃　the　German　said；　as　he　came　up　at　a

smart　canter。　　〃Ah；　yes；　that　is　beautiful！〃　he　added；　as　he　dismounted；

pausing　for　a　moment　with　his　hand　on　the　saddle　to　look　at　the　evening

sky；　where　the　sun　shot　up　long　flaming　streaks；　between　which　and　the　eye

thin　yellow　clouds　floated。　　〃Ei！　you　weep？〃　said　the　German；　as　the　girls

ran　up　to　him。



Before　they　had　time　to　reply　the　voice　of　Tant　Sannie　was　heard。



〃You　child；　of　the　child；　of　the　child　of　a　Kaffer's　dog；　come　here！〃



The　German　looked　up。　　He　thought　the　Dutchwoman；　come　out　to　cool　herself

in　the　yard；　called　to　some　misbehaving　servant。　　The　old　man　looked　round

to　see　who　it　might　be。



〃You　old　vagabond　of　a　praying　German；　are　you　deaf？〃



Tant　Sannie　stood　before　the　steps　of　the　kitchen；　upon　them　sat　the　lean

Hottentot；　upon　the　highest　stood　Bonaparte　Blenkins；　both　hands　folded

under　the　tails　of　his　coat；　and　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　sunset　sky。



The　German　dropped　the　saddle　on　the　ground。



〃Bish；　bish；　bish！　what　may　this　be？〃　he　said；　and　walked　toward　the　house。　

〃Very　strange！〃



The　girls　followed　him：　　Em　still　weeping；　Lyndall　with　her　face　rather

white　and　her　eyes　wide　open。



〃And　I　have　the　heart　of　a　devil；　did　you　say？　　You　could　run　me　through

with　a　knife；　could　you？〃　cried　the　Dutchwoman。　　〃I　could　not　drive　the

Kaffer　maid　away　because　I　was　afraid　of　you；　was　I？　　Oh；　you　miserable

rag！　　I　loved　you；　did　I？　　I　would　have　liked　to　marry　you；　would　I？　would

I？　WOULD　I？〃　cried　the　Boer…woman；　〃you　cat's　tail；　you　dog's　paw！　　Be　near

my　house　tomorrow　morning　when　the　sun　rises；〃　she　gasped；　〃my　Kaffers　will

drag　you　through　the　sand。　　They　would　do　it　gladly；　any　of　them；　for　a　bit

of　tobacco；　for　all　your　prayings　with　them。〃



〃I　am　bewildered；　I　am　bewildered；　said　the　German；　standing　before　her　and

raising　his　hand　to　his　forehead；　〃II　do　not　understand。〃



〃Ask　him；　ask　him？〃　cried　Tant　Sannie；　pointing　to　Bonaparte；　〃he　knows。　

You　thought　he　could　not　make　me　understand；　but　he　did；　he　did；　you　old

fool！　　I　know　enough　English　for　that。　　You　be　here；〃　shouted　the

Dutchwoman；　〃when　the　morning　star　rises；　and　I　will　let　my　Kaffers　take

you　out　and　drag　you；　till　there　is　not　one　bone　left　in　your　old　body　that

is　not　broken　as　fine　as　bobootie…meat；　you　old　beggar！　　All　your　rags　are

not　worth　thatthey　should　be　thrown　out　onto　the　ash…heap；〃　cried　the

Boer…woman；　〃but　I　will　have　them　for　my　sheep。　　Not　one　rotten　hoof　of

your　old　mare　do　you　take　with　you；　I　will　have　herall；　all　for　my　sheep

that　you　have　lost；　you　godless　thing！〃



The　Boer…woman　wiped　the　moisture　from　her　mouth　with　the　palm　of　her　hand。



The　German　turned　to　Bonaparte；　who　still　stood　on　the　step　absorbed　in　the

beauty　of　the　sunset。



〃Do　not　address　me；　do　not　approach　me；　lost　man；〃　said　Bonaparte；　not

moving　his　eye　nor　lowering　his　chin。　　〃There　is　a　crime　from　which　all

nature　revolts；　there　is　a　crime　whose　name　is　loathsome　to　the　human　ear

that　crime　is　yours；　that　crime　is　ingratitude。　　This　woman　has　been　your

benefactress；　on　her　farm　you　have　lived；　after　her　sheep　you　have　looked；

into　her　house　you　have　been　allowed　to　enter　and　hold　Divine　servicean

honour　of　which　you　were　never　worthy；　and　how　have　you　rewarded　her？

basely；　basely；　basely！〃



〃But　it　is　all　false；　lies　and　falsehoods。　　I　must；　I　will　speak；〃　said　the

German；　suddenly　looking　round　bewildered。　　〃Do　I　dream？　　Are　you　mad？　

What　may　it　be？〃



〃Go；　dog；〃　cried　the　Dutchwoman；　〃I　would　have　been　a　rich　woman　this　day

if　it　had　not　been　for　your　laziness。　　Praying　with　the　Kaffers　behind　the

kraal　walls。　　Go；　you　Kaffer's　dog！〃



〃But　what　then　is　the　matter？　　What　may　have　happened　since　I　left？〃　said

the　German；　turning　to　the　Hottentot　woman；　who　sat　upon　the　step。



She　was　his　friend；　she　would　tell　him　kindly　the　truth。　　The　woman

answered　by　a　loud；　ringing　laugh。



〃Give　it　him；　old　missis！　　Give　it　him！〃



It　was　so　nice　to　see　the　white　man　who　had　been　master　hunted　down。　　The

coloured　woman　laughed；　and　threw　a　dozen　mealie　grains　into　her　mouth　to

chew。



All　anger　and　excitement　faded　from　the　old　man's　face。　　He　turned　slowly

away　and　walked　down　the　little　path　to　his　cabin；　with　his　shoulders　bent；

it　was　all　dark　before　him。　　He　stumbled　over　the　threshold　of　his　own

well…known　door。



Em；　sobbing　bitterly；　would　have　followed　him；　but　the　Boer…woman　prevented

her　by　a　flood　of　speech　which　convulsed　the　Hottentot；　so　low　were　its

images。



〃Come；　Em；〃　said　Lyndall；　lifting　her　small　proud　head；　〃let　us　go　in。　　We

will　not　stay　to　hear　such　language。〃



She　looked　into　the　Boer…woman's　eyes。　　Tant　Sannie　understood　the　meaning

of　the　look　if　not　the　words。　　She　waddled　after　them；　and　caught　Em　by　the

arm。　　She　had　struck　Lyndall　once　years　before；　an