the story of an african farm-第24章

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it　tight；〃　he　called　out　to　Em；　who　stood　in　the　dining　room。　　Then　he

leaned　over　the　elbow　of　the　sofa　and　brought　his　face　as　close　as　possible

to　the　Boer…woman's；　and　made　signs　of　eating。　　Then　he　said　something　she

did　not　comprehend；　then　said；　〃Waldo；　Waldo；　Waldo；〃　pointed　up　to　the

loft；　and　made　signs　of　eating　again。



Now　an　inkling　of　his　meaning　dawned　on　the　Boer…woman's　mind。　　To　make　it

clearer；　he　moved　his　legs　after　the　manner　of　one　going　up　a　ladder；

appeared　to　be　opening　a　door；　masticated　vigorously；　said；　〃Peaches；

peaches；　peaches；〃　and　appeared　to　be　coming　down　the　ladder。



It　was　now　evident　to　Tant　Sannie　that　Waldo　had　been　in　her　loft　and　eaten

her　peaches。



To　exemplify　his　own　share　in　the　proceedings；　Bonaparte　lay　down　on　the

sofa；　and　shutting　his　eyes　tightly；　said；　〃Night；　night；　night！〃　　Then　he

sat　up　wildly；　appearing　to　be　intently　listening；　mimicked　with　his　feet

the　coming　down　a　ladder；　and　looked　at　Tant　Sannie。　　This　clearly　showed

how；　roused　in　the　night；　he　had　discovered　the　theft。



〃He　must　have　been　a　great　fool　to　eat　my　peaches；〃　said　Tant　Sannie。　

〃They　are　full　of　mites　as　a　sheepskin；　and　as　hard　as　stones。〃



Bonaparte；　fumbling　in　his　pocket；　did　not　even　hear　her　remark；　and　took

out　from　his　coat…tail　a　little　horsewhip；　nicely　rolled　up。　　Bonaparte

winked　at　the　little　rhinoceros　horsewhip；　at　the　Boer…woman；　and　then　at

the　door。



〃Shall　we　call　himWaldo；　Waldo？〃　he　said。



Tant　Sannie　nodded；　and　giggled。　　There　was　something　so　exceedingly

humorous　in　the　idea　that　he　was　going　to　beat　the　boy；　though　for　her　own

part　she　did　not　see　that　the　peaches　were　worth　it。　　When　the　Kaffer　maid

came　with　the　wash…tub　she　was　sent　to　summon　Waldo；　and　Bonaparte　doubled

up　the　little　whip　and　put　it　in　his　pocket。　　Then　he　drew　himself　up；　and

prepared　to　act　his　important　part　with　becoming　gravity。　　Soon　Waldo　stood

in　the　door；　and　took　off　his　hat。



〃Come　in；　come　in；　my　lad；〃　said　Bonaparte；　〃and　shut　the　door　behind。〃



The　boy　came　in　and　stood　before　them。



〃You　need　not　be　so　afraid；　child；〃　said　Tant　Sannie。　　〃I　was　a　child

myself　once。　　It's　no　great　harm　if　you　have　taken　a　few。〃



Bonaparte　perceived　that　her　remark　was　not　in　keeping　with　the　nature　of

the　proceedings；　and　of　the　little　drama　he　intended　to　act。　　Pursing　out

his　lips；　and　waving　his　hand；　he　solemnly　addressed　the　boy。



〃Waldo；　it　grieves　me　beyond　expression　to　have　to　summon　you　for　so

painful　a　purpose；　but　it　is　at　the　imperative　call　of　duty；　which　I　dare

not　evade。　　I　do　not　state　that　frank　and　unreserved　confession　will

obviate　the　necessity　of　chastisement；　which　if　requisite　shall　be　fully

administered；　but　the　nature　of　that　chastisement　may　be　mitigated　by　free

and　humble　confession。　　Waldo；　answer　me　as　you　would　your　own　father；　in

whose　place　I　now　stand　to　you；　have　you；　or　have　you　not；　did　you；　or　did

you　not；　eat　of　the　peaches　in　the　loft？〃



〃Say　you　took　them；　boy；　say　you　took　them；　then　he　won't　beat　you　much；〃

said　the　Dutchwoman；　good…naturedly；　getting　a　little　sorry　for　him。



The　boy　raised　his　eyes　slowly　and　fixed　them　vacantly　upon　her；　then

suddenly　his　face　grew　dark　with　blood。



〃So；　you　haven't　got　anything　to　say　to　us；　my　lad？〃　said　Bonaparte；

momentarily　forgetting　his　dignity；　and　bending　forward　with　a　little

snarl。　　〃But　what　I　mean　is　just　this；　my　ladwhen　it　takes　a　boy　three…

quarters　of　an　hour　to　fill　a　salt…pot；　and　when　at　three　o'clock　in　the

morning　he　goes　knocking　about　the　doors　of　a　loft；　it's　natural　to　suppose

there's　mischief　in　it。　　It's　certain　there　is　mischief　in　it；　and　where

there's　mischief　in；　it　must　be　taken　out；〃　said　Bonaparte；　grinning　into

the　boy's　face。　　Then；　feeling　that　he　had　fallen　from　that　high　gravity

which　was　as　spice　to　the　pudding；　and　the　flavour　of　the　whole　little

tragedy；　he　drew　himself　up。　　〃Waldo；〃　he　said；　〃confess　to　me　instantly；

and　without　reserve；　that　you　ate　the　peaches。〃



The　boy's　face　was　white　now。　　His　eyes　were　on　the　ground；　his　hands

doggedly　clasped　before　him。



〃What；　do　you　not　intend　to　answer？〃



The　boy　looked　up　at　them　once　from　under　his　bent　eyebrows；　and　then

looked　down　again。



〃The　creature　looks　as　if　all　the　devils　in　hell　were　in　it；〃　cried　Tant

Sannie。　　〃Say　you　took　them；　boy。　　Young　things　will　be　young　things；　I　was

older　than　you　when　I　used　to　eat　bultong　in　my　mother's　loft；　and　get　the

little　niggers　whipped　for　it。　　Say　you　took　them。〃



But　the　boy　said　nothing。



〃I　think　a　little　solitary　confinement　might　perhaps　be　beneficial；〃　said

Bonaparte。　　〃It　will　enable　you；　Waldo；　to　reflect　on　the　enormity　of　the

sin　you　have　committed　against　our　Father　in　heaven。　　And　you　may　also

think　of　the　submission　you　owe　to　those　who　are　older　and　wiser　than　you

are；　and　whose　duty　it　is　to　check　and　correct　you。〃



Saying　this；　Bonaparte　stood　up　and　took　down　the　key　of　the　fuel…house；

which　hung　on　a　nail　against　the　wall。



〃Walk　on；　my　boy；〃　said　Bonaparte；　pointing　to　the　door；　and　as　he　followed

him　out　he　drew　his　mouth　expressively　on　one　side；　and　made　the　lash　of

the　little　horsewhip　stick　out　of　his　pocket　and　shake　up　and　down。



Tant　Sannie　felt　half　sorry　for　the　lad；　but　she　could　not　help　laughing；

it　was　always　so　funny　when　one　was　going　to　have　a　whipping；　and　it　would

do　him　good。　　Anyhow；　he　would　forget　all　about　it　when　the　places　were

healed。　　Had　not　she　been　beaten　many　times　and　been　all　the　better　for　it？



Bonaparte　took　up　a　lighted　candle　that　had　been　left　burning　on　the

kitchen　table；　and　told　the　boy　to　walk　before　him。　　They　went　to　the　fuel…

house。　　It　was　a　little　stone　erection　that　jutted　out　from　the　side　of　the

wagon…house。　　It　was　low　and　without　a　window；　and　the　dried　dung　was　piled

in　one　corner；　and　the　coffee…mill　stood　in　another；　fastened　on　the　top　of

a　short　post　about　three　feet　high。　　Bonaparte　took　the　padlock　off　the

rough　door。



〃Walk　in；　my　lad；〃　he　said。



Waldo　obeyed　sullenly；　one　place　to　him　was　much　the　same　as　another。　　He

had　no　objection　to　being　locked　up。



Bonaparte　followed　him　in；　and　closed　the　door　carefully。　　He　put　the　light

down　on　the　heap　of　dung　in　the　corner；　and　quietly　introduced　his　hand

under　his　coat…tails；　and　drew　slowly　from　his　pocket　the　end　of　a　rope；

which　he　concealed　behind　him。



〃I'm　very　sorry；　exceedingly　sorry；　Waldo；　my　lad；　that　you　should　have

acted　in　this　manner。　　It　grieves　me；〃　said　Bonaparte。



He　moved　round　toward　the　boy's　back。　　He　hardly　liked　the　look　in　the

fellow's　eyes；　though　he　stood　there　motionless。　　If　he　should　spring　on

him！



So　he　drew　the　rope　out　very　carefully；　and　shifted　round　to　the　wooden

post。　　There　was　a　slipknot　in　one　end　of　the　rope；　and　a　sudden　movement

drew　the　boy's　hands　to　his　back　and　passed　it　round　them。　　It　was　an

instant's　work　to　drag　it　twice　round　the　wooden　post：　　then　Bonaparte　was

safe。



For　a　moment　the　boy　struggled　to　free　himself；　then　he　knew　that　he　was

powerless；　and　stood　still。



〃Horses　that　kick　must　have　their　legs　tied；〃　said　Bonaparte；　as　he　passed

the　other　end　of　the　rope　round　the　boy's　knees。　　〃And　now；　my　dear　Waldo；〃

taking　the　whip　out　of　his　pocket；　〃I　am　going　to　beat　you。〃



He　paused　for　a　moment。　　It　was　perfectly　quiet；　they　could　hear　each

other's　breath。



〃'Chasten　thy　son　while　there　is　hope；'〃　said　Bonaparte；　〃'and　let　not　thy

soul　spare　for　his　crying。'　　Those　are　God's　words。　　I　shall　act　as　a

father　to　you；　Waldo。　　I　think　we　had　better　have　your　naked　back。〃



He　took　out　his　penknife；　and　slit　the　shirt　down　from　the　shoulder　to　the

waist。



〃Now；〃　said　Bonaparte；　〃I　hope　the　Lord　will　bless　and　sanctify　to　you　what

I　am　going　to　do　to　you。〃



The　first　cut　ran　from　the　shoulder　across　the　middle　of　the　back；　the

second　fell　exactly