the story of an african farm-第32章

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too　small。



And　so；　it　comes　to　pass　at　last；　that　whereas　the　sky　was　at　first　a　small

blue　rag　stretched　out　over　us；　and　so　low　that　our　hands　might　touch　it；

pressing　down　on　us；　it　raises　itself　into　an　immeasurable　blue　arch　over

our　heads；　and　we　begin　to　live　again。





Chapter　2。II。　　Waldo's　Stranger。



Waldo　lay　on　his　stomach　on　the　red　sand。　　The　small　ostriches　he　herded

wandered　about　him；　pecking　at　the　food　he　had　cut；　or　at　pebbles　and　dry

sticks。　　On　his　right　lay　the　graves；　to　his　left　the　dam；　in　his　hand　was

a　large　wooden　post　covered　with　carvings；　at　which　he　worked。　　Doss　lay

before　him　basking　in　the　winter　sunshine；　and　now　and　again　casting　an

expectant　glance　at　the　corner　of　the　nearest　ostrich　camp。　　The　scrubby

thorn…trees　under　which　they　lay　yielded　no　shade；　but　none　was　needed　in

that　glorious　June　weather；　when　in　the　hottest　part　of　the　afternoon　the

sun　was　but　pleasantly　warm；　and　the　boy　carved　on；　not　looking　up；　yet

conscious　of　the　brown　serene　earth　about　him　and　the　intensely　blue　sky

above。



Presently；　at　the　corner　of　the　camp；　Em　appeared；　bearing　a　covered　saucer

in　one　hand　and　in　the　other　a　jug；　with　a　cup　in　the　top。　　She　was　grown

into　a　premature　little　old　woman　of　sixteen；　ridiculously　fat。　　The　jug

and　saucer　she　put　down　on　the　ground　before　the　dog　and　his　master　and

dropped　down　beside　them　herself；　panting　and　out　of　breath。



〃Waldo；　as　I　came　up　the　camps　I　met　some　one　on　horseback；　and　I　do

believe　it　must　be　the　new　man　that　is　coming。〃



The　new　man　was　an　Englishman　to　whom　the　Boer…woman　had　hired　half　the

farm。



〃Hum！〃　said　Waldo。



〃He　is　quite　young；〃　said　Em；　holding　her　side；　〃and　he　has　brown　hair；　and

beard　curling　close　to　his　face；　and　such　dark　blue　eyes。　　And；　Waldo；　I

was　so　ashamed！　　I　was　just　looking　back　to　see；　you　know；　and　he　happened

just　to　be　looking　back　too；　and　we　looked　right　into　each　other's　faces；

and　he　got　red；　and　I　got　so　red。　　I　believe　he　is　the　new　man。〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Waldo。



〃I　must　go　now。　　Perhaps　he　has　brought　us　letters　from　the　post　from

Lyndall。　　You　know　she　can't　stay　at　school　much　longer；　she　must　come　back

soon。　　And　the　new　man　will　have　to　stay　with　us　till　his　house　is　built。　

I　must　get　his　room　ready。　　Good…bye！〃



She　tripped　off　again；　and　Waldo　carved　on　at　his　post。　　Doss　lay　with　his

nose　close　to　the　covered　saucer；　and　smelt　that　some　one　had　made　nice

little　fat　cakes　that　afternoon。　　Both　were　so　intent　on　their　occupation

that　not　till　a　horse's　hoofs　beat　beside　them　in　the　sand　did　they　look　up

to　see　a　rider　drawing　in　his　steed。



He　was　certainly　not　the　stranger　whom　Em　had　described。　　A　dark；　somewhat

French…looking　little　man　of　eight…and…twenty；　rather　stout；　with　heavy；

cloudy　eyes　and　pointed　moustaches。　　His　horse　was　a　fiery　creature；　well

caparisoned；　a　highly…finished　saddlebag　hung　from　the　saddle；　the　man's

hands　were　gloved；　and　he　presented　the　appearance…an　appearance　rare　on

that　farmof　a　well…dressed　gentleman。



In　an　uncommonly　melodious　voice　he　inquired　whether　he　might　be　allowed　to

remain　there　for　an　hour。　　Waldo　directed　him　to　the　farmhouse；　but　the

stranger　declined。　　He　would　merely　rest　under　the　trees　and　give　his　horse

water。　　He　removed　the　saddle　and　Waldo　led　the　animal　away　to　the　dam。　

When　he　returned；　the　stranger　had　settled　himself　under　the　trees；　with

his　back　against　the　saddle。　　The　boy　offered　him　of　the　cakes。　　He

declined；　but　took　a　draught　from　the　jug；　and　Waldo　lay　down　not　far　off

and　fell　to　work　again。　　It　mattered　nothing　if　cold　eyes　saw　it。　　It　was

not　his　sheep…shearing　machine。　　With　material　loves；　as　with　human；　we　go

mad　once；　love　out；　and　have　done。　　We　never　get　up　the　true　enthusiasm　a

second　time。　　This　was　but　a　thing　he　had　made；　laboured　over；　loved　and

likednothing　morenot　his　machine。



The　stranger　forced　himself　lower　down　in　the　saddle　and　yawned。　　It　was　a

drowsy　afternoon；　and　he　objected　to　travel　in　these　out…of…the…world

parts。　　He　liked　better　civilised　life；　where　at　every　hour　of　the　day　a

man　may　look　for　his　glass　of　wine；　and　his　easy…chair；　and　paper；　where　at

night　he　may　lock　himself　into　his　room　with　his　books　and　a　bottle　of

brandy；　and　taste　joys　mental　and　physical。　　The　world　said　of　himthe

all…knowing；　omnipotent　world；　whom　no　locks　can　bar；　who　has　the　cat…like

propensity　of　seeing　best　in　the　darkthe　world　said；　that　better　than　the

books　he　loved　the　brandy；　and　better　than　books　or　brandy　that　which　it

had　been　better　had　he　loved　less。　　But　for　the　world　he　cared　nothing；　he

smiled　blandly　in　its　teeth。　　All　life　is　a　dream；　if　wine　and　philosophy

and　women　keep　the　dream　from　becoming　a　nightmare；　so　much　the　better。　　It

is　all　they　are　fit　for；　all　they　can　be　used　for。　　There　was　another　side

to　his　life　and　thought；　but　of　that　the　world　knew　nothing；　and　said

nothing；　as　the　way　of　the　wise　world　is。



The　stranger　looked　from　beneath　his　sleepy　eyelids　at　the　brown　earth　that

stretched　away；　beautiful　in　spite　of　itself　in　that　June　sunshine；　looked

at　the　graves；　the　gables　of　the　farmhouse　showing　over　the　stone　walls　of

the　camps；　at　the　clownish　fellow　at　his　feet；　and　yawned。　　But　he　had

drunk　of　the　hind's　tea；　and　must　say　something。



〃Your　father's　place　I　presume？〃　he　inquired　sleepily。



〃No；　I　am　only　a　servant。〃



〃Dutch　people？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃And　you　like　the　life？〃



The　boy　hesitated。



〃On　days　like　these。〃



〃And　why　on　these？〃



The　boy　waited。



〃They　are　very　beautiful。〃



The　stranger　looked　at　him。　　It　seemed　that　as　the　fellow's　dark　eyes

looked　across　the　brown　earth　they　kindled　with　an　intense　satisfaction；

then　they　looked　back　at　the　carving。



What　had　that　creature；　so　coarse…clad　and　clownish；　to　do　with　the　subtle

joys　of　the　weather？　　Himself；　white…handed　and　delicate；　he　might　hear　the

music　with　shimmering　sunshine　and　solitude　play　on　the　finely…strung

chords　of　nature；　but　that　fellow！　　Was　not　the　ear　in　that　great　body　too

gross　for　such　delicate　mutterings？



Presently　he　said：



〃May　I　see　what　you　work　at？〃



The　fellow　handed　his　wooden　post。　　It　was　by　no　means　lovely。　　The　men　and

birds　were　almost　grotesque　in　their　laboured　resemblance　to　nature；　and

bore　signs　of　patient　thought。　　The　stranger　turned　the　thing　over　on　his

knee。



〃Where　did　you　learn　this　work？〃



〃I　taught　myself。〃



〃And　these　zigzag　lines　represent〃



〃A　mountain。〃



The　stranger　looked。



〃It　has　some　meaning；　has　it　not？〃



The　boy　muttered　confusedly。



〃Only　things。〃



The　questioner　looked　down　at　himthe　huge；　unwieldy　figure；　in　size　a

man's；　in　right　of　his　childlike　features　and　curling　hair　a　child's；　and

it　hurt　himit　attracted　him　and　it　hurt　him。　　It　was　something　between

pity　and　sympathy。



〃How　long　have　you　worked　at　this？〃



〃Nine　months。〃



From　his　pocket　the　stranger　drew　his　pocket…book；　and　took　something　from

it。　　He　could　fasten　the　post　to　his　horse　in　some　way；　and　throw　it　away

in　the　sand　when　at　a　safe　distance。



〃Will　you　take　this　for　your　carving？〃



The　boy　glanced　at　the　five…pound　note　and　shook　his　head。



〃No；　I　cannot。〃



〃You　think　it　is　worth　more？〃　asked　the　stranger　with　a　little　sneer。



He　pointed　with　his　thumb　to　a　grave。



〃No；　it　is　for　him。〃



〃And　who　is　there？〃　asked　the　stranger。



〃My　father。〃



The　man　silently　returned　the　note　to　his　pocket…book；　and　gave　the　carving

to　the　boy；　and；　drawing　his　hat　over　his　eyes；　composed　himself　to　sleep。　

Not　being　able　to　do　so；　after　a　while　he　glanced　over　the　fellow's

shoulder　to　watch　him　work。　　The　boy　carved　letters　into　the　back。



〃If；〃　said　the　stranger；　with　his　melodious　voice；　rich　with　a　sweetness

that　never　showed　itself　in　the　clouded　eyesfor　sweetness　will　ling