the story of an african farm-第47章

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thoughts　ran　on　in　their　own　line。



〃They　say；　'God　sends　the　little　babies。'　　Of　all　the　dastardly　revolting

lies　men　tell　to　suit　themselves；　I　hate　that　most。　　I　suppose　my　father

said　so　when　he　knew　he　was　dying　of　consumption；　and　my　mother　when　she

knew　she　had　nothing　to　support　me　on；　and　they　created　me　to　feed　like　a

dog　from　stranger　hands。　　Men　do　not　say　God　sends　the　books；　or　the

newspaper　articles；　or　the　machines　they　make；　and　then　sigh；　and　shrug

their　shoulders　and　say　they　can't　help　it。　　Why　do　they　say　so　about　other

things？　　Liars！　　'God　sends　the　little　babies！'〃　　She　struck　her　foot

fretfully　against　the　splashboard。　　〃The　small　children　say　so　earnestly。　

They　touch　the　little　stranger　reverently　who　has　just　come　from　God's　far

country；　and　they　peep　about　the　room　to　see　if　not　one　white　feather　has

dropped　from　the　wing　of　the　angel　that　brought　him。　　On　their　lips　the

phrase　means　much；　on　all　others　it　is　a　deliberate　lie。　　Noticeable；　too；〃

she　said；　dropping　in　an　instant　from　the　passionate　into　a　low；　mocking

tone；　〃when　people　are　married；　though　they　should　have　sixty　children；

they　throw　the　whole　onus　on　God。　　When　they　are　not；　we　hear　nothing　about

God's　having　sent　them。　　When　there　has　been　no　legal　contract　between　the

parents；　who　sends　the　little　children　then？　　The　devil　perhaps！〃　　She

laughed　her　little　silvery；　mocking　laugh。　　〃Odd　that　some　men　should　come

from　hell　and　some　from　heaven；　and　yet　all　look　so　much　alike　when　they

get　here。〃



Waldo　wondered　at　her。　　He　had　not　the　key　to　her　thoughts；　and　did　not　see

the　string　on　which　they　were　strung。　　She　drew　her　cloud　tighter　about

her。



〃It　must　be　very　nice　to　believe　in　the　devil；〃　she　said；　〃I　wish　I　did。　

If　it　would　be　of　any　use　I　would　pray　three　hours　night　and　morning　on　my

bare　knees；　'God；　let　me　believe　in　Satan。'　　He　is　so　useful　to　those

people　who　do。　　They　may　be　as　selfish　and　as　sensual　as　they　please；　and；

between　God's　will　and　the　devil's　action；　always　have　some　one　to　throw

their　sin　on。　　But　we；　wretched　unbelievers；　we　bear　our　own　burdens：　　we

must　say；　'I　myself　did　it；　I。　　Not　God；　not　Satan；　I　myself！'　　That　is　the

sting　that　strikes　deep。　　Waldo；〃　she　said　gently；　with　a　sudden　and

complete　change　of　manner；　〃I　like　you　so　much；　I　love　you。〃　　She　rested

her　cheek　softly　against　his　shoulder。　　〃When　I　am　with　you　I　never　know

that　I　am　a　woman　and　you　are　a　man；　I　only　know　that　we　are　both　things

that　think。　　Other　men　when　I　am　with　them；　whether　I　love　them　or　not；

they　are　mere　bodies　to　me；　but　you　are　a　spirit；　I　like　you。　　Look；〃　she

said　quickly；　sinking　back　into　her　corner；　〃what　a　pretty　pinkness　there

is　on　all　the　hilltops！　　The　sun　will　rise　in　a　moment。〃



Waldo　lifted　his　eyes　to　look　round　over　the　circle　of　golden　hills；　and

the　horses；　as　the　first　sunbeams　touched　them；　shook　their　heads　and

champed　their　bright　bits；　till　the　brass　settings　in　their　harness

glittered　again。



It　was　eight　o'clock　when　they　neared　the　farmhouse：　　a　red…brick　building；

with　kraals　to　the　right　and　a　small　orchard　to　the　left。　　Already　there

were　signs　of　unusual　life　and　bustle：　　one　cart；　a　wagon；　and　a　couple　of

saddles　against　the　wall　betokened　the　arrival　of　a　few　early　guests；　whose

numbers　would　soon　be　largely　increased。　　To　a　Dutch　country　wedding　guests

start　up　in　numbers　astonishing　to　one　who　has　merely　ridden　through　the

plains　of　sparsely…inhabited　karoo。



As　the　morning　advances；　riders　on　many　shades　of　steeds　appear　from　all

directions；　and　add　their　saddles　to　the　long　rows　against　the　walls；　shake

hands；　drink　coffee；　and　stand　about　outside　in　groups　to　watch　the

arriving　carts　and　ox…wagons；　as　they　are　unburdened　of　their　heavy　freight

of　massive　Tantes　and　comely　daughters；　followed　by　swarms　of　children　of

all　sizes；　dressed　in　all　manner　of　print　and　moleskin；　who　are　taken　care

of　by　Hottentot；　Kaffer；　and　half…caste　nurses；　whose　many…shaded

complexions；　ranging　from　light　yellow　up　to　ebony　black；　add　variety　to

the　animated　scene。



Everywhere　is　excitement　and　bustle；　which　gradually　increases　as　the　time

for　the　return　of　the　wedding…party　approaches。　　Preparations　for　the　feast

are　actively　advancing　in　the　kitchen；　coffee　is　liberally　handed　round；

and　amid　a　profound　sensation；　and　the　firing　of　guns；　the　horse…wagon

draws　up；　and　the　wedding…party　alight。　　Bride　and　bridegroom；　with　their

attendants；　march　solemnly　to　the　marriage…chamber；　where　bed　and　box　are

decked　out　in　white；　with　ends　of　ribbon　and　artificial　flowers；　and　where

on　a　row　of　chairs　the　party　solemnly　seat　themselves。　　After　a　time

bridesmaid　and　best　man　rise；　and　conduct　in　with　ceremony　each　individual

guest；　to　wish　success　and　to　kiss　bride　and　bridegroom。



Then　the　feast　is　set　on　the　table；　and　it　is　almost　sunset　before　the

dishes　are　cleared　away；　and　the　pleasure　of　the　day　begins。　　Everything　is

removed　from　the　great　front　room；　and　the　mud　floor；　well　rubbed　with

bullock's　blood；　glistens　like　polished　mahogany。　　The　female　portion　of

the　assembly　flock　into　the　side…rooms　to　attire　themselves　for　the

evening；　and　re…issue　clad　in　white　muslin；　and　gay　with　bright　ribbons　and

brass　jewelry。　　The　dancing　begins　as　the　first　tallow　candles　are　stuck　up

about　the　walls；　the　music　coming　from　a　couple　of　fiddlers　in　a　corner　of

the　room。　　Bride　and　bridegroom　open　the　ball；　and　the　floor　is　soon

covered　with　whirling　couples；　and　every　one's　spirits　rise。　　The　bridal

pair　mingle　freely　in　the　throng；　and　here　and　there　a　musical　man　sings

vigorously　as　he　drags　his　partner　through　the　Blue　Water　or　John　Speriwig；

boys　shout　and　applaud；　and　the　enjoyment　and　confusion　are　intense；　till

eleven　o'clock　comes。　　By　this　time　the　children　who　swarm　in　the　side…

rooms　are　not　to　be　kept　quiet　longer；　even　by　hunches　of　bread　and　cake；

there　is　a　general　howl　and　wail；　that　rises　yet　higher　than　the　scraping

of　fiddles；　and　mothers　rush　from　their　partners　to　knock　small　heads

together；　and　cuff　little　nursemaids；　and　force　the　wailers　down　into

unoccupied　corners　of　beds；　under　tables　and　behind　boxes。　　In　half　an　hour

every　variety　of　childish　snore　is　heard　on　all　sides；　and　it　has　become

perilous　to　raise　or　set　down　a　foot　in　any　of　the　side…rooms　lest　a　small

head　or　hand　should　be　crushed。



Now　too　the　busy　feet　have　broken　the　solid　coating　of　the　floor；　and　a

cloud　of　fine　dust　arises；　that　makes　a　yellow　halo　round　the　candles；　and

sets　asthmatic　people　coughing；　and　grows　denser；　till　to　recognise　any　one

on　the　opposite　side　of　the　room　becomes　impossible；　and　a　partner's　face

is　seen　through　a　yellow　mist。



At　twelve　o'clock　the　bride　is　led　to　the　marriage…chamber　and　undressed；

the　lights　are　blown　out；　and　the　bridegroom　is　brought　to　the　door　by　the

best　man；　who　gives　him　the　key；　then　the　door　is　shut　and　locked；　and　the

revels　rise　higher　than　ever。　　There　is　no　thought　of　sleep　till　morning；

and　no　unoccupied　spot　where　sleep　may　be　found。



It　was　at　this　stage　of　the　proceedings　on　the　night　of　Tant　Sannie's

wedding　that　Lyndall　sat　near　the　doorway　in　one　of　the　side…rooms；　to

watch　the　dancers　as　they　appeared　and　disappeared　in　the　yellow　cloud　of

dust。　　Gregory　sat　moodily　in　a　corner　of　the　large　dancing…room。　　His

little　betrothed　touched　his　arm。



〃I　wish　you　would　go　and　ask　Lyndall　to　dance　with　you；〃　she　said；　〃she

must　be　so　tired；　she　has　sat　still　the　whole　evening。〃



〃I　have　asked　her　three　times；〃　replied　her　lover　shortly。　　〃I'm　not　going

to　be　her　dog；　and　creep　to　her　feet；　just　to　give　her　the　pleasure　of

kicking　menot　for　you；　Em；　nor　for　anybody　else。〃



〃Oh；　I　didn't　know　you　had　asked　her；　Greg；〃　said　his　little　betrothed；

humbly；　and　she　went　away　to　pour　out　coffee。



Nevertheless；　some　time　after　Gregory　found　he　had　shifted　so　far　round　the

room　as　to　be　close　to