the story of an african farm-第57章

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something　restful。　　It　was　an　old；　childish　song　she　had　often　heard　her

mother　sing　long　ago：



Where　the　reeds　dance　by　the　river；

Where　the　willow's　song　is　said；

On　the　face　of　the　morning　water；

Is　reflected　a　white　flower's　head。



She　folded　her　hands　and　sang　the　next　verse　dreamily：



Where　the　reeds　shake　by　the　river；

Where　the　moonlight's　sheen　is　shed；

On　the　face　of　the　sleeping　water；

Two　leaves　of　a　white　flower　float　dead。

　　　　　Dead；　Dead；　Dead！



She　echoed　the　refrain　softly　till　it　died　away；　and　then　repeated　it。　　It

was　as　if；　unknown　to　herself；　it　harmonized　with　the　pictures　and　thoughts

that　sat　with　her　there　alone　in　the　firelight。　　She　turned　the　cakes　over；

while　the　wind　hurled　down　a　row　of　bricks　from　the　gable；　and　made　the

walls　tremble。



Presently　she　paused　and　listened；　there　was　a　sound　as　of　something

knocking　at　the　back…doorway。　　But　the　wind　had　raised　its　level　higher；

and　she　went　on　with　her　work。　　At　last　the　sound　was　repeated。　　Then　she

rose；　lit　the　candle　and　the　fire；　and　went　to　see。　　Only　to　satisfy

herself；　she　said；　that　nothing　could　be　out　on　such　a　night。



She　opened　the　door　a　little　way；　and　held　the　light　behind　her　to　defend

it　from　the　wind。　　The　figure　of　a　tall　man　stood　there；　and　before　she

could　speak　he　had　pushed　his　way　in；　and　was　forcing　the　door　to　close

behind　him。



〃Waldo！〃　she　cried　in　astonishment。



He　had　been　gone　more　than　a　year　and　a　half。



〃You　did　not　expect　to　see　me；〃　he　answered；　as　he　turned　toward　her；　〃I

should　have　slept　in　the　outhouse；　and　not　troubled　you　tonight；　but

through　the　shutter　I　saw　glimmerings　of　a　light。〃



〃Come　in　to　the　fire；〃　she　said；　〃it　is　a　terrific　night　for　any　creature

to　be　out。　　Shall　we　not　go　and　fetch　your　things　in　first？〃　she　added。



〃I　have　nothing　but　this；〃　he　said；　motioning　to　the　little　bundle　in　his

hand。



〃Your　horse？〃



〃Is　dead。〃



He　sat　down　on　the　bench　before　the　fire。



〃The　cakes　are　almost　ready；〃　she　said；　〃I　will　get　you　something　to　eat。　

Where　have　you　been　wandering　all　this　while？〃



〃Up　and　down；　up　and　down；〃　he　answered　wearily；　〃and　now　the　whim　has

seized　me　to　come　back　here。　　Em；〃　he　said；　putting　his　hand　on　her　arm　as

she　passed　him；　〃have　you　heard　from　Lyndall　lately？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Em；　turning　quickly　from　him。



〃Where　is　she？　　I　had　one　letter　from　her；　but　that　is　almost　a　year　ago

nowjust　when　she　left。　　Where　is　she？〃



〃In　the　Transvaal。　　I　will　go　and　get　you　some　supper；　we　can　talk

afterward。〃



〃Can　you　give　me　her　exact　address？　　I　want　to　write　to　her。〃



But　Em　had　gone　into　the　next　room。



When　food　was　on　the　table　she　knelt　down　before　the　fire；　turning　the

cakes；　babbling　restlessly；　eagerly；　now　of　this；　now　of　that。　　She　was

glad　to　see　himTant　Sannie　was　coming　soon　to　show　her　her　new　babyhe

must　stay　on　the　farm　now；　and　help　her。　　And　Waldo　himself　was　well

content　to　eat　his　meal　in　silence；　asking　no　more　questions。



〃Gregory　is　coming　back　next　week；〃　she　said；　〃he　will　have　been　gone　just

a　hundred　and　three　days　tomorrow。　　I　had　a　letter　from　him　yesterday。〃



〃Where　has　he　been？〃



But　his　companion　stooped　to　lift　a　cake　from　the　fire。



〃How　the　wind　blows！　　One　can　hardly　hear　one's　own　voice；〃　she　said。　

〃Take　this　warm　cake；　no　one's　cakes　are　like　mine。　　Why；　you　have　eaten

nothing！〃



〃I　am　a　little　weary；〃　he　said；　〃the　wind　was　mad　tonight。〃



He　folded　his　arms；　and　rested　his　head　against　the　fireplace；　whilst　she

removed　the　dishes　from　the　table。　　On　the　mantelpiece　stood　an　inkpot　and

some　sheets　of　paper。　　Presently　he　took　them　down　and　turned　up　the　corner

of　the　tablecloth。



〃I　will　write　a　few　lines；〃　he　said；　〃till　you　are　ready　to　sit　down　and

talk。〃



Em；　as　she　shook　out　the　tablecloth；　watched　him　bending　intently　over　his

paper。　　He　had　changed　much。　　His　face　had　grown　thinner；　his　cheeks　were

almost　hollow；　though　they　were　covered　by　a　dark　growth　of　beard。



She　sat　down　on　the　skin　beside　him；　and　felt　the　little　bundle　on　the

bench；　it　was　painfully　small　and　soft。　　Perhaps　it　held　a　shirt　and　a

book；　but　nothing　more。　　The　old　black　hat　had　a　piece　of　unhemmed　muslin

twisted　round　it；　and　on　his　elbow　was　a　large　patch　so　fixed　on　with

yellow　thread　that　her　heart　ached。　　Only　his　hair　was　not　changed；　and

hung　in　silky　beautiful　waves　almost　to　his　shoulders。



Tomorrow　she　would　take　the　ragged　edge　off　his　collar；　and　put　a　new　band

round　his　hat。　　She　did　not　interrupt　him；　but　she　wondered　how　it　was　that

he　sat　to　write　so　intently　after　his　long　weary　walk。　　He　was　not　tired

now；　his　pen　hurried　quickly　and　restlessly　over　the　paper；　and　his　eye　was

bright。　　Presently　Em　raised　her　hand　to　her　breast；　where　lay　the　letter

yesterday　had　brought　her。　　Soon　she　had　forgotten　him；　as　entirely　as　he

had　forgotten　her；　each　was　in　his　own　world　with　his　own。　　He　was　writing

to　Lyndall。　　He　would　tell　her　all　he　had　seen；　all　he　had　done；　though　it

were　nothing　worth　relating。　　He　seemed　to　have　come　back　to　her；　and　to　be

talking　to　her　now　he　sat　there　in　the　old　house。



〃and　then　I　got　to　the　next　town；　and　my　horse　was　tired；　so　I　could　go

no　further；　and　looked　for　work。　　A　shopkeeper　agreed　to　hire　me　as

salesman。　　He　made　me　sign　a　promise　to　remain　six　months；　and　he　gave　me　a

little　empty　room　at　the　back　of　the　store　to　sleep　in。　　I　had　still　three

pounds　of　my　own；　and　when　you　just　come　from　the　country　three　pounds

seems　a　great　deal。



〃When　I　had　been　in　the　shop　three　days　I　wanted　to　go　away　again。　　A　clerk

in　a　shop　has　the　lowest　work　to　do　of　all　the　people。　　It　is　much　better

to　break　stones；　you　have　the　blue　sky　above　you；　and　only　the　stones　to

bend　to。　　I　asked　my　master　to　let　me　go；　and　I　offered　to　give　him　my　two

pounds；　and　the　bag　of　mealies　I　had　bought　with　the　other　pound；　but　he

would　not。



〃I　found　out　afterward　he　was　only　giving　me　half　as　much　as　he　gave　to　the

othersthat　was　why。　　I　had　fear　when　I　looked　at　the　other　clerks　that　I

would　at　last　become　like　them。　　All　day　they　were　bowing　and　smirking　to

the　women　who　came　in；　smiling；　when　all　they　wanted　was　to　get　their　money

from　them。　　They　used　to　run　and　fetch　the　dresses　and　ribbons　to　show

them；　and　they　seemed　to　me　like　worms　with　oil　on。　　There　was　one

respectable　thing　in　that　storeit　was　the　Kaffer　storeman。　　His　work　was

to　load　and　unload；　and　he　never　needed　to　smile　except　when　he　liked；　and

he　never　told　lies。



〃The　other　clerks　gave　me　the　name　of　Old　Salvation；　but　there　was　one

person　I　liked　very　much。　　He　was　clerk　in　another　store。　　He　often　went

past　the　door。　　He　seemed　to　me　not　like　othershis　face　was　bright　and

fresh　like　a　little　child's。　　When　he　came　to　the　shop　I　felt　I　liked　him。

One　day　I　saw　a　book　in　his　pocket；　and　that　made　me　feel　near　him。　　I

asked　him　if　he　was　fond　of　reading；　and　he　said；　yes；　when　there　was

nothing　else　to　do。　　The　next　day　he　came　to　me；　and　asked　me　if　I　did　not

feel　lonely；　he　never　saw　me　going　out　with　the　other　fellows；　he　would

come　and　see　me　that　evening；　he　said。



〃I　was　glad；　and　bought　some　meat　and　flour；　because　the　grey　mare　and　I

always　ate　mealies；　it　is　the　cheapest　thing；　when　you　boil　it　hard　you

can't　eat　much　of　it。　　I　made　some　cakes；　and　I　folded　my　great　coat　on　the

box　to　make　it　softer　for　him；　and　at　last　he　came。



〃'You've　got　a　rummy　place　here；'　he　said。



〃You　see　there　was　nothing　in　it　but　packing…cases　for　furniture；　and　it

was　rather　empty。　　While　I　was　putting　the　food　on　the　box　he　looked　at　my

books；　he　read　their　names　out　aloud。　　'Elementary　Physiology；'　'First

Principles。'



〃'Golly！'　he　said；　'I've　got　a　lot　of　dry　stuff　like　that　at　home　I　got　for

Sunday…school　prizes；　but　I　only　keep　them　to　light　my　pipe　with　now；　they

come　in　handy　for　that。'