a simpleton-第58章

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Phoebe　did　not　reply　point…blank　to　that；　she　merely　said；　〃All　my
chickens　are　happy；　great　and　small；〃　and　an　expression　of　lofty；
womanly；　innocent　pride　illuminated　her　face　and　made　it　superb　for
a　moment。

In　short；　it　was　settled　that　Staines　should　accompany　her　next
morning　to　Dale's　Kloof　Farm；　if　he　chose。　　On　inquiry；　it　appeared
that　he　had　just　returned　to　the　hospital　with　his　patient。　　He　was
sent　for；　and　Phoebe　asked　him　sweetly　if　he　would　go　with　her　to
her　house；　one　hundred　and　eighty　miles　away；　and　she　would　be　kind
to　him。

〃On　the　water？〃

〃Nay；　by　land；　but　'tis　a　fine　country；　and　you　will　see　beautiful
deer　and　things　running　across　the　plains；　and〃

〃Shall　I　find　the　past　again；　the　past　again？〃

〃Ay；　poor　soul；　that　we　shall；　God　willing。　　You　and　I；　we　will
hunt　it　together。〃

He　looked　at　her；　and　gave　her　his　hand。　　〃I　will　go　with　you。
Your　face　belongs　to　the　past；　so　does　your　voice。〃

He　then　inquired；　rather　abruptly；　had　she　any　children。　　She
smiled。

〃Ay；　that　I　have；　the　loveliest　little　boy　you　ever　saw。　　When　you
are　as　you　used　to　be；　you　will　be　his　doctor；　won't　you？〃

〃Yes；　I　will　nurse　him；　and　you　will　help　me　find　the　past。〃

Phoebe　then　begged　Staines　to　be　ready　to　start　at　six　in　the
morning。　　She　and　Dick　would　take　him　up　on　their　way。

While　she　was　talking　to　him　the　doctor　slipped　out；　and　to　tell
the　truth　he　went　to　consult　with　another　authority；　whether　he
should　take　this　opportunity　of　telling　Staines　that　he　had　money
and　jewels　at　the　bank：　he　himself　was　half　inclined　to　do　so；　but
the　other；　who　had　not　seen　Phoebe's　face；　advised　him　to　do
nothing　of　the　kind。　　〃They　are　always　short　of　money；　these
colonial　farmers；〃　said　he；　〃she　would　get　every　shilling　out　of
him。〃

〃Most　would；　but　this　is　such　an　honest　face。〃

〃Well；　but　she　is　a　mother；　you　say。〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Well；　what　mother　could　be　just　to　a　lunatic；　with　her　own　sweet
angel　babes　to　provide　for？〃

〃That　is　true；〃　said　Dr。　。　　〃Maternal　love　is　apt　to　modify　the
conscience。〃

〃What　I　would　do；I　would　take　her　address；　and　make　her　promise
to　write　if　he　gets　well；　and　if　he　does　get　well　then　write　to
HIM；　and　tell　him　all　about　it。〃

Dr。　　acted　on　this　shrewd　advice；　and　ordered　a　bundle　to　be
made　up　for　the　traveller　out　of　the　hospital　stores：　it　contained
a　nice　light　summer　suit　and　two　changes　of　linen。


CHAPTER　XVIII。


Next　morning；　Staines　and　Dick　Dale　walked　through　the　streets　of
Cape　Town　side　by　side。　　Dick　felt　the　uneasiness　of　a　sane　man；
not　familiar　with　the　mentally　afflicted；　who　suddenly　finds
himself　alone　with　one。　　Insanity　turns　men　oftenest　into　sheep　and
hares；　but　it　does　now　and　then　make　them　wolves　and　tigers；　and
that　has　saddled　the　insane　in　general　with　a　character　for
ferocity。　　Young　Dale；　then；　cast　many　a　suspicious　glance　at　his
comrade；　as　he　took　him　along。　　These　glances　were　reassuring：
Christopher's　face　had　no　longer　the　mobility；　the　expressive
changes；　that　mark　the　superior　mind；　his　countenance　was
monotonous：　but　the　one　expression　was　engaging；　there　was　a　sweet；
patient；　lamb…like　look：　the　glorious　eye　a　little　troubled　and
perplexed；　but　wonderfully　mild。　　Dick　Dale　looked　and　looked；　and
his　uneasiness　vanished。　　And　the　more　he　looked；　the　more　did　a
certain　wonder　creep　over　him；　and　make　him　scarce　believe　the
thing　he　knew；　viz。；　that　a　learned　doctor　had　saved　him　from　the
jaws　of　death　by　rare　knowledge；　sagacity；　courage；　and　skill
combined：　and　that　mighty　man　of　wisdom　was　brought　down　to　this
lamb；　and　would　go　north；　south；　east；　or　west；　with　sweet　and
perfect　submission；　even　as　he；　Dick　Dale；　should　appoint。　　With
these　reflections　honest　Dick　felt　his　eyes　get　a　little　misty；
and；　to　use　those　words　of　Scripture；　which　nothing　can　surpass　or
equal；　his　bowels　yearned　over　the　man。

As　for　Christopher；　he　looked　straight　forward；　and　said　not　a　word
till　they　cleared　the　town；　but　when　he　saw　the　vast　flowery　vale；
and　the　far…off　violet　hills；　like　Scotland　glorified；　he　turned　to
Dick　with　an　ineffable　expression　of　sweetness　and　good　fellowship；
and　said；　〃Oh；　beautiful！　　We'll　hunt　the　past　together。〃

〃WewillSO；〃　said　Dick；　with　a　sturdy　and　indeed　almost　a　stern
resolution。

Now；　this　he　said；　not　that　he　cared　for　the　past；　nor　intended　to
waste　the　present　by　going　upon　its　predecessor's　trail；　but　he　had
come　to　a　resolutionfull　three　minutes　agoto　humor　his
companion　to　the　top　of　his　bent；　and　say　〃Yes〃　with　hypocritical
vigor　to　everything　not　directly　and　immediately　destructive　to　him
and　his。

The　next　moment　they　turned　a　corner　and　came　upon　the　rest　of
their　party；　hitherto　hidden　by　the　apricot　hedge　and　a　turning　in
the　road。　　A　blue…black　Kafir；　with　two　yellow　Hottentot　drivers；
man　and　boy；　was　harnessing；　in　the　most　primitive　mode；　four
horses　on　to　the　six　oxen　attached　to　the　wagon；　and　the　horses
were　flattening　their　ears；　and　otherwise　resenting　the
incongruity。　　Meantime　a　fourth　figure；　a　colossal　young　Kafir
woman；　looked　on　superior　with　folded　arms；　like　a　sable　Juno
looking　down　with　that　absolute　composure　upon　the　struggles　of　man
and　other　animals；　which　Lucretius　and　his　master　Epicurus　assigned
to　the　Divine　nature。　　Without　jesting；　the　grandeur；　majesty；　and
repose　of　this　figure　were　unsurpassable　in　nature；　and　such　as
have　vanished　from　sculpture　two　thousand　years　and　more。

Dick　Dale　joined　the　group　immediately；　and　soon　arranged　the
matter。　　Meantime；　Phoebe　descended　from　the　wagon；　and　welcomed
Christopher　very　kindly；　and　asked　him　if　he　would　like　to　sit
beside　her；　or　to　walk。

He　glanced　into　the　wagon；　it　was　covered　and　curtained；　and　dark
as　a　cupboard。　　〃I　think；〃　said　he；　timidly；　〃I　shall　see　more　of
the　past　out　here。〃

〃So　you　will；　poor　soul；〃　said　Phoebe　kindly；　〃and　better　for　your
health：　but　you　must　not　go　far　from　the　wagon；　for　I'm　a　fidget；
and　I　have　got　the　care　of　you　now；　you　know；　for　want　of　a　better。
Come；　Ucatella；　you　must　ride　with　me；　and　help　me　sort　the　things；
they　are　all　higgledy…piggledy。〃　　So　those　two　got　into　the　wagon
through　the　back　curtains。　　Then　the　Kafir　driver　flourished　his
kambok；　or　long　whip；　in　the　air；　and　made　it　crack　like　a　pistol；
and　the　horses　reared；　and　the　oxen　started　and　slowly　bored　in
between　them；　for　they　whinnied；　and　kicked；　and　spread　out　like　a
fan　all　over　the　road；　but　a　flick　or　two　from　the　terrible　kambok
soon　sent　them　bleeding　and　trembling　and　rubbing　shoulders；　and
the　oxen；　mildly　but　persistently　goring　their　recalcitrating
haunches；　the　intelligent　animals　went　ahead；　and　revenged
themselves　by　breaking　the　harness。　　But　that　goes　for　little　in
Cape　travel。

The　body　of　the　wagon　was　long　and　low　and　very　stout。　　The　tilt
strong　and　tight…made。　　The　roof　inside；　and　most　of　the　sides；
lined　with　green　baize。　　Curtains　of　the　same　to　the　little　window
and　the　back。　　There　was　a　sort　of　hold　literally　built　full　of
purchases；　a　small　fireproof　safe；　huge　blocks　of　salt；　saws；　axes；
pickaxes；　adzes；　flails；　tools　innumerable；　bales　of　wool　and　linen
stuff；　hams；　and　two　hundred　empty　sacks　strewn　over　all。　　In　large
pigeon…holes　fixed　to　the　sides　were　light　goods；　groceries；
collars；　glaring　cotton　handkerchiefs　for　Phoebe's　aboriginal
domestics；　since　not　every　year　did　she　go　to　Cape　Town；　a　twenty
days'　journey　by　wagon：　things　dangled　from　the　very　roof；　but　no
hard　goods　there；　if　you　please；　to　batter　one's　head　in　a　spill。
Outside　were　latticed　grooves　with　tent；　tent…poles；　and　rifles。
Great　pieces　of　cork；　and　bags　of　hay　and　corn；　hung　dangling　from
mighty　hooksthe　latter　to　feed　the　cattle；　should　they　be
compelled　to　camp　out　on　some　sterile　spot　on　the　Veldt；　and
methinks　to　act　as　buffers；　should　the　whole　concern　roll　down　a
nullah　or　little　precipice；　no　very　uncommon　incident　in　the
blessed　region　they　must　pass　to　reach　Dale's　Kloof。

Harness　mended；　fresh　start。　　The　Hottentots　and　Kafir　vociferated
and　yelled；　and　made　the　unearthly　row　of　a　dozen　wild　beasts
wrangling：　the　horses　drew　the　bullocks；　they　the　wagon