a simpleton-第71章
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live all your life unmarried； and who will love you as I do？ You
are my first and only love。 My happiness depends on you。〃
〃Your happiness depend on me！ Heaven forbida woman of my age；
that feels so old； old； old。〃
〃You are not old； you are young； and sad； and beautiful； and my
happiness depends on you。〃 She began to tremble a little。 Then he
kneeled at her knees； and implored her； and his hot tears fell upon
the hand she put out to stop him； while she turned her head away；
and the tears began to run。
Oh！ never can the cold dissecting pen tell what rushes over the
heart that has loved and lost； when another true love first kneels
and implores for love； or pity； or anything the bereaved can give。
CHAPTER XXIII。
When Falcon went； luck seemed to desert their claim： day after day
went by without a find； and the discoveries on every side made this
the more mortifying。
By this time the diggers at Bulteel's pan were as miscellaneous as
the audience at Drury Lane Theatre； only mixed more closely； the
gallery folk and the stalls worked cheek by jowl。 Here a gentleman
with an affected lisp； and close by an honest fellow； who could not
deliver a sentence without an oath； or some still more horrible
expletive that meant nothing at all in reality； but served to make
respectable flesh creep： interspersed with these； Hottentots；
Kafirs； and wild blue blacks gayly clad in an ostrich feather； a
scarlet ribbon； and a Tower musket sold them by some good Christian
for a modern rifle。
On one side of Staines were two swells； who lay on their backs and
talked opera half the day； but seldom condescended to work without
finding a diamond of some sort。
After a week's deplorable luck； his Kafir boy struck work on
account of a sore in his leg； the sore was due to a very common
cause； the burning sand had got into a scratch； and festered。
Staines； out of humanity； examined the sore； and proceeding to
clean it； before bandaging； out popped a diamond worth forty
pounds； even in the depreciated market。 Staines quietly pocketed
it； and bandaged the leg。 This made him suspect his blacks had
been cheating him on a large scale； and he borrowed Hans Bulteel to
watch them； giving him a third； with which Master Hans was mightily
pleased。 But they could only find small diamonds； and by this time
prodigious slices of luck were reported on every side。 Kafirs and
Boers that would not dig； but traversed large tracts of ground when
the sun was shining； stumbled over diamonds。 One Boer pointed to a
wagon and eight oxen； and said that one lucky glance on the sand
had given him that lot： but day after day Staines returned home；
covered with dust； and almost blinded； yet with little or nothing
to show for it。
One evening； complaining of his change of luck； Bulteel quietly
proposed to him migration。 〃I am going；〃 said he resignedly： 〃and
you can come with me。〃
〃You leave your farm； sir？ Why； they pay you ten shillings a
claim； and that must make a large return； the pan is fifteen
acres。〃
〃Yes； mine vriend；〃 said the poor Hollander； 〃they pay； but deir
money it cost too dear。 Vere is mine peace？ Dis farm is six
tousand acres。 If de cursed diamonds was farther off； den it vas
vell。 But dey are too near。 Once I could smoke in peace； and
zleep。 Now diamonds is come； and zleep and peace is fled。 Dere is
four tousand tents； and to each tent a dawg； dat dawg bark at four
tousand other dawgs all night； and dey bark at him and at each
oder。 Den de masters of de dawgs dey get angry； and fire four
tousand pistole at de four tousand dawgs； and make my bed shake wid
the trembling of mine vrow。 My vamily is with diamonds infected。
Dey vill not vork。 Dey takes long valks； and always looks on de
ground。 Mine childre shall be hump…backed； round…shouldered；
looking down for diamonds。 Dey shall forget Gott。 He is on high：
dere eyes are always on de earth。 De diggers found a diamond in
mine plaster of mine wall of mine house。 Dat plaster vas
limestone； it come from dose kopjes de good Gott made in His anger
against man for his vickedness。 I zay so。 Dey not believe me。
Dey tink dem abominable stones grow in mine house； and break out in
mine plaster like de measle： dey vaunt to dig in mine wall； in mine
garden； in mine floor。 One day dey shall dig in mine body。 I vill
go。 Better I love peace dan money。 Here is English company make
me offer for mine varm。 Dey forgive de diamonds。〃
〃You have not accepted it？〃 cried Staines in alarm。
〃No； but I vill。 I have said I shall tink of it。 Dat is my vay。
So I say yah。〃
〃An English company？ They will cheat you without mercy。 No； they
shall not； though； for I will have a hand in the bargain。〃
He set to work directly； added up the value of the claims； at ten
shillings per month； and amazed the poor Hollander by his statement
of the value of those fifteen acres； capitalized。
And to close this part of the subject； the obnoxious diamonds
obtained him three times as much as his father had given for the
whole six thousand acres。
The company got a great bargain； but Bulteel received what for him
was a large capital； and settling far to the south； this lineal
descendant of le philosophe sans savoir carried his godliness； his
cleanliness； and his love of peace； out of the turmoil； and was
happier than ever； since now he could compare his placid existence
with one year of noise and clamor。
But long before this； events more pertinent to my story had
occurred。
One day； a Hottentot came into Bulteel's farm and went out among
the diggers； till be found Staines。 The Hottentot was one employed
at Dale's Kloof； and knew him。 He brought Staines a letter。
Staines opened the letter； and another letter fell out； it was
directed to 〃Reginald Falcon； Esq。〃
〃Why；〃 thought Staines； 〃what a time this letter must have been on
the road！ So much for private messengers。〃
The letter ran thus：
DEAR SIR；This leaves us all well at Dale's Kloof； as I hope it
shall find you and my dear husband at the diggings。 Sir； I am
happy to say I have good news for you。 When you got well by God's
mercy； I wrote to the doctor at the hospital and told him so。 I
wrote unbeknown to you； because I had promised him。 Well； sir； he
has written back to say you have two hundred pounds in money； and a
great many valuable things； such as gold and jewels。 They are all
at the old bank in Cape Town； and the cashier has seen you； and
will deliver them on demand。 So that is the first of my good news；
because it is good news to you。 But； dear sir； I think you will be
pleased to hear that Dick and I are thriving wonderfully； thanks to
your good advice。 The wooden house it is built； and a great oven。
But； sir； the traffic came almost before we were ready； and the
miners that call here； coming and going； every day； you would not
believe； likewise wagons and carts。 It is all bustle； morn till
night； and dear Reginald will never be dull here now； I hope you
will be so kind as tell him so； for I do long to see you both home
again。
Sir； we are making our fortunes。 The grain we could not sell at a
fair price； we sell as bread； and higher than in England ever so
much。 Tea and coffee the same； and the poor things praise us； too；
for being so moderate。 So； sir； Dick bids me say that we owe this
to you； and if so be you are minded to share； why nothing would
please us better。 Head…piece is always worth money in these parts；
and if it hurts your pride to be our partner without money； why you
can throw in what you have at the Cape； though we don't ask that。
And； besides； we are offered diamonds a bargain every day； but are
afraid to deal； for want of experience； but if you were in it with
us； you must know them well by this time； and we might turn many a
good pound that way。 Dear sir； I hope you will not be offended；
but I think this is the only way we have； Dick and I； to show our
respect and good…will。
Dear sir； digging is hard work； and not fit for you and Reginald；
that are gentlemen； amongst a lot of rough fellows； that their talk
makes my hair stand on end； though I dare say they mean no harm。
Y
