a simpleton-第75章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


white　man's　habits。

Yes；　reader；　he　told　the　truth；　and　strange　to　say；　the　miners　knew
the　largest　stones　were　in　these　great　lumps　of　carbonate；　but　then
the　lumps　were　so　cruelly　hard；　they　lost　all　patience　with　them；
and　so；　finding　it　was　no　use　to　break　some　of　them；　and　not　all；
they　rejected　them　all；　with　curses；　and　thus　this　great　stone　was
carted　away　as　rubbish　from　the　mine；　and　found；　like　a　toad　in　a
hole；　by　Squat。

〃Well；〃　said　Christopher；　〃after　all；　you　are　an　honest　fellow；　and
I　think　I　will　buy　it；　but　first　you　must　show　me　out　of　this　wood；
I　am　not　going　to　be　eaten　alive　in　it　for　want　of　the　king　of
rifles。〃

Squat　assented　eagerly；　and　they　started　at　once。　　They　passed　the
skeleton　of　the　eland；　its　very　bones　were　polished；　and　its　head
carried　into　the　wood；　and　looking　back　they　saw　vultures　busy　on
the　lion。　　They　soon　cleared　the　wood。

Squat　handed　Staines　the　diamondwhen　it　touched　his　hand；　as　his
own；　a　bolt　of　ice　seemed　to　run　down　his　back；　and　hot　water　to
follow　itand　the　money；　horse；　rifle；　and　skin　were　made　over　to
Squat。

〃Shake　hands　over　it；　Squat；〃　said　Staines；　〃you　are　hard；　but　you
are　honest。〃

〃Iss；　master；　I　a　good　much　hard　and　honest；〃　said　Squat。

〃Good…by；　old　fellow。〃

〃Good…by；　master。〃

And　Squat　strutted　away；　with　the　halter　in　his　hand；　horse
following　him；　rifle　under　his　arm；　and　the　lion's　skin　over　his
shoulders；　and　the　tail　trailing；　a　figure　sublime　in　his　own　eyes；
ridiculous　in　creation's。　　So　vanity　triumphed；　even　in　the　wilds
of　Africa。

Staines　hurried　forward　on　foot；　loading　his　revolver　as　he　went；
for　the　very　vicinity　of　the　wood　alarmed　him　now　that　he　had
parted　with　his　trusty　rifle。

That　night　he　lay　down　on　the　open　veldt；　in　his　jackal's　skin；
with　no　weapon　but　his　revolver；　and　woke　with　a　start　a　dozen
times。　　Just　before　daybreak　he　scanned　the　stars　carefully；　and
noting　exactly　where　the　sun　rose；　made　a　rough　guess　at　his
course；　and　followed　it　till　the　sun　was　too　hot；　then　he　crept
under　a　ragged　bush；　hung　up　his　jackal's　skin；　and　sweated　there；
parched　with　thirst；　and　gnawed　with　hunger。　　When　it　was　cooler；
he　crept　on；　and　found　water；　but　no　food。　　He　was　in　torture；　and
began　to　be　frightened；　for　he　was　in　a　desert。　　He　found　an
ostrich　egg　and　ate　it　ravenously。

Next　day；　hunger　took　a　new　form；　faintness。　　He　could　not　walk　for
it；　his　jackal's　skin　oppressed　him；　he　lay　down　exhausted。　　A
horror　seized　his　dejected　soul。　　The　diamond！　　It　would　be　his
death。　　No　man　must　so　long　for　any　earthly　thing　as　he　had　for
this　glittering　traitor。　　〃Oh！　my　good　horse！　my　trusty　rifle！〃　he
cried。　　〃For　what　have　I　thrown　you　away？　　For　starvation。　　Misers
have　been　found　stretched　over　their　gold；　and　some　day　my　skeleton
will　be　found；　and　nothing　to　tell　the　base　death　I　died　of　and
deserved；　nothing　but　the　cursed　diamond。　　Ay；　fiend；　glare　in　my
eyes；　do！〃　　He　felt　delirium　creeping　over　him；　and　at　that　a　new
terror　froze　him。　　His　reason；　that　he　had　lost　once；　was　he　to
lose　it　again？　　He　prayed；　he　wept；　he　dozed；　and　forgot　all。　　When
he　woke　again；　a　cool　air　was　fanning　his　cheeks；　it　revived　him　a
little；　it　became　almost　a　breeze。

And　this　breeze；　as　it　happened；　carried　on　its　wings　the　curse　of
Africa。　　There　loomed　in　the　north…west　a　cloud　of　singular
density；　that　seemed　to　expand　in　size　as　it　drew　nearer；　yet　to　be
still　more　solid；　and　darken　the　air。　　It　seemed　a　dust…storm。
Staines　took　out　his　handkerchief；　prepared　to　wrap　his　face　in　it；
not　to　be　stifled。

But　soon　there　was　a　whirring　and　a　whizzing；　and　hundreds　of
locusts　flew　over　his　head；　they　were　followed　by　thousands；　the
swiftest　of　the　mighty　host。　　They　thickened　and　thickened；　till
the　air　looked　solid；　and　even　that　glaring　sun　was　blackened　by
the　rushing　mass。　　Birds　of　all　sorts　whirled　above；　and　swooped
among　them。　　They　peppered　Staines　all　over　like　shot。　　They　stuck
in　his　beard；　and　all　over　him；　they　clogged　the　bushes；　carpeted
the　ground；　while　the　darkened　air　sang　as　with　the　whirl　of
machinery。　　Every　bird　in　the　air；　and　beast　of　the　field；
granivorous　or　carnivorous；　was　gorged　with　them；　and　to　these
animals　was　added　man；　for　Staines；　being　famished；　and　remembering
the　vrow　Bulteel；　lighted　a　fire；　and　roasted　a　handful　or　two　on　a
flat　stone；　they　were　delicious。　　The　fire　once　lighted；　they
cooked　themselves；　for　they　kept　flying　into　it。　　Three　hours；
without　interruption；　did　they　darken　nature；　and；　before　the
column　ceased；　all　the　beasts　of　the　field　came　after；　gorging　them
so　recklessly；　that　Staines　could　have　shot　an　antelope　dead　with
his　pistol　within　a　yard　of　him。

But　to　tell　the　horrible　truth；　the　cooked　locusts　were　so　nice
that　he　preferred　to　gorge　on　them　along　with　the　other　animals。

He　roasted　another　lot；　for　future　use；　and　marched　on　with　a　good
heart。

But　now　he　got　on　some　rough；　scrubby　ground；　and　damaged　his
shoes；　and　tore　his　trousers。

This　lasted　a　terrible　distance；　but　at　the　end　of　it　came　the
usual　arid　ground；　and　at　last　he　came　upon　the　track　of　wheels　and
hoofs。　　He　struck　it　at　an　acute　angle；　and　that　showed　him　he　had
made　a　good　line。　　He　limped　along　it　a　little　way；　slowly；　being
footsore。

By　and　by；　looking　back；　he　saw　a　lot　of　rough　fellows　swaggering
along　behind　him。　　Then　he　was　alarmed；　terribly　alarmed；　for　his
diamond；　he　tore　a　strip　of　his　handkerchief；　and　tied　the　stone
cunningly　under　his　armpit　as　he　hobbled　on。

The　men　came　up　with　him。

〃Hallo；　mate！　　Come　from　the　diggings？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃What　luck？〃

〃Very　good。〃

〃Haw！　haw！　　What！　found　a　fifty…carat？　　Show　it　us。〃

〃We　found　five　big　stones；　my　mate　and　me。　　He　is　gone　to　Cape　Town
to　sell　them。　　I　had　no　luck　when　he　had　left　me；　so　I　have　cut　it；
going　to　turn　farmer。　　Can　you　tell　me　how　far　it　is　to　Dale's
Kloof？〃

No；　they　could　not　tell　him　that。　　They　swung　on；　and；　to　Staines；
their　backs　were　a　cordial；　as　we　say　in　Scotland。

However；　his　travels　were　near　an　end。　　Next　morning　he　saw　Dale's
Kloof　in　the　distance；　and　as　soon　as　the　heat　moderated；　he　pushed
on；　with　one　shoe　and　tattered　trousers；　and　half　an　hour　before
sunset　he　hobbled　up　to　the　place。

It　was　all　bustle。　　Travellers　at　the　door；　their　wagons　and　carts
under　a　long　shed。

Ucatella　was　the　first　to　see　him　coming；　and　came　and　fawned　on
him　with　delight。　　Her　eyes　glistened；　her　teeth　gleamed。　　She
patted　both　his　cheeks；　and　then　his　shoulders；　and　even　his　knees；
and　then　flew　in…doors　crying；　〃My　doctor　child　is　come　home！〃
This　amused　three　travellers；　and　brought　out　Dick；　with　a　hearty
welcome。

〃But　Lordsake；　sir；　why　have　you　come　afoot；　and　a　rough　road　too？
Look　at　your　shoes。　　Hallo！　　What　is　come　of　the　horse？〃

〃I　exchanged　him　for　a　diamond。〃

〃The　deuce　you　did！　　And　the　rifle？〃

〃Exchanged　that　for　the　same　diamond。〃

〃It　ought　to　be　a　big　'un。〃

〃It　is。〃

Dick　made　a　wry　face。　　〃Well；　sir；　you　know　best。　　You　are　welcome；
on　horse　or　afoot。　　You　are　just　in　time；　Phoebe　and　me　are　just
sitting　down　to　dinner。〃

He　took　him　into　a　little　room　they　had　built　for　their　own
privacy；　for　they　liked　to　be　quiet　now　and　then；　being　country
bred；　and　Phoebe　was　putting　their　dinner　on　the　table；　when
Staines　limped　in。

She　gave　a　joyful　cry；　and　turned　red　all　over。　　〃Oh；　doctor！〃
Then　his　travel…torn　appearance　struck　her。　　〃But；　dear　heart！　what
a　figure！　　Where's　Reginald？　　Oh；　he's　not　far　off；　I　know。〃

And　she　flung　open　the　window；　and　almost　flew　through　it　in　a
moment；　to　look　for　her　husband。

〃Reginald？〃　said　Staines。　　Then　turning　to　Dick　Dale；　〃Why；　he　is
hereisn't　he？〃

〃No；　sir：　not　without　he　is　just　come　with　you。〃

〃With　me？no。　　You　know　we　parted　at　the　diggings。　　Come；　Mr。
Dale；　he　may　not　be　here　now；　but　he　has　been　here。　　He　must　have
been　here。〃

Phoebe；　who　had　not　lost　a　word；　turned　round；　with　all　her　high
color　gone；　and　her　cheeks　getting　paler　and　paler。　　〃Oh；　Dick！
what　is　this？〃

〃I　don't　understand　it；〃　said　Dick。　　〃Whatever　made　you　think　he
was　here；　sir？〃

〃Why；　I　tell　you　he　lef