prester john-第50章

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alked　of　the　Kaffirs　and　our　future。　　I　had　about　a　dozen　pupils　then；　and　now　I　have　nearly　three　thousand；　and　in　place　of　a　tin…roofed　shanty　and　a　yard；　I　have　a　whole　countryside。　　You　laughed　at　me　for　my　keenness；　Davie；　but　I've　seen　it　justified。　　I　was　never　a　man　of　war　like　you；　and　so　I　had　to　bide　at　home　while　you　and　your　like　were　straightening　out　the　troubles。　　But　when　it　was　all　over　my　job　began；　for　I　could　do　what　you　couldn't　do　…　I　was　the　physician　to　heal　wounds。　　You　mind　how　nervous　I　was　when　I　heard　the　drums　beat。　　I　hear　them　every　evening　now；　for　we　have　made　a　rule　that　all　the　Kaffir　farms　on　the　Berg　sound　a　kind　of　curfew。　　It　reminds　me　of　old　times；　and　tells　me　that　though　it　is　peace　nowadays　we　mean　to　keep　all　the　manhood　in　them　that　they　used　to　exercise　in　war。　　It　would　do　your　eyes　good　to　see　the　garden　we　have　made　out　of　the　Klein　Labongo　glen。　　The　place　is　one　big　orchard　with　every　kind　of　tropical　fruit　in　it；　and　the　irrigation　dam　is　as　full　of　fish　as　it　will　hold。　　Out　at　Umvelos'　there　is　a　tobacco…factory；　and　all　round　Sikitola's　we　have　square　miles　of　mealie　and　cotton　fields。　　The　loch　on　the　Rooirand　is　stocked　with　Lochleven　trout；　and　we　have　made　a　bridle…path　up　to　it　in　a　gully　east　of　the　one　you　climbed。　　You　ask　about　Machudi's。　　The　last　time　I　was　there　the　place　was　white　with　sheep；　for　we　have　got　the　edge　of　the　plateau　grazed　down；　and　sheep　can　get　the　short　bite　there。　　We　have　cleaned　up　all　the　kraals；　and　the　chiefs　are　members　of　our　county　council；　and　are　as　fond　of　hearing　their　own　voices　as　an　Aberdeen　bailie。　　It's　a　queer　transformation　we　have　wrought；　and　when　I　sit　and　smoke　my　pipe　in　the　evening；　and　look　over　the　plains　and　then　at　the　big　black　statue　you　and　Aitken　set　up；　I　thank　the　Providence　that　has　guided　me　so　far。　　I　hope　and　trust　that；　in　the　Bible　words；　〃the　wilderness　and　the　solitary　place　are　glad　for　us。〃　At　any　rate　it　will　not　be　my　fault　if　they　don't　〃blossom　as　the　rose〃。　　Come　out　and　visit　us　soon；　man；　and　see　the　work　you　had　a　hand　in　starting。　　。。。'

I　am　thinking　seriously　of　taking　Wardlaw's　advice。





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