the story of an african farm-第13部分

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man　to　understand；　my　friends。　　Here　are　clothes；　my　friends；　here　are

beds；　my　friends；　here　is　delicious　food；　my　friends。　　Our　precious　bodies

were　given　us　to　love；　to　cherish。　　Oh；　let　us　do　so！　　Oh；　let　us　never

hurt　them；　but　care　for　and　love　them；　my　friends！〃



Every　one　was　impressed；　and　Bonaparte　proceeded：



〃Thirdly；　let　us　not　love　too　much。　　If　that　young　man　had　not　loved　that

young　woman；　he　would　not　have　jumped　into　Mount　Etna。　　The　good　men　of　old

never　did　so。　　Was　Jeremiah　ever　in　love；　or　Ezekiel；　or　Hosea；　or　even　any

of　the　minor　prophets？　　No。　　Then　why　should　we　be？　　Thousands　are　rolling

in　that　lake　at　this　moment　who　would　say；　'It　was　love　that　brought　us

here。'　　Oh；　let　us　think　always　of　our　own　souls　first。



〃'A　charge　to　keep　I　have；

　　　　A　God　to　glorify；

　　A　never…dying　soul　to　save；

　　　　And　fit　it　for　the　sky。'



〃Oh；　beloved　friends；　remember　the　little　boy　and　the　meiboss；　remember　the

young　girl　and　the　young　man；　remember　the　lake；　the　fire；　and　the

brimstone；　remember　the　suicide's　skeleton　on　the　pitchy　billows　of　Mount

Etna；　remember　the　voice　of　warning　that　has　this　day　sounded　in　your　ears；

and　what　I　say　to　you　I　say　to　allwatch！　　May　the　Lord　add　his

blessings！〃



Here　the　Bible　closed　with　a　tremendous　thud。　　Tant　Sannie　loosened　the

white　handkerchief　about　her　neck　and　wiped　her　eyes；　and　the　coloured

girl；　seeing　her　do　so；　sniffled。　　The　did　not　understand　the　discourse；

which　made　it　the　more　affecting。



There　hung　over　it　that　inscrutable　charm　which　hovers　forever　for　the

human　intellect　over　the　incomprehensible　and　shadowy。　　When　the　last　hymn

was　sung　the　German　conducted　the　officiator　to　Tant　Sannie；　who　graciously

extended　her　hand；　and　offered　coffee　and　a　seat　on　the　sofa。　　Leaving　him

there；　the　German　hurried　away　to　see　how　the　little　plum…pudding　he　had

left　at　home　was　advancing；　and　Tant　Sannie　remarked　that　it　was　a　hot　day。　

Bonaparte　gathered　her　meaning　as　she　fanned　herself　with　the　end　of　her

apron。　　He　bowed　low　in　acquiescence。　　A　long　silence　followed。　　Tant

Sannie　spoke　again。　　Bonaparte　gave　her　no　ear；　his　eye　was　fixed　on　a

small　miniature　on　the　opposite　wall；　which　represented　Tant　Sannie　as　she

had　appeared　on　the　day　before　her　confirmation；　fifteen　years　before；

attired　in　green　muslin。　　Suddenly　he　started　to　his　feet；　walked　up　to　the

picture；　and　took　his　stand　before　it。　　Long　and　wistfully　he　gazed　into

its　features；　it　was　easy　to　see　that　he　was　deeply　moved。　　With　a　sudden

movement；　as　though　no　longer　able　to　restrain　himself；　he　seized　the

picture；　loosened　it　from　its　nail；　and　held　it　close　to　his　eyes。　　At

length；　turning　to　the　Boer…woman；　he　said；　in　a　voice　of　deep　emotion：



〃You　will；　I　trust；　dear　madam；　excuse　this　exhibition　of　my　feelings；　but

thisthis　little　picture　recalls　to　me　my　first　and　best　beloved；　my　dear

departed　wife；　who　is　now　a　saint　in　heaven。〃



Tant　Sannie　could　not　understand；　but　the　Hottentot　maid；　who　had　taken　her

seat　on　the　floor　beside　her　mistress；　translated　the　English　into　Dutch　as

far　as　she　was　able。



〃Ah；　my　first；　my　beloved！〃　he　added；　looking　tenderly　down　at　the　picture。　

〃Oh；　the　beloved；　the　beautiful　lineaments！　　My　angel　wife！　　This　is　surely

a　sister　of　yours；　madame？〃　he　added；　fixing　his　eyes　on　Tant　Sannie。



The　Dutchwoman　blushed；　shook　her　head；　and　pointed　to　herself。



Carefully；　intently；　Bonaparte　looked　from　the　picture　in　his　hand　to　Tant

Sannie's　features；　and　from　the　features　back　to　the　picture。　　Then　slowly

a　light　broke　over　his　countenance；　he　looked　up；　it　became　a　smile；　he

looked　back　at　the　miniature；　his　whole　countenance　was　effulgent。



〃Ah；　yes；　I　see　it　now；〃　he　cried；　turning　his　delighted　gaze　on　the　Boer…

woman；　〃eyes；　mouth；　nose；　chin；　the　very　expression！〃　he　cried。　　〃How　is

it　possible　I　did　not　notice　it　before？〃



〃Take　another　cup　of　coffee；〃　said　Tant　Sannie。　　〃Put　some　sugar　in。〃



Bonaparte　hung　the　picture　tenderly　up；　and　was　turning　to　take　the　cup

from　her　hand；　when　the　German　appeared；　to　say　that　the　pudding　was　ready

and　the　meat　on　the　table。



〃He's　a　God…fearing　man；　and　one　who　knows　how　to　behave　himself；〃　said　the

Boer…woman　as　he　went　out　at　the　door。　　〃If　he's　ugly；　did　not　the　Lord

make　him？　　And　are　we　to　laugh　at　the　Lord's　handiwork？　　It　is　better　to　be

ugly　and　good　than　pretty　and　bad；　though　of　course　it's　nice　when　one　is

both；〃　said　Tant　Sannie；　looking　complacently　at　the　picture　on　the　wall。



In　the　afternoon　the　German　and　Bonaparte　sat　before　the　door　of　the　cabin。

Both　smoked　in　complete　silenceBonaparte　with　a　book　in　his　hands　and　his

eyes　half　closed；　the　German　puffing　vigorously；　and　glancing　up　now　and

again　at　the　serene　blue　sky　overhead。



〃Supposingyouyou；　in　fact；　made　the　remark　to　me；〃　burst　forth　the

German　suddenly；　〃that　you　were　looking　for　a　situation。〃



Bonaparte　opened　his　mouth　wide；　and　sent　a　stream　of　smoke　through　his

lips。



〃Now　supposing；〃　said　the　German〃merely　supposing；　of　coursethat　some

one；　some　one；　in　fact；　should　make　an　offer　to　you；　say；　to　become

schoolmaster　on　their　farm　and　teach　two　children；　two　little　girls；

perhaps；　and　would　give　you　forty　pounds　a　year；　would　you　accept　it？　　Just

supposing；　of　course。〃



〃Well；　my　dear　friend；〃　said　Bonaparte；　〃that　would　depend　on

circumstances。　　Money　is　no　consideration　with　me。　　For　my　wife　I　have　made

provision　for　the　next　year。　　My　health　is　broken。　　Could　I　meet　a　place

where　a　gentleman　would　be　treated　as　a　gentleman　I　would　accept　it；

however　small　the　remuneration。　　With　me；〃　said　Bonaparte；　〃money　is　no

consideration。〃



〃Well；〃　said　the　German；　when　he　had　taken　a　whiff　or　two　more　from　his

pipe；　〃I　think　I　shall　go　up　and　see　Tant　Sannie　a　little。　　I　go　up　often

on　Sunday　afternoon　to　have　a　general　conversation；　to　see　her；　you　know。　

Nothingnothing　particular；　you　know。〃



The　old　man　put　his　book　into　his　pocket；　and　walked　up　to　the　farmhouse

with　a　peculiarly　knowing　and　delighted　expression　of　countenance。



〃He　doesn't　suspect　what　I'm　going　to　do；〃　soliloquized　the　German；　〃hasn't

the　least　idea。　　A　nice　surprise　for　him。〃



The　man　whom　he　had　left　at　his　doorway　winked　at　the　retreating　figure

with　a　wink　that　was　not　to　be　described。





Chapter　1。VI。　　Bonaparte　Blenkins　Makes　His　Nest。



〃Ah；　what　is　the　matter？〃　asked　Waldo；　stopping　at　the　foot　of　the　ladder

with　a　load　of　skins　on　his　back　that　he　was　carrying　up　to　the　loft。　

Through　the　open　door　in　the　gable　little　Em　was　visible；　her　feet　dangling

from　the　high　bench　on　which　she　sat。　　The　room；　once　a　storeroom；　had　been

divided　by　a　row　of　mealie　bags　into　two　partsthe　back　being　Bonaparte's

bedroom；　the　front　his　schoolroom。



〃Lyndall　made　him　angry；〃　said　the　girl　tearfully；　〃and　he　has　given　me　the

fourteenth　of　John　to　learn。　　He　says　he　will　teach　me　to　behave　mysel