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the story of an african farm-第21部分
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The first thing that fell was a shower of yellow faded papers。 Bonaparte
opened them carefully one by one; and smoothed them out on his knee。 There
was something very valuable to be hidden so carefully; though the German
characters he could not decipher。 When he came to the last one; he felt
there was something hard in it。
〃You've got it; Bon; my boy! you've got it!〃 he cried; slapping his leg
hard。 Edging nearer to the door; for the light was fading; he opened the
paper carefully。 There was nothing inside but a plain gold wedding…ring。
〃Better than nothing!〃 said Bonaparte; trying to put it on his little
finger; which; however; proved too fat。
He took it off and set it down on the table before him; and looked at it
with his crosswise eyes。
〃When that auspicious hour; Sannie;〃 he said; 〃shall have arrived; when;
panting; I shall lead thee; lighted by Hymen's torch; to the connubial
altar; then upon thy fair amaranthine finger; my joyous bride; shall this
ring repose。
〃Thy fair body; oh; my girl;
Shall Bonaparte possess;
His fingers in thy money…bags;
He therein; too; shall mess。〃
Having given utterance to this flood of poesy; he sat lost in joyous
reflection。
〃He therein; too; shall mess;〃 he repeated meditatively。
At this instant; as Bonaparte swore; and swore truly to the end of his
life; a slow and distinct rap was given on the crown of his bald head。
Bonaparte started and looked up。 No riem or strap; hung down from the
rafters above; and not a human creature was near the door。 It was growing
dark; he did not like it。 He began to fold up the papers expeditiously。
He stretched out his hand for the ring。 The ring was gone! Gone; although
no human creature had entered the room; gone; although no form had crossed
the doorway。 Gone!
He would not sleep there; that was certain。
He stuffed the papers into his pocket。 As he did so; three slow and
distinct taps were given on the crown of his head。 Bonaparte's jaw fell:
each separate joint lost its power: he could not move; he dared not rise;
his tongue lay loose in his mouth。
〃Take all; take all!〃 he gurgled in his throat。 〃II do not want them。
Take〃
Here a resolute tug at the grey curls at the back of his head caused him to
leap up; yelling wildly。 Was he to sit still paralyzed; to be dragged away
bodily to the devil? With terrific shrieks he fled; casting no glance
behind。
。。。
When the dew was falling; and the evening was dark; a small figure moved
toward the gate of the furthest ostrich…camp; driving a bird before it。
When the gate was opened and the bird driven in and the gate fastened; it
turned away; but then suddenly paused near the stone wall。
〃Is that you; Waldo?〃 said Lyndall; hearing a sound。
The boy was sitting on the damp ground with his back to the wall。 He gave
her no answer。
〃Come;〃 she said; bending over him; 〃I have been looking for you all day。〃
He mumbled something。
〃You have had nothing to eat。 I have put some supper in your room。 You
must come home with me; Waldo。〃
She took his hand; and the boy rose slowly。
She made him take her arm; and twisted her small fingers among his。
〃You must forget;〃 she whispered。 〃Since it happened I walk; I talk; I
never sit still。 If we remember; we cannot bring back the dead。〃 She knit
her little fingers closer among his。 〃Forgetting is the best thing。 He
did watch it coming;〃 she whispered presently。 〃That is the dreadful
thing; to see it coming!〃 She shuddered。 〃I want it to come so to me too。
Why do you think I was driving that bird?〃 she added quickly。 〃That was
Hans; the bird that hates Bonaparte。 I let him out this afternoon; I
thought he would chase him and perhaps kill him。〃
The boy showed no sign of interest。
〃He did not catch him; but he put his head over the half…door of your cabin
and frightened him horribly。 He was there; busy stealing your things。
Perhaps he will leave them alone now; but I wish the bird had trodden on
him。〃
They said no more till they reached the door of the cabin。
〃There is a candle and supper on the table。 You must eat;〃 she said
authoritatively。 〃I cannot stay with you now; lest they find out about the
bird。〃
He grasped her arm and brought his mouth close to her ear。
〃There is no God!〃 he almost hissed; 〃no God; not anywhere!〃
She started。
〃Not anywhere!〃
He ground it out between his teeth; and she felt his hot breath on her
cheek。
〃Waldo; you are mad;〃 she said; drawing herself from him; instinctively。
He loosened his grasp and turned away from her also。
In truth; is it not life's way? We fight our little battles alone; you
yours; I mine。 We must not help or find help。
When your life is most real; to me you are mad; when your agony is
blackest; I look at you and wonder。 Friendship is good; a strong stick;
but when the hour comes to lean hard; it gives。 In the day of their
bitterest need all souls are alone。
Lyndall stood by him in the dark; pityingly; wonderingly。 As he walked to
the door; she came after him。
〃Eat your supper; it will do you good;〃 she said。
She rubbed her cheek against his shoulder and then ran away。
In the front room the little woolly Kaffer girl was washing Tant Sannie's
feet in a small tub; and Bonaparte; who sat on the wooden sofa; was pulling
off his shoes and stockings that his own feet might be washed also。 There
were three candles burning in the room; and he and Tant Sannie sat close
together; with the lean Hottentot not far off; for when ghosts are about
much light is needed; there is great strength in numbers。 Bonaparte had
completely recovered from the effects of his fright in the afternoon; and
the numerous doses of brandy that it had been necessary to administer to
him to effect his restoration had put him into a singularly pleasant and
amiable mood。
〃That boy Waldo;〃 said Bonaparte; rubbing his toes; 〃took himself off
coolly this morning as soon as the wagon came; and has not done a stiver of
work all day。 I'll not have that kind of thing now I'm master of this
farm。〃
The Hottentot maid translated。
〃Ah; I expect he's sorry that his father's dead;〃 said Tant Sannie。 〃It's
nature; you know。 I cried the whole morning when my father died。 One can
always get another husband; but one can't get another father;〃 said Tant
Sannie; casting a sidelong glance at Bonaparte。
Bonaparte expressed a wish to give Waldo his orders for the next day's
work; and accordingly the little woolly…headed Kaffer was sent to call him。
After a considerable time the boy appeared; and stood in the doorway。
If they had dressed him in one of the swallow…tailed coats; and oiled his
hair till the drops fell from it; and it lay as smooth as an elder's on
sacrament Sunday; there would still have been something unanointed in the
aspect
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