the story of an african farm-第29部分

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Waldo　is　shut　up　like　that。〃



For　ten　minutes　after　she　was　gone　Lyndall　worked　on　quietly；　then　she

folded　up　her　stuff；　rolled　it　tightly　together；　and　stood　before　the

closed　door　of　the　sitting　room　with　her　hands　closely　clasped。　　A　flush

rose　to　her　face：　　she　opened　the　door　quickly；　and　walked　in；　went　to　the

nail　on　which　the　key　of　the　fuel…room　hung。　　Bonaparte　and　Tant　Sannie　sat

there　and　saw　her。



〃What　do　you　want？〃　they　asked　together。



〃This　key；〃　she　said；　holding　it　up；　and　looking　at　them。



〃Do　you　mean　her　to　have　it？〃　said　Tant　Sannie　in　Dutch。



〃Why　don't　you　stop　her？〃　asked　Bonaparte　in　English。



〃Why　don't　you　take　it　from　her？〃　said　Tant　Sannie。



So　they　looked　at　each　other；　talking；　while　Lyndall　walked　to　the　fuel…

house　with　the　key；　her　underlip　bitten　in。



〃Waldo；〃　she　said；　as　she　helped　him　to　stand　up；　and　twisted　his　arm　about

her　waist　to　support　him；　〃we　will　not　be　children　always；　we　shall　have

the　power；　too；　some　day。〃　　She　kissed　his　naked　shoulder　with　her　soft

little　mouth。　　It　was　all　the　comfort　her　young　soul　could　give　him。





Chapter　1。XIII。　　He　Makes　Love。



〃Here；〃　said　Tant　Sannie　to　her　Hottentot　maid；　〃I　have　been　in　this　house

four　years；　and　never　been　up　in　the　loft。　　Fatter　women　than　I　go　up

ladders；　I　will　go　up　today　and　see　what　it　is　like；　and　put　it　to　rights

up　there。　　You　bring　the　little　ladder　and　stand　at　the　bottom。〃



〃There's　one　would　be　sorry　if　you　were　to　fall；〃　said　the　Hottentot　maid；

leering　at　Bonaparte's　pipe；　that　lay　on　the　table。



〃Hold　your　tongue；　jade；〃　said　her　mistress；　trying　to　conceal　a　pleased

smile；　〃and　go　and　fetch　the　ladder。〃



There　was　a　never…used　trap…door　at　one　end　of　the　sitting　room：　　this　the

Hottentot　maid　pushed　open；　and　setting　the　ladder　against　it；　the　Boer…

woman　with　some　danger　and　difficulty　climbed　into　the　loft。　　Then　the

Hottentot　maid　took　the　ladder　away；　as　her　husband　was　mending　the　wagon…

house；　and　needed　it；　but　the　trap…door　was　left　open。



For　a　little　while　Tant　Sannie　poked　about　among　the　empty　bottles　and

skins；　and　looked　at　the　bag　of　peaches　that　Waldo　was　supposed　to　have

liked　so；　then　she　sat　down　near　the　trap…door　beside　a　barrel　of　salt

mutton。　　She　found　that　the　pieces　of　meat　were　much　too　large；　and　took

out　her　clasp…knife　to　divide　them。



That　was　always　the　way　when　one　left　things　to　servants；　she　grumbled　to

herself：　　but　when　once　she　was　married　to　her　husband　Bonaparte　it　would

not　matter　whether　a　sheep　spoiled　or　nowhen　once　his　rich　aunt　with　the

dropsy　was　dead。　　She　smiled　as　she　dived　her　hand　into　the　pickle…water。



At　that　instant　her　niece　entered　the　room　below；　closely　followed　by

Bonaparte；　with　his　head　on　one　side；　smiling　mawkishly。　　Had　Tant　Sannie

spoken　at　that　moment　the　life　of　Bonaparte　Blenkins　would　have　run　a

wholly　different　course；　as　it　was；　she　remained　silent；　and　neither

noticed　the　open　trap…door　above　their　heads。



〃Sit　there；　my　love；〃　said　Bonaparte；　motioning　Trana　into　her　aunt's

elbow…chair；　and　drawing　another　close　up　in　front　of　it；　in　which　he

seated　himself。　　〃There；　put　your　feet　upon　the　stove　too。　　Your　aunt　has

gone　out　somewhere。　　Long　have　I　waited　for　this　auspicious　event！〃



Trana；　who　understood　not　one　word　of　English；　sat　down　in　the　chair　and

wondered　if　this　was　one　of　the　strange　customs　of　other　lands；　that　an　old

gentleman　may　bring　his　chair　up　to　yours；　and　sit　with　his　knees　touching

you。　　She　had　been　five　days　in　Bonaparte's　company；　and　feared　the　old

man；　and　disliked　his　nose。



〃How　long　have　I　desired　this　moment！〃　said　Bonaparte。　　〃But　that　aged

relative　of　thine　is　always　casting　her　unhallowed　shadow　upon　us。　　Look

into　my　eyes；　Trana。〃



Bonaparte　knew　that　she　comprehended　not　a　syllable；　but　he　understood　that

it　is　the　eye；　the　tone；　the　action；　and　not　at　all　the　rational　word；　that

touches　the　love…chords。　　He　saw　she　changed　colour。



〃All　night；〃　said　Bonaparte；　〃I　lie　awake；　I　see　naught　but　thy　angelic

countenance。　　I　open　my　arms　to　receive　theewhere　art　thou；　where？　　Thou

art　not　there！〃　said　Bonaparte；　suiting　the　action　to　the　words；　and

spreading　out　his　arms　and　drawing　them　to　his　breast。



〃Oh；　please；　I　don't　understand；〃　said　Trana；　〃I　want　to　go　away。〃



〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　Bonaparte；　leaning　back　in　his　chair；　to　her　great　relief；

and　pressing　his　hands　on　his　heart；　〃since　first　thy　amethystine

countenance　was　impressed　herewhat　have　I　not　suffered；　what　have　I　not

felt？　　Oh；　the　pangs　unspoken；　burning　as　an　ardent　coal　in　a　fiery　and

uncontaminated　bosom！〃　said　Bonaparte；　bending　forward　again。



〃Dear　Lord！〃　said　Trana　to　herself；　〃how　foolish　I　have　been！　　The　old　man

has　a　pain　in　his　stomach；　and　now；　as　my　aunt　is　out；　he　has　come　to　me　to

help　him。〃



She　smiled　kindly　at　Bonaparte；　and　pushing　past　him；　went　to　the　bedroom；

quickly　returning　with　a　bottle　of　red　drops　in　her　hand。



〃They　are　very　good　for　benauwdheid；　my　mother　always　drinks　them；〃　she

said；　holding　the　bottle　out。



The　face　in　the　trap…door　was　a　fiery　red。　　Like　a　tiger…cat　ready　to

spring。　　Tant　Sannie　crouched；　with　the　shoulder　of　mutton　in　her　hand。　

Exactly　beneath　her　stood　Bonaparte。　　She　rose　and　clasped　with　both　arms

the　barrel　of　salt　meat。



〃What；　rose　of　the　desert；　nightingale　of　the　colony；　that　with　thine

amorous　lay　whilest　the　lonesome　night！〃　cried　Bonaparte；　seizing　the　hand

that　held　the　vonlicsense。　　Nay；　struggle　not！　　Fly　as　a　stricken　fawn　into

the　arms　that　would　embrace　thee；　thou〃



Here　a　stream　of　cold　pickle…water；　heavy　with　ribs　and　shoulders；

descending　on　his　head　abruptly　terminated　his　speech。　　Half…blinded；

Bonaparte　looked　up　through　the　drops　that　hung　from　his　eyelids；　and　saw

the　red　face　that　looked　down　at　him。　　With　one　wild　cry　he　fled。　　As　he

passed　out　at　the　front　door　a　shoulder　of　mutton；　well…directed；　struck

the　black　coat　in　the　small　of　the　back。



〃Bring　the　ladder！　bring　the　ladder！　　I　will　go　after　him！〃　cried　the　Boer…

woman；　as　Bonaparte　Blenkins　wildly　fled　into　the　fields。



。。。



Late　in　the　evening　of　the　same　day　Waldo　knelt　on　the　floor　of　his　cabin。　

He　bathed　the　foot　of　his　dog　which　had　been　pierced　by　a　thorn。　　The

bruises　on　his　own　back　had　had　five　days　to　heal　in；　and；　except　a　little

stiffness　in　his　movements；　there　was　nothing　remarkable　about　the　boy。



The　troubles　of　the　young　are　soon　over；　they　leave　no　external　mark。　　If

you　wound　the　tree　in　its　youth　the　bark　will　quickly　cover　the　gash；　but

when　the　tree　is　very　old；　peeling　the　bark　off；　and　looking　carefully；　you

will　see　the　scar　there　still。　　All　that　is　buried　is　not　dead。



Waldo　poured　the　warm　milk　over　the　little　swollen　foot；　Doss　lay　very

quiet；　with　tears　in　his　eyes。　　Then　there　was　a　tap　at　the　door。　　In　an

instant　Doss　looked　wide　awake；　and　winked　the　tears　out