the story of an african farm-第30部分

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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　from　between　his

little　lids。



〃Come　in；〃　said　Waldo；　intent　on　his　work；　and　slowly　and　cautiously　the

door　opened。



〃Good　evening；　Waldo；　my　boy；〃　said　Bonaparte　Blenkins　in　a　mild　voice；　not

venturing　more　than　his　nose　within　the　door。　　〃How　are　you　this　evening？〃



Doss　growled　and　showed　his　little　teeth；　and　tried　to　rise；　but　his　paw

hurt　him　so　he　whined。



〃I'm　very　tired；　Waldo；　my　boy；〃　said　Bonaparte　plaintively。



Doss　showed　his　little　white　teeth　again。　　His　master　went　on　with　his　work

without　looking　round。　　There　are　some　people　at　whose　hands　it　is　best　not

to　look。　　At　last　he　said：



〃Come　in。〃



Bonaparte　stepped　cautiously　a　little　way　into　the　room；　and　left　the　door

open　behind　him。　　He　looked　at　the　boy's　supper　on　the　table。



〃Waldo；　I've　had　nothing　to　eat　all　dayI'm　very　hungry；〃　he　said。



〃Eat！〃　said　Waldo　after　a　moment；　bending　lower　over　his　dog。



〃You　won't　go　and　tell　her　that　I　am　here；　will　you；　Waldo？〃　said　Bonaparte

most　uneasily。　　〃You've　heard　how　she　used　me；　Waldo？　　I've　been　badly

treated；　you'll　know　yourself　what　it　is　some　day　when　you　can't　carry　on　a

little　conversation　with　a　lady　without　having　salt　meat　and　pickle…water

thrown　at　you。　　Waldo；　look　at　me；　do　I　look　as　a　gentleman　should？〃



But　the　boy　neither　looked　up　nor　answered；　and　Bonaparte　grew　more　uneasy。



〃You　wouldn't　go　and　tell　her　that　I　am　here；　would　you？〃　said　Bonaparte；

whiningly。　　〃There's　no　knowing　what　she　would　do　to　me。　　I've　such　trust

in　you；　Waldo；　I've　always　thought　you　such　a　promising　lad；　though　you

mayn't　have　known　it；　Waldo。〃



〃Eat；〃　said　the　boy；　〃I　shall　say　nothing。〃



Bonaparte；　who　knew　the　truth　when　another　spoke　it；　closed　the　door；

carefully　putting　on　the　button。　　Then　he　looked　to　see　that　the　curtain　of

the　window　was　closely　pulled　down；　and　seated　himself　at　the　table。　　He

was　soon　munching　the　cold　meat　and　bread。　　Waldo　knelt　on　the　floor；

bathing　the　foot　with　hands　which　the　dog　licked　lovingly。　　Once　only　he

glanced　at　the　table；　and　turned　away　quickly。



〃Ah；　yes！　　I　don't　wonder　that　you　can't　look　at　me；　Waldo；〃　said

Bonaparte；　〃my　condition　would　touch　any　heart。　　You　see；　the　water　was

fatty；　and　that　has　made　all　the　sand　stick　to　me；　and　my　hair；〃　said

Bonaparte；　tenderly　touching　the　little　fringe　at　the　back　of　his　head；　〃is

all　caked　over　like　a　little　plank；　you　wouldn't　think　it　was　hair　at　all；〃

said　Bonaparte；　plaintively。　　〃I　had　to　creep　all　along　the　stone　walls　for

fear　she'd　see　me；　and　with　nothing　on　my　head　but　a　red　handkerchief；　tied

under　my　chin；　Waldo；　and　to　hide　in　a　sloot　the　whole　day；　with　not　a

mouthful　of　food；　Waldo。　　And　she　gave　me　such　a　blow；　just　here；〃　said

Bonaparte。



He　had　cleared　the　plate　of　the　last　morsel；　when　Waldo　rose　and　walked　to

the　door。



〃Oh；　Waldo；　my　dear　boy；　you　are　not　going　to　call　her；〃　said　Bonaparte；

rising　anxiously。



〃I　am　going　to　sleep　in　the　wagon；〃　said　the　boy；　opening　the　door。



〃Oh；　we　can　both　sleep　in　this　bed；　there's　plenty　of　room。　　Do　stay；　my

boy；　please。〃



But　Waldo　stepped　out。



〃It　was　such　a　little　whip；　Waldo；〃　said　Bonaparte；　following　him

deprecatingly。　　〃I　didn't　think　it　would　hurt　you　so　much。　　It　was　such　a

little　whip。　　I　am　sure　you　didn't　take　the　peaches。　　You　aren't　going　to

call　her；　Waldo；　are　you？〃



But　the　boy　walked　off。



Bonaparte　waited　till　his　figure　had　passed　round　the　front　of　the　wagon…

house；　and　then　slipped　out。　　He　hid　himself　round　the　corner；　but　kept

peeping　out　to　see　who　was　coming。　　He　felt　sure　the　boy　was　gone　to　call

Tant　Sannie。　　His　teeth　chattered　with　inward　cold　as　he　looked　round　into

the　darkness　and　thought　of　the　snakes　that　might　bite　him；　and　the

dreadful　things　that　might　attack　him；　and　the　dead　that　might　arise　out　of

their　graves　if　he　slept　out　in　the　field　all　night。　　But　more　than　an　hour

passed　and　no　footstep　approached。



Then　Bonaparte　made　his　way　back　to　the　cabin。　　He　buttoned　the　door　and

put　the　table　against　it　and；　giving　the　dog　a　kick　to　silence　his　whining

when　the　foot　throbbed；　he　climbed　into　bed。　　He　did　not　put　out　the　light；

for　fear　of　the　ghost；　but；　worn　out　with　the　sorrows　of　the　day；　was　soon

asleep　himself。



About　four　o'clock　Waldo；　lying　between　the　seats　of　the　horse…wagon；　was

awakened　by　a　gentle　touch　on　his　head。



Sitting　up；　he　espied　Bonaparte　looking　through　one　of　the　windows　with　a

lighted　candle　in　his　hand。



〃I'm　about　to　depart；　my　dear　boy；　before　my　enemies　arise；　and　I　could　not

leave　without　coming　to　bid　you　farewell；〃　said　Bonaparte。



Waldo　looked　at　him。



〃I　shall　always　think　of　you　with　affection〃　said　Bonaparte。　　〃And　there's

that　old　hat　of　yours；　if　you　could　let　me　have　it　for　a　keepsake〃



〃Take　it；〃　said　Waldo。



〃I　thought　you　would　say　so；　so　I　brought　it　with　me；〃　said　Bonaparte；

putting　it　on。　　〃The　Lord　bless　you；　my　dear　boy。　　You　haven't　a　few

shillingsjust　a　trifle　you　don't　needhave　you？〃



〃Take　the　two　shillings　that　are　in　the　broken　vase。〃



〃May　the　blessing　of　my　God　rest　upon　you；　my　dear　child；〃　said　Bonaparte；

〃may　He　guide　and　bless　you。　　Give　me　your　hand。〃



Waldo　folded　his　arms　closely；　and　lay　down。



〃Farewell；　adieu！〃　said　Bonaparte。　　〃May　the　blessing　of　my　God　and　my

father's　God　rest　on　you；　now　and　evermore。〃



With　these　words　the　head　and　nose　withdrew　themselves；　and　the　light

vanished　from　the　window。



After　a　few　moments　the　boy；　lying　in　the　wagon；　heard　stealthy　footsteps

as　they　passed　the　wagon…house　and　made　their　way　down　the　road。　　He

listened　as　they　grew　fainter　and　fainter；　and　at　last　died　away

altogether；　and　from　that　night　the　footstep　of　Bonaparte　Blenkins　was

heard　no　more　at　the　old　farm。



END　Of　PART　I。





PART　II。



〃And　it　was　all　play；　and　no　one　could　tell　what　it　had　lived　and　worked

for。　　A　striving；　and　a　striving；　and　an　ending　in　nothing。〃





Chapter　2。I。　　Times　and　Seasons。



Waldo　lay　on　his　stomach　on　the　sand。　　Since　he　prayed　and　howled　to　his

God　in　the　fuel…house　three　years　had　passed。



They　say　that　in　the　world　to　come　time　is　not　measured　out　by　months　and

years。　　Neither　is　it　here。　　The　soul's　life　has　seasons　of　its　own；

periods　not　found　in　any　calendar；　times　that　years　and　months　will　not

scan；　but　which　are　as　deftly　and　sharply　cut　off　from　one　another　as　the

smoothly…arranged　years　which　the　earth's　motion　yields　us。



To　stranger　eyes　these　divisions　are　not　evident；　but　each；　looking　back　at

the　little　track　his　consciousness　illuminates；　sees　it　cut　into　distinct

portions；　whose　boundaries　are　the　termination　of　mental　states。



As　man　differs　from　man；　so　differ　these　souls'　years。　　The　most　material

life　is　not　devo