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the story of an african farm-第59部分
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far out into the future and back into the past。〃
Gregory was not quite sure how to take these remarks。 Being about a
Kaffer; they appeared to be of the nature of a joke; but; being seriously
spoken; they appeared earnest; so he half laughed and half not; to be on
the safe side。
〃I've often thought so myself。 It's funny we should both think the same; I
knew we should if once we talked。 But there are other thingslove; now;〃
he added。 〃I wonder if we would think alike about that。 I wrote an essay
on love once; the master said it was the best I ever wrote; and I can
remember the first sentence still'Love is something that you feel in your
heart。'〃
〃That was a trenchant remark。 Can't you remember any more?〃
〃No;〃 said Gregory; regretfully; 〃I've forgotten the rest。 But tell me
what do you think about love?〃
A look; half of abstraction; half amusement; played on her lips。
〃I don't know much about love;〃 she said; 〃and I do not like to talk of
things I do not understand; but I have heard two opinions。 Some say the
devil carried the seed from hell and planted it on the earth to plague men
and make them sin; and some say; that when all the plants in the garden of
Eden were pulled up by the roots; one bush that the angels planted was left
growing; and it spread its seed over the whole earth; and its name is love。
I do not know which is rightperhaps both。 There are different species
that go under the same name。 There is a love that begins in the head; and
goes down to the heart; and grows slowly; but it lasts till death; and asks
less than it gives。 There is another love; that blots out wisdom; that is
sweet with the sweetness of life and bitter with the bitterness of death;
lasting for an hour; but it is worth having lived a whole life for that
hour。 I cannot tell; perhaps the old monks were right when they tried to
root love out; perhaps the poets are right when they try to water it。 It
is a blood…red flower; with the colour of sin; but there is always the
scent of a god about it。〃
Gregory would have made a remark; but she said; without noticing:
〃There are as many kinds of loves as there are flowers; everlastings that
never wither; speedwells that wait for the wind to fan them out of life;
blood…red mountain…lilies that pour their voluptuous sweetness out for one
day; and lie in the dust at night。 There is no flower has the charm of
allthe speedwell's purity; the everlasting's strength; the mountain…
lily's warmth; but who knows whether there is no love that holds all
friendship; passion; worship?
〃Such a love;〃 she said; in her sweetest voice; 〃will fall on the surface
of strong; cold; selfish life as the sunlight falls on a torpid winter
world; there; where the trees are bare; and the ground frozen; till it
rings to the step like iron; and the water is solid; and the air is sharp
as a two…edged knife that cuts the unwary。
〃But when its sun shines on it; through its whole dead crust a throbbing
yearning wakes: the trees feel him; and every knot and bud swell; aching
to open to him。 The brown seeds; who have slept deep under the ground;
feel him; and he gives them strength; till they break through the frozen
earth; and lift two tiny; trembling green hands in love to him。 And he
touches the water; till down to its depths it feels him and melts; and it
flows; and the things; strange sweet things that were locked up in it; it
sings as it runs; for love of him。 Each plant tries to bear at least one
fragrant little flower for him; and the world that was dead lives; and the
heart that was dead and self…centred throbs; with an upward; outward
yearning; and it has become that which it seemed impossible ever to become。
There; does that satisfy you?〃 she asked; looking down at Gregory。 〃Is
that how you like me to talk?〃
〃Oh; yes;〃 said Gregory; 〃that is what I have already thought。 We have the
same thoughts about everything。 How strange!〃
〃Very;〃 said Lyndall; working with her little toe at a stone in the ground
before her。
Gregory felt he must sustain the conversation。 The only thing he could
think of was to recite a piece of poetry。 He knew he had learnt many about
love; but the only thing that would come into his mind now was the 〃Battle
of Hohenlinden;〃 and 〃Not a drum was heard;〃 neither of which seemed to
bear directly on the subject on hand。
But unexpected relief came to him from Doss; who; too deeply lost in
contemplation of his crevice; was surprised by the sudden descent of the
stone Lyndall's foot had loosened; which; rolling against his little front
paw; carried away a piece of white…skin。 Doss stood on three legs; holding
up the paw with an expression of extreme self…commiseration; he then
proceeded to hop slowly upward in search of sympathy。
〃You have hurt that dog;〃 said Gregory。
〃Have I?〃 she replied indifferently; and re…opened the book; as though to
resume her study of the play。
〃He's a nasty; snappish little cur!〃 said Gregory; calculating from her
manner that the remark would be endorsed。 〃He snapped at my horse's tail
yesterday; and nearly made it throw me。 I wonder his master didn't take
him; instead of leaving him here to be a nuisance to all of us!〃
Lyndall seemed absorbed in her play; but he ventured another remark。
〃Do you think now; Miss Lyndall; that he'll ever have anything in the
worldthat German。 I meanmoney enough to support a wife on; and all
that sort of thing? I don't。 He's what I call soft。〃
She was spreading her skirt out softly with her left hand for the dog to
lie down on it。
〃I think I should be rather astonished if he ever became a respectable
member of society;〃 she said。 I don't expect to see him the possessor of
bank…shares; the chairman of a divisional council; and the father of a
large family; wearing a black hat; and going to church twice on a Sunday。
He would rather astonish me if he came to such an end。〃
〃Yes; I don't expect anything of him either;〃 said Gregory; zealously。
〃Well; I don't know;〃 said Lyndall; 〃there are some small things I rather
look to him for。 If he were to invent wings; or carve a statue that one
might look at for half an hour without wanting to look at something else; I
should not be surprised。 He may do some little thing of that kind perhaps;
when he has done fermenting and the sediment has all gone to the bottom。〃
Gregory felt that what she said was not wholly intended as blame。
〃Well; I don't know;〃 he said sulkily; 〃to me he looks like a fool。 To
walk about always in that dead…and…alive sort of way; muttering to himself
like an old Kaffer witchdoctor! He works hard enough; but it's always as
though he didn't know what he was doing。 You don't know how he looks to a
person who sees him for the first time。〃
Lyndall was softly touching the little sore foot as she read; and Doss; to
show he liked it; licked her hand。
〃But; Miss L
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