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the story of an african farm-第69部分
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office to give a message to its father; the little child stood looking at
me。 Presently she came close to me and peeped up into my face。
〃'Nice curls; pretty curls;' she said; 'I like curls。'
〃She felt my hair all over; with her little hands。 When I put out my arm
she let me take her and sit her on my knee。 She kissed me with her soft
mouth。 We were happy till the nurse…girl came and shook her; and asked her
if she was not ashamed to sit on the knee of that strange man。 But I do
not think my little one minded。 She laughed at me as she went out。
〃If the world was all children I could like it; but men and women draw me
so strangely; and then press me away; till I am in agony。 I was not meant
to live among people。 Perhaps some day; when I am grown older; I will be
able to go and live among them and look at them as I look at the rocks; and
bushes; without letting them disturb me; and take myself from me; but not
now。 So I grew miserable; a kind of fever seemed to eat me; I could not
rest; or read; or think; so I came back here。 I knew you were not here but
it seemed as though I should be nearer you; and it is you I wantyou that
the other people suggest to me; but cannot give。〃
He had filled all the sheets he had taken; and now lifted down the last
from the mantelpiece。 Em had dropped asleep; and lay slumbering peacefully
on the skin before the fire。 Out of doors the storm still raged; but in a
fitful manner; as though growing half weary of itself。 He bent over his
paper again; with eager flushed cheek; and wrote on。
〃It has been a delightful journey; this journey home。 I have walked on
foot。 The evening before last; when it was just sunset; I was a little
footsore and thirsty; and went out of the road to look for water。 I went
down into a deep little kloof。 Some trees ran along the bottom; and I
thought I should find water there。 The sun had quite set when I got to the
bottom of it。 It was very stillnot a leaf was stirring anywhere。 In the
bed of the mountain torrent I thought I might find water。 I came to the
bank; and leaped down into the dry bed。 The floor on which I stood was of
fine white sand; and the banks rose on every side like the walls of a room。
〃Above there was a precipice of rocks; and a tiny stream of water oozed
from them and fell slowly on to the flat stone below。 Each drop you could
hear fall like a little silver bell。 There was one among the trees on the
bank that stood cut out against the white sky。 All the other trees were
silent; but this one shook and trembled against the sky。 Everything else
was still; but those leaves were quivering; quivering。 I stood on the
sand; I could not go away。 When it was quite dark; and the stars had come;
I crept out。 Does it seem strange to you that it should have made me so
happy? It is because I cannot tell you how near I felt to things that we
cannot see but we always feel。 Tonight has been a wild; stormy night。 I
have been walking across the plain for hours in the dark。 I have liked the
wind; because I have seemed forcing my way through to you。 I knew you were
not here; but I would hear of you。 When I used to sit on the transport
wagon half…sleeping; I used to start awake because your hands were on me。
In my lodgings; many nights I have blown the light out; and sat in the
dark; that I might see your face start out more distinctly。 Sometimes it
was the little girl's face who used to come to me behind the kopje when I
minded sheep; and sit by me in her blue pinafore; sometimes it was older。
I love both。 I am very helpless; I shall never do anything; but you will
work; and I will take your work for mine。 Sometimes such a sudden gladness
seizes me when I remember that somewhere in the world you are living and
working。 You are my very own; nothing else is my own so。 When I have
finished I am going to look at your room door〃
He wrote; and the wind; which had spent its fury; moaned round and round
the house; most like a tired child weary with crying。
Em woke up; and sat before the fire; rubbing her eyes; and listening; as it
sobbed about the gables; and wandered away over the long stone walls。
〃How quiet it has grown now;〃 she said; and sighed herself; partly from
weariness and partly from sympathy with the tired wind。 He did not answer
her; he was lost in his letter。
She rose slowly after a time; and rested her hand on his shoulder。
〃You have many letters to write;〃 she said。
〃No;〃 he answered; 〃it is only one to Lyndall。〃
She turned away; and stood long before the fire looking into it。 If you
have a deadly fruit to give; it will not grow sweeter by keeping。
〃Waldo; dear;〃 she said; putting her hand on his; 〃leave off writing。〃
He threw back the dark hair from his forehead and looked at her。
〃It is no use writing any more;〃 she said。
〃Why not?〃 he asked。
She put her hand over the papers he had written。
〃Waldo;〃 she said; 〃Lyndall is dead。〃
Chapter 2。XII。 Gregory's Womanhood。
Slowly over the flat came a cart。 On the back seat sat Gregory; his arms
folded; his hat drawn over his eyes。 A Kaffer boy sat on the front seat
driving; and at his feet sat Doss; who; now and again; lifted his nose and
eyes above the level of the splashboard; to look at the surrounding
country; and then; with an exceedingly knowing wink of his left eye; turned
to his companions; thereby intimating that he clearly perceived his
whereabouts。 No one noticed the cart coming。 Waldo; who was at work at
his carpenter's table in the wagon…house; saw nothing; till chancing to
look down he perceived Doss standing before him; the legs trembling; the
little nose wrinkled; and a series of short suffocating barks giving
utterance to his joy at reunion。
Em; whose eyes had ached with looking out across the plain; was now at work
in a back room; and knew nothing till; looking up; she saw Gregory; with
his straw hat and blue eyes; standing in the doorway。 He greeted her
quietly; hung his hat up in its old place behind the door; and for any
change in his manner or appearance he might have been gone only the day
before to fetch letters from the town。 Only his beard was gone; and his
face was grown thinner。 He took off his leather gaiters; said the
afternoon was hot and the roads dusty; and asked for some tea。 They talked
of wool; and the cattle; and the sheep; and Em gave him the pile of letters
that had come for him during the months of absence; but of the thing that
lay at their hearts neither said anything。 Then he went out to look at the
kraals; and at supper Em gave him hot cakes and coffee。 They talked about
the servants; and then ate their meal in quiet。 She asked no questions。
When it was ended Gregory went into the front room; and lay in the dark on
the sofa。
〃Do you not want a light?〃 Em asked; venturing to look in。
〃No;〃 he answered; then presently called to her; 〃Come and
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