the story of an african farm-第13章

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when　the　Boer…woman　impressively　laid　her　hand　upon　his　arm。



〃That　is　his　head；〃　said　Tant　Sannie；　〃that　is　his　head。〃



〃But　what　might　it　be？〃　asked　the　German；　looking　from　one　to　the　other；

churn…stick　in　hand。



A　low　hollow　bellow　prevented　reply；　and　the　voice　of　Bonaparte　lifted

itself　on　high。



〃Mary…Ann！　my　angel！　my　wife！〃



〃Isn't　it　dreadful？〃　said　Tant　Sannie；　as　the　blows　were　repeated　fiercely。

〃He　has　got　a　letter；　his　wife　is　dead。　　You　must　go　and　comfort　him；〃　said

Tant　Sannie　at　last；　〃and　I　will　go　with　you。　　It　would　not　be　the　thing

for　me　to　go　aloneme；　who　am　only　thirty…three；　and　he　an　unmarried　man

now；〃　said　Tant　Sannie；　blushing　and　smoothing　out　her　apron。



Upon　this　they　all　trudged　round　the　house　in　companythe　Hottentot　maid

carrying　the　light；　Tant　Sannie　and　the　German　following；　and　the　Kaffer

girl　bringing　up　the　rear。



〃Oh；〃　said　Tant　Sannie；　〃I　see　now　it　wasn't　wickedness　made　him　do　without

his　wife　so　longonly　necessity。〃



At　the　door　she　motioned　to　the　German　to　enter；　and　followed　him　closely。

On　the　stretcher　behind　the　sacks　Bonaparte　lay　on　his　face；　his　head

pressed　into　a　pillow；　his　legs　kicking　gently。　　The　Boer…woman　sat　down　on

a　box　at　the　foot　of　the　bed。　　The　German　stood　with　folded　hands　looking

on。



〃We　must　all　die；〃　said　Tant　Sannie　at　last；　〃it　is　the　dear　Lord's　will。〃



Hearing　her　voice；　Bonaparte　turned　himself　on　to　his　back。



〃It's　very　hard；〃　said　Tant　Sannie；　〃I　know；　for　I've　lost　two　husbands。〃



Bonaparte　looked　up　into　the　German's　face。



〃Oh；　what　does　she　say？　　Speak　to　me　words　of　comfort！〃



The　German　repeated　Tant　Sannie's　remark。



〃Ah；　II　also！　　Two　dear；　dear　wives；　whom　I　shall　never　see　any　more！〃

cried　Bonaparte；　flinging　himself　back　upon　the　bed。



He　howled；　till　the　tarantulas；　who　lived　between　the　rafters　and　the　zinc

roof；　felt　the　unusual　vibration；　and　looked　out　with　their　wicked　bright

eyes；　to　see　what　was　going　on。



Tant　Sannie　sighed；　the　Hottentot　maid　sighed；　the　Kaffer　girl　who　looked

in　at　the　door　put　her　hand　over　her　mouth　and　said　〃Mow…wah！〃



〃You　must　trust　in　the　Lord；〃　said　Tant　Sannie。　　〃He　can　give　you　more　than

you　have　lost。〃



〃I　do；　I　do！〃　he　cried；　〃but　oh；　I　have　no　wife！　　I　have　no　wife！〃



Tant　Sannie　was　much　affected；　and　came　and　stood　near　the　bed。



〃Ask　him　if　he　won't　have　a　little　papnice；　fine；　flour　pap。　　There　is

some　boiling　on　the　kitchen　fire。〃



The　German　made　the　proposal；　but　the　widower　waved　his　hand。



〃No；　nothing　shall　pass　my　lips。　　I　should　be　suffocated。　　No；　no！　　Speak

not　of　food　to　me！〃



〃Pap；　and　a　little　brandy　in；〃　said　Tant　Sannie　coaxingly。



Bonaparte　caught　the　word。



〃Perhaps；　perhapsif　I　struggled　with　myselffor　the　sake　of　my　duties　I

might　imbibe　a　few　drops；〃　he　said；　looking　with　quivering　lip　up　into　the

German's　face。　　〃I　must　do　my　duty；　must　I　not？〃



Tant　Sannie　gave　the　order；　and　the　girl　went　for　the　pap。



〃I　know　how　it　was　when　my　first　husband　died。　　They　could　do　nothing　with

me；〃　the　Boer…woman　said；　〃till　I　had　eaten　a　sheep's　trotter；　and　honey；

and　a　little　roaster…cake。　　I　know。〃



Bonaparte　sat　up　on　the　bed　with　his　legs　stretched　out　in　front　of　him；

and　a　hand　on　each　knee；　blubbering　softly。



〃Oh；　she　was　a　woman！　　You　are　very　kind　to　try　and　comfort　me；　but　she　was

my　wife。　　For　a　woman　that　is　my　wife　I　could　live；　for　the　woman　that　is

my　wife　I　could　die！　　For　a　woman　that　is　my　wife　I　couldAh！　that　sweet

word　〃wife〃；　when　will　it　rest　upon　my　lips　again？〃



When　his　feelings　had　subsided　a　little　he　raised　the　corners　of　his

turned…down　mouth；　and　spoke　to　the　German　with　flabby　lips。



〃Do　you　think　she　understands　me？　　Oh；　tell　her　every　word；　that　she　may

know　I　thank　her。〃



At　that　instant　the　girl　reappeared　with　a　basin　of　steaming　gruel　and　a

black　bottle。



Tant　Sannie　poured　some　of　its　contents　into　the　basin；　stirred　it　well；

and　came　to　the　bed。



〃Oh；　I　can't；　I　can't！　　I　shall　die！　　I　shall　die！〃　said　Bonaparte；　putting

his　hands　to　his　side。



〃Come；　just　a　little；〃　said　Tant　Sannie　coaxingly；　〃just　a　drop。〃



〃It's　too　thick；　it's　too　thick。　　I　should　choke。〃



Tant　Sannie　added　from　the　contents　of　the　bottle　and　held　out　a　spoonful；

Bonaparte　opened　his　mouth　like　a　little　bird　waiting　for　a　worm；　and　held

it　open；　as　she　dipped　again　and　again　into　the　pap。



〃Ah；　this　will　do　your　heart　good；〃　said　Tant　Sannie；　in　whose　mind　the

relative　functions　of　heart　and　stomach　were　exceedingly　ill…defined。



When　the　basin　was　emptied　the　violence　of　his　grief　was　much　assuaged；　he

looked　at　Tant　Sannie　with　gentle　tears。



〃Tell　him；〃　said　the　Boer…woman；　〃that　I　hope　he　will　sleep　well；　and　that

the　Lord　will　comfort　him；　as　the　Lord　only　can。〃



〃Bless　you；　dear　friend；　God　bless　you；〃　said　Bonaparte。



When　the　door　was　safely　shut　on　the　German；　the　Hottentot；　and　the

Dutchwoman；　he　got　off　the　bed　and　washed　away　the　soap　he　had　rubbed　on

his　eyelids。



〃Bon；〃　he　said；　slapping　his　leg；　〃you're　the　cutest　lad　I　ever　came

across。　　If　you　don't　turn　out　the　old　Hymns…and…prayers；　and　pummel　the

Ragged　coat；　and　get　your　arms　round　the　fat　one's　waist　and　a　wedding…ring

on　her　finger；　then　you　are　not　Bonaparte。　　But　you　are　Bonaparte。　　Bon；

you're　a　fine　boy！〃



Making　which　pleasing　reflection；　he　pulled　off　his　trousers　and　got　into

bed　cheerfully。





Chapter　1。VII。　　He　Sets　His　Trap。



〃May　I　come　in？　　I　hope　I　do　not　disturb　you；　my　dear　friend；〃　said

Bonaparte；　late　one　evening；　putting　his　nose　in　at　the　cabin　door；　where

the　German　and　his　son　sat　finishing　their　supper。



It　was　now　two　months　since　he　had　been　installed　as　schoolmaster　in　Tant

Sannie's　household；　and　he　had　grown　mighty　and　more　mighty　day　by　day。　　He

visited　the　cabin　no　more；　sat　close　to　Tant　Sannie　drinking　coffee　all　the

evening；　and　walked　about　loftily　with　his　hands　under　the　coat…tails　of

the　German's　black　cloth　and　failed　to　see　even　a　nigger　who　wished　him　a

deferential　good　morning。　　It　was　therefore　with　no　small　surprise　that　the

German　perceived　Bonaparte's　red　nose　at　the　door。



〃Walk　in；　walk　in；〃　he　said　joyfully。　　〃Boy；　boy；　see　if　there　is　any

coffee　left。　　Well；　none。　　Make　a　fire。　　We　have　done　supper；　but〃



〃My　dear　friend；〃　said　Bonaparte；　taking　off　his　hat；　〃I　came　not　to　sup；

not　for　mere　creature　comforts；　but　for　an　hour　of　brotherly　intercourse

with　a　kindred　spirit。　　The　press　of　business　and　the　weight　of　thought；

but　they　alone；　may　sometimes　prevent　me　from　sharing　the　secrets　of　my

bosom　with　him　for　whom　I　have　so　great　a　sympathy。　　You　perhaps　wonder

when　I　shall　return　the　two　pounds〃



〃Oh；　no；　no！　　Make　a　fire；　make　a　fire；　boy。　　We　will　have　a　pot　of　hot

coffee　presently；〃　said　the　German；　rubbing　his　hands　and　looking　about；

not　knowing　how　best　to　show　his　pleasure　at　the　unexpected　visit。



For　three　weeks　the　German's　diffident　〃Good　evening〃　had　met　with　a

stately　bow；　the　chin　of　Bonaparte　lifting　itself　higher　daily；　and　his

shadow　had　not　darkened　the　cabin　doorway　since　he　came　to　borrow　the　two

pounds。　　The　German　walked　to　the　head　of　the　bed　and　took　down　a　blue　bag

that　hung　there。　　Blue　bags　were　a　speciality　of　the　German's。　　He　kept

above　fifty　stowed　away　in　different　corners　of　his　roomsome　filled　with

curious　stones；　some　with　seeds　that　had　been　in　his　possession　fifteen

years；　some　with　rusty　nails；　buckles；　and　bits　of　old　harnessin　all；　a

wonderful　assortment；　but　highly　prized。



〃We　have　something　here　not　so　bad；〃　said　the　German；　smiling　knowingly；　as

he　dived　his　hand　into　the　bag　and　took　out　a　handful　of　almonds　and

raisins；　〃I　buy　these　for　my　chickens。　　They　increase　in　size；　but　they

still　think　the　old　man　must　have　something　nice　for　them。　　And　the　old

manwell；　a　big　boy　may　have　a