the story of an african farm-第50部分

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trotted　about　talking　alwaystalking　to　the　customers　in　the　taproom；　and

to　the　maids　in　the　kitchen；　and　to　the　passers…by　when　she　could　hail　them

from　the　windows；　talking；　as　good…natured　women　with　large　mouths　and

small　noses　always　do；　in　season　and　out。



There　was　a　little　front　parlour　in　the　hotel；　kept　for　strangers　who

wanted　to　be　alone。　　Gregory　sat　there　to　eat　his　breakfast；　and　the

landlady　dusted　the　room　and　talked　of　the　great　finds　at　the　Diamond

Fields；　and　the　badness　of　maid…servants；　and　the　shameful　conduct　of　the

Dutch　parson　in　that　town　to　the　English　inhabitants。　　Gregory　ate　his

breakfast　and　listened　to　nothing。　　He　had　asked　his　one　question；　and　had

had　his　answer；　now　she　might　talk　on。



Presently　a　door　in　the　corner　opened　and　a　woman　came　outa　Mozambiquer；

with　a　red　handkerchief　twisted　round　her　head。　　She　carried　in　her　hand　a

tray；　with　a　slice　of　toast　crumbled　fine；　and　a　half…filled　cup　of　coffee；

and　an　egg　broken　open；　but　not　eaten。　　Her　ebony　face　grinned　complacently

as　she　shut　the　door　softly　and　said；　〃Good　morning。〃



The　landlady　began　to　talk　to　her。



〃You　are　not　going　to　leave　her　really；　Ayah；　are　you？〃　she　said。　　〃The

maids　say　so；　but　I'm　sure　you　wouldn't　do　such　a　thing。〃



The　Mozambiquer　grinned。



〃Husband　says　I　must　go　home。〃



〃But　she　hasn't　got　any　one　else；　and　won't　have　any　one　else。　　Come；　now；〃

said　the　landlady；　〃I've　no　time　to　be　sitting　always　in　a　sickroom；　not　if

I　was　paid　anything　for　it。〃



The　Mozambiquer　only　showed　her　white　teeth　good…naturedly　for　answer；　and

went　out；　and　the　landlady　followed　her。



Gregory；　glad　to　be　alone；　watched　the　sunshine　as　it　came　over　the

fuchsias　in　the　window；　and　ran　up　and　down　on　the　panelled　door　in　the

corner。　　The　Mozambiquer　had　closed　it　loosely　behind　her；　and　presently

something　touched　it　inside。　　It　moved　a　little；　then　it　was　still；　then

moved　again；　then　through　the　gap　a　small　nose　appeared；　and　a　yellow　ear

overlapping　one　eye；　then　the　whole　head　obtruded；　placed　itself　critically

on　one　side；　wrinkled　its　nose　disapprovingly　at　Gregory；　and　withdrew。　

Through　the　half…open　door　came　a　faint　scent　of　vinegar；　and　the　room　was

dark　and　still。



Presently　the　landlady　came　back。



〃Left　the　door　open；〃　she　said；　bustling　to　shut　it；　〃but　a　darky　will　be　a

darky；　and　never　carries　a　head　on　its　shoulders　like　other　folks。　　Not

ill；　I　hope　sir？〃　she　said；　looking　at　Gregory　when　she　had　shut　the

bedroom　door。



〃No；〃　said　Gregory；　〃no。〃



The　landlady　began　putting　the　things　together。



〃Who；〃　asked　Gregory；　〃is　in　that　room？〃



Glad　to　have　a　little　innocent　piece　of　gossip　to　relate；　and　some　one

willing　to　hear　it；　the　landlady　made　the　most　of　a　little　story　as　she

cleared　the　table。　　Six　months　before　a　lady　had　come　alone　to　the　hotel　in

a　wagon；　with　only　a　coloured　leader　and　driver。　　Eight　days　after　a　little

baby　had　been　born。



If　Gregory　stood　up　and　looked　out　at　the　window　he　would　see　a　bluegum…

tree　in　the　graveyard；　close　by　it　was　a　little　grave。　　The　baby　was　buried

there。　　A　tiny　thingonly　lived　two　hours；　and　the　mother　herself　almost

went　with　it。　　After　a　while　she　was　better；　but　one　day　she　got　up　out　of

bed；　dressed　herself　without　saying　a　word　to　any　one；　and　went　out。　　It

was　a　drizzly　day；　a　little　time　after　some　one　saw　her　sitting　on　the　wet

ground　under　the　bluegum…tree；　with　the　rain　dripping　from　her　hat　and

shawl。　　They　went　to　fetch　her；　but　she　would　not　come　until　she　chose。　

When　she　did；　she　had　gone　to　bed　and　had　not　risen　again　from　it；　never

would；　the　doctor　said。



She　was　very　patient；　poor　thing。　　When　you　went　in　to　ask　her　how　she　was

she　said　always　〃Better；〃　or　〃Nearly　well！〃　and　lay　still　in　the　darkened

room；　and　never　troubled　any　one。　　The　Mozambiquer　took　care　of　her；　and

she　would　not　allow　any　one　else　to　touch　her；　would　not　so　much　as　allow

any　one　else　to　see　her　foot　uncovered。　　She　was　strange　in　many　ways；　but

she　paid　well；　poor　thing；　and　now　the　Mozambiquer　was　going；　and　she　would

have　to　take　up　with　some　one　else。



The　landlady　prattled　on　pleasantly；　and　now　carried　away　the　tray　with　the

breakfast　things。　　When　she　was　gone　Gregory　leaned　his　head　on　his　hands；

but　he　did　not　think　long。



Before　dinner　he　had　ridden　out　of　the　town　to　where　on　a　rise　a　number　of

transport…wagons　were　outspanned。　　The　Dutchman　driver　of　one　wondered　at

the　stranger's　eagerness　to　free　himself　of　his　horses。　　Stolen　perhaps；

but　it　was　worth　his　while　to　buy　them　at　so　low　a　price。　　So　the　horses

changed　masters；　and　Gregory　walked　off　with　his　saddlebags　slung　across

his　arm。　　Once　out　of　sight　of　the　wagons　he　struck　out　of　the　road　and

walked　across　the　veld；　the　dry；　flowering　grasses　waving　everywhere　about

him；　half…way　across　the　plain　he　came　to　a　deep　gully　which　the　rain

torrents　had　washed　out；　but　which　was　now　dry。　　Gregory　sprung　down　into

its　red　bed。　　It　was　a　safe　place；　and　quiet。　　When　he　had　looked　about　him

he　sat　down　under　the　shade　of　an　overhanging　bank　and　fanned　himself　with

his　hat；　for　the　afternoon　was　hot；　and　he　had　walked　fast。　　At　his　feet

the　dusty　ants　ran　about；　and　the　high　red　bank　before　him　was　covered　by　a

network　of　roots　and　fibres　washed　bare　by　the　rains。　　Above　his　head　rose

the　clear　blue　African　sky；　at　his　side　were　the　saddlebags　full　of　women's

clothing。　　Gregory　looked　up　half　plaintively　into　the　blue　sky。



〃Am　I；　am　I　Gregory　Nazianzen　Rose？〃　he　said。



It　was　also　strange；　he　sitting　there　in　that　sloot　in　that　up…country

plain！strange　as　the　fantastic；　changing　shapes　in　a　summer　cloud。　　At

last；　tired　out；　he　fell　asleep；　with　his　head　against　the　bank。　　When　he

woke　the　shadow　had　stretched　across　the　sloot；　and　the　sun　was　on　the　edge

of　the　plain。　　Now　he　must　be　up　and　doing。　　He　drew　from　his　breast　pocket

a　little　sixpenny　looking…glass；　and　hung　it　on　one　of　the　roots　that　stuck

out　from　the　bank。　　Then　he　dressed　himself　in　one　of　the　old…fashioned

gowns　and　a　great　pinked…out　collar。　　Then　he　took　out　a　razor。　　Tuft　by

tuft　the　soft　brown　beard　fell　down　into　the　sand；　and　the　little　ants　took

it　to　line　their　nests　with。　　Then　the　glass　showed　a　face　surrounded　by　a

frilled　cap；　white　as　a　woman's；　with　a　little　mouth；　a　very　short　upper

lip；　and　a　receding　chin。



Presently　a　rather　tall　woman's　figure　was　making　its　way　across　the　veld。

As　it　passed　a　hollowed…out　antheap　it　knelt　down；　and　stuffed　in　the

saddlebags　with　the　man's　clothing；　closing　up　the　anthill　with　bits　of

ground　to　look　as　natural　as　possible。　　Like　a　sinner　hiding　his　deed　of

sin；　the　hider　started　once　and　looked　round；　but　yet　there　was　no　one　near

save　a　meerkat；　who　had　lifted　herself　out　of　her　hole　and　sat　on　her　hind

legs　watching。　　He　did　not　like　that　even　she　should　see；　and　when　he　rose

she　dived　away　into　her　hole。　　Then　he　walked　on　leisurely；　that　the　dusk

might　have　reached　the　village　streets　before　he　walked　there。　　The　first

house　was　the　smith's；　and　before　the　open　door　two　idle　urchins　lolled。　

As　he　hurried　up　the　street　in　the　gathering　gloom　he　heard　them　laugh　long

and　loudly　behind　him。　　He　glanced　round　fearingly；　and　would　almost　have

fled；　but　that　the　strange　skirts　clung　about　his　legs。　　And　after　all　it

was　only　a　spark　that　had　alighted　on　the　head　of　one；　and　not　the　strange

figure　they　laughed　at。



The　door　of　the　hotel　stood　wide　open；　and　the　light　fell　out　into　the

street。　　He　knocked；　and　the　landlady　came。　　She　peered　out　to　look　for　the

cart　that　had　brought　the　traveller；　but　Gregory's　heart　was　brave　now　he

was　so　near　the　quiet　room。　　He　told　her　he　had　come　with　the　transport

wagons　that　stood　outside　the　town。



He　had　walked　in；　and　wanted　lodgings　for　the　night。



It　was　a　deliberate　lie；　glibly　told；　he　would　have　told　fifty；　though　the

recording　angel　had　stood　in　the　next　room　with　his　pen　dipped　in　the　ink。　

What　was　it　to　him？　　He　remembered　that　she　lay　there　saying　always：　　〃I　am

better。〃



The　landlady　put　his　supper　in　the　little　parlour　where　he　had　sat　in　the

morning。　　When　it　was　on　the　table　she　sat　down　in　the　rocking…chair；　as

her　fashion　was　to　knit　and　talk；　that　she　might　gather　news　for　her

customers　in　the　taproom。　　In　the　white　face　under　the　queer；　deep…fringed

cap　she　saw　nothing　of　the　morning's　traveller。　　The　newcomer　was

communicative。　　She　was　a　nurse　by　profession；　she　said；　had　come　to　the

Transvaal；　hearing　that　good　nurses　were　needed　there。　　She　had　not　yet

found　work。　　The　landlady　did　not　perhaps　know　whether　there　would　be　any

for　her　in　that　town？



The　landlady　put　down　her　knitting　and　smote　her　fat　hands　together。



If　it　wasn't　the　very　finger　of　God's　providence；　as　though　you　saw　it

hanging　out　of　the　sky；　she　said。　　Here　was　a　lady　ill　and　needing　a　new

nurse　that　very　day；　and　not　able　to　get　one　to　her　mind；　and　nowwell；　if

it　wasn't　enough　to　convert　all　the　Atheists　and　Freethinkers　in　the

Transvaal；　she　didn't　know！



Then　the　landlady　proceeded　to　detail　facts。



〃I'm　sure　you　will　suit　her；〃　she　added；　〃you're　just　the　kind。　　She　has

heaps　of　money　to　pay　you　with；　has　everything　that　money　can　buy。　　And　I

got　a　letter　with　a　check　in　it　for　fifty　pounds　the　other　day　from　some

one；　who　says　I'm　to　spend　it　for　her；　and　not　to　let　her　know。　　She　is

asleep　now；　but　I'll　take　you　in　to　look　at　her。〃



The　landlady　opened　the　door　of　the　next　room；　and　Gregory　followed　her。　　A

table　stood　near　the　bed；　and　a　lamp　burning　low　stood　on　it；　the　bed　was　a

great　four…poster　with　white　curtains；　and　the　quilt　was　of　rich　crimson

satin。　　But　Gregory　stood　just　inside　the　door　with　his　head　bent　low；　and

saw　no　further。



〃Come　nearer！　　I'll　turn　the　lamp　up　a　bit；　that　you　can　have　a　look　at

her。　　A　pretty　thing；　is