dream life and real life-第2部分

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very　green；　but　she　liked　it。　　When　good　food　is　thrown　at　you　by　other

people；　strange　to　say；　it　is　very　bitter；　but　whatever　you　find　yourself

is　sweet！



When　she　had　finished　she　dug　out　another　piece；　and　went　to　look　for　a

pantry　to　put　it　in。　　At　the　top　of　a　heap　of　rocks　up　which　she　clambered

she　found　that　some　large　stones　stood　apart　but　met　at　the　top；　making　a

room。



〃Oh；　this　is　my　little　home！〃　she　said。



At　the　top　and　all　round　it　was　closed；　only　in　the　front　it　was　open。　

There　was　a　beautiful　shelf　in　the　wall　for　the　kippersol；　and　she

scrambled　down　again。　　She　brought　a　great　bunch　of　prickly　pear；　and　stuck

it　in　a　crevice　before　the　door；　and　hung　wild　asparagus　over　it；　till　it

looked　as　though　it　grew　there。　　No　one　could　see　that　there　was　a　room

there；　for　she　left　only　a　tiny　opening；　and　hung　a　branch　of　feathery

asparagus　over　it。　　Then　she　crept　in　to　see　how　it　looked。　　There　was　a

glorious　soft　green　light。　　Then　she　went　out　and　picked　some　of　those

purple　little　ground　flowersyou　know　themthose　that　keep　their　faces

close　to　the　ground；　but　when　you　turn　them　up　and　look　at　them　they　are

deep　blue　eyes　looking　into　yours！　　She　took　them　with　a　little　earth；　and

put　them　in　the　crevices　between　the　rocks；　and　so　the　room　was　quite

furnished。　　Afterwards　she　went　down　to　the　river　and　brought　her　arms　full

of　willow；　and　made　a　lovely　bed；　and；　because　the　weather　was　very　hot；

she　lay　down　to　rest　upon　it。



She　went　to　sleep　soon；　and　slept　long；　for　she　was　very　weak。　　Late　in　the

afternoon　she　was　awakened　by　a　few　cold　drops　falling　on　her　face。　　She

sat　up。　　A　great　and　fierce　thunderstorm　had　been　raging；　and　a　few　of　the

cool　drops　had　fallen　through　the　crevice　in　the　rocks。　　She　pushed　the

asparagus　branch　aside；　and　looked　out；　with　her　little　hands　folded　about

her　knees。　　She　heard　the　thunder　rolling；　and　saw　the　red　torrents　rush

among　the　stones　on　their　way　to　the　river。　　She　heard　the　roar　of　the

river　as　it　now　rolled；　angry　and　red；　bearing　away　stumps　and　trees　on　its

muddy　water。　　She　listened　and　smiled；　and　pressed　closer　to　the　rock　that

took　care　of　her。　　She　pressed　the　palm　of　her　hand　against　it。　　When　you

have　no　one　to　love　you；　you　love　the　dumb　things　very　much。　　When　the　sun

set；　it　cleared　up。　　Then　the　little　girl　ate　some　kippersol；　and　lay　down

again　to　sleep。　　She　thought　there　was　nothing　so　nice　as　to　sleep。　　When

one　has　had　no　food　but　kippersol　juice　for　two　days；　one　doesn't　feel

strong。



〃It　is　so　nice　here；〃　she　thought　as　she　went　to　sleep；　〃I　will　stay　here

always。〃



Afterwards　the　moon　rose。　　The　sky　was　very　clear　now；　there　was　not　a

cloud　anywhere；　and　the　moon　shone　in　through　the　bushes　in　the　door；　and

made　a　lattice…work　of　light　on　her　face。　　She　was　dreaming　a　beautiful

dream。　　The　loveliest　dreams　of　all　are　dreamed　when　you　are　hungry。　　She

thought　she　was　walking　in　a　beautiful　place；　holding　her　father's　hand；

and　they　both　had　crowns　on　their　heads；　crowns　of　wild　asparagus。　　The

people　whom　they　passed　smiled　and　kissed　her；　some　gave　her　flowers；　and

some　gave　her　food；　and　the　sunlight　was　everywhere。　　She　dreamed　the　same

dream　over　and　over；　and　it　grew　more　and　more　beautiful；　till；　suddenly；

it　seemed　as　though　she　were　standing　quite　alone。　　She　looked　up：　　on　one

side　of　her　was　the　high　precipice；　on　the　other　was　the　river；　with　the

willow　trees；　drooping　their　branches　into　the　water；　and　the　moonlight　was

over　all。　　Up；　against　the　night　sky　the　pointed　leaves　of　the　kippersol

trees　were　clearly　marked；　and　the　rocks　and　the　willow　trees　cast　dark

shadows。



In　her　sleep　she　shivered；　and　half　awoke。



〃Ah；　I　am　not　there；　I　am　here；〃　she　said；　and　she　crept　closer　to　the

rock；　and　kissed　it；　and　went　to　sleep　again。



It　must　have　been　about　three　o'clock；　for　the　moon　had　begun　to　sink

towards　the　western　sky；　when　she　woke；　with　a　violent　start。　　She　sat　up；

and　pressed　her　hand　against　her　heart。



〃What　can　it　be？　　A　cony　must　surely　have　run　across　my　feet　and　frightened

me！〃　she　said；　and　she　turned　to　lie　down　again；　but　soon　she　sat　up。　

Outside；　there　was　the　distinct　sound　of　thorns　crackling　in　a　fire。



She　crept　to　the　door　and　made　an　opening　in　the　branches　with　her　fingers。



A　large　fire　was　blazing　in　the　shadow；　at　the　foot　of　the　rocks。　　A　little

Bushman　sat　over　some　burning　coals　that　had　been　raked　from　it；　cooking

meat。　　Stretched　on　the　ground　was　an　Englishman；　dressed　in　a　blouse；　and

with　a　heavy；　sullen　face。　　On　the　stone　beside　him　was　Dirk；　the

Hottentot；　sharpening　a　bowie　knife。



She　held　her　breath。　　Not　a　cony　in　all　the　rocks　was　so　still。



〃They　can　never　find　me　here；〃　she　said；　and　she　knelt；　and　listened　to

every　word　they　said。　　She　could　hear　it　all。



〃You　may　have　all　the　money；〃　said　the　Bushman；　〃but　I　want　the　cask　of

brandy。　　I　will　set　the　roof　alight　in　six　places；　for　a　Dutchman　burnt　my

mother　once　alive　in　a　hut；　with　three　children。〃



〃You　are　sure　there　is　no　one　else　on　the　farm？〃　said　the　navvy。



〃No；　I　have　told　you　till　I　am　tired；〃　said　Dirk；　〃The　two　Kaffirs　have

gone　with　the　son　to　town；　and　the　maids　have　gone　to　a　dance；　there　is

only　the　old　man　and　the　two　women　left。〃



〃But　suppose；〃　said　the　navvy；　〃he　should　have　the　gun　at　his　bedside；　and

loaded！〃



〃He　never　has；〃　said　Dirk；　〃it　hangs　in　the　passage；　and　the　cartridges

too。　　He　never　thought　when　he　bought　it　what　work　it　was　for！　　I　only　wish

the　little　white　girl　was　there　still；〃　said　Dirk；　〃but　she　is　drowned。　　We

traced　her　footmarks　to　the　great　pool　that　has　no　bottom。〃



She　listened　to　every　word；　and　they　talked　on。



Afterwards；　the　little　Bushman；　who　crouched　over　the　fire；　sat　up

suddenly；　listening。



〃Ha！　what　is　that？〃　he　said。



A　Bushman　is　like　a　dog：　　his　ear　is　so　fine　he　knows　a　jackal's　tread　from

a　wild　dog's。



〃I　heard　nothing；〃　said　the　navvy。



〃I　heard；〃　said　the　Hottentot；　〃but　it　was　only　a　cony　on　the　rocks。〃



〃No　cony；　no　cony；〃　said　the　Bushman；　〃see；　what　is　that　there　moving　in

the　shade　round　the　point？〃



〃Nothing；　you　idiot！〃　said　the　navvy。　　〃Finish　your　meat；　we　must　start

now。〃



There　were　two　roads　to　the　homestead。　　One　went　along　the　open　plain；　and

was　by　far　the　shortest；　but　you　might　be　seen　half　a　mile　off。　　The　other

ran　along　the　river　bank；　where　there　were　rocks；　and　holes；　and　willow

trees　to　hide　among。　　And　all　down　the　river　bank　ran　a　little　figure。



The　river　was　swollen　by　the　storm　full　to　its　banks；　and　the　willow　trees

dipped　their　half…drowned　branches　into　its　water。　　Wherever　there　was　a

gap　between　them；　you　could　see　it　flow；　red　and　muddy；　with　the　stumps

upon　it。　　But　the　little　figure　ran　on　and　on；　never　looking；　never

thinking；　panting；　panting！　　There；　where　the　rocks　were　the　thickest；

there；　where　on　the　open　space　the　moonlight　shone；　there；　where　the

prickly　pears　were　tangled；　and　the　rocks　cast　shadows；　on　it　ran；　the

little　hands　clinched；　the　little　heart　beating；　the　eyes　fixed　always

ahead。



It　was　not　far　to　run　now。　　Only　the　narrow　path　between　the　high　rocks　and

the　river。



At　last　she　came　to　the　end　of　it；　and　stood　for　an　instant。　　Before　her

lay　the　plain；　and　the　red　farmhouse；　so　near；　that　if　persons　had　been

walking　there　you　might　have　seen　them　in　the　moonlight。　　She　clasped　her

hands。　　〃Yes；　I　will　tell　them；　I　will　tell　them！〃　she　said；　〃I　am　almost

there！〃　　She　ran　forward　again；　then　hesitated。　　She　shaded　her　eyes　from

the　moonlight；　and　looked。　　Between　her　and　the　farmhouse　there　were　three

figures　moving　over　the　low　bushes。



In　the　sheeny　moonlight　you　could　see　how　they　moved　on；　slowly　and

furtively；　the　short　one；　and　the　one　in　light　clothes；　and　the　one　in

dark。



〃I　cannot　help　them　now！〃　she　cried；　and　sank　down　on　the　ground；　with　her

little　hands　clasped　before　her。



。。。



〃Awake；　awake！〃　said　the　farmer's　wife；　〃I　hear　a　strange　noise；　something

calling；　calling；　calling！〃



The　man　rose；　and　went　to　the　window。



〃I　hear　it　also；〃　he　said；　〃surely　some　jackal's　at　the　sheep。　　I　will　load

my　gun　and　go　and　see。〃



〃It　sounds　to　me　like　the　cry　of　no　jackal；〃　said　the　woman；　and　when　he

was　gone　she　woke　her　daughter。



〃Come；　let　us　go　and　make　a　fire；　I　can　sleep　no　more；〃　she　said；　〃I　have

heard　a　strange　thing　tonight。　　Your　father　said　it　was　a　jackal's　cry；　but

no　jackal　cries　so。　　It　was　a　child's　voice；　and　it　cried；　'Master；　master；

wake！'〃



The　women　looked　at　each　other；　then　they　went　to　the　kitchen；　and　made　a

great　fire；　and　they　sang　psalms　all　the　while。



At　last　the　man　came　back；　and　they　asked　him；　〃What　have　you　seen？〃　

〃Nothing；〃　he　said；　〃but　the　sheep　asleep　in　their　kraals；　and　the

moonlight　on　the　walls。　　And　yet；　it　did　seem　to　me；〃　he　added；　〃that　far

away　near　the　krantz　by　the　river；　I　saw　three　figures　moving。　　And

afterwardsit　might　have　been　fancyI　thought　I　heard　the　cry　again；　but

since　that；　all　has　been　still　there。〃



。。。



Next　day　a　navvy　had　returned　to　the　railway　works。



〃Where　have　you　been　so　long？〃　his　comrades　asked。



〃He　keeps　looking　over　his　shoulder；〃　said　one；　〃as　though　he　thought　he

should　see　something　there。〃



〃When　he　drank　his　grog　today；〃　said　another；　〃he　let　it　fall；　and　looked

round。〃



Next　day；　a　small　old　Bushman；　and　a　Hottentot；　in　ragged　yellow　trousers；

were　at　a　wayside　canteen。　　When　the　Bushman　had　had　brandy；　he　began　to

tell　how　something　（he　did　not　say　whether　it　was　man；　woman；　or　child）　had

lifted　up　its　hands　and　cried　for　mercy；　had　kissed　a　white　man's　hands；

and　cried　to　him　to　help　it。　　Then　the　Hottentot　took　the　Bushman　by　the

throat；　and　dragged　him　out。



Next　night；　the　moon　rose　up；　and　mounted　the　quiet　sky。　　She　was　full