Bonaparte had
completely recovered from the effects of his fright in the afternoon, and
the numerous doses of brandy that it had been necessary to administer to
him to effect his restoration had put him into a singularly pleasant and
amiable mood.
"That boy Waldo," said Bonaparte, rubbing his toes, "took himself off
coolly this morning as soon as the wagon came, and has not done a stiver of
work all day. I'll not have that kind of thing now I'm master of this
farm."
The Hottentot maid translated.
"Ah, I expect he's sorry that his father's dead," said Tant Sannie. "It's
nature, you know. I cried the whole morning when my father died. One can
always get another husband, but one can't get another father," said Tant
Sannie, casting a sidelong glance at Bonaparte.
Bonaparte expressed a wish to give Waldo his orders for the next day's
work, and accordingly the little woolly-headed Kaffer was sent to call him.
After a considerable time the boy appeared, and stood in the doorway.
If they had dressed him in one of the swallow-tailed coats, and oiled his
hair till the drops fell from it, and it lay as smooth as an elder's on
sacrament Sunday, there would still have been something unanointed in the
aspect of the fellow. As it was, standing there in his strange old
costume, his head presenting much the appearance of having been deeply
rolled in sand, his eyelids swollen, the hair hanging over his forehead,
and a dogged sullenness on his features, he presented most the appearance
of an ill-conditioned young buffalo.
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