Маленький Темби - [21]

When Willie returned from town, tired and irritable as he always was after a day of traffic, and interviewing people, and shopping, she told him carefully, choosing her words, what had happened. When she told how she had called to Tembi from the verges of the bush, Willie looked gently at her and said: 'My dear, what good do you think that's going to do? 'But Willie, it's all so awful… Her lips began to tremble luxuriously, and she allowed herself to weep comfortably on his shoulder. 'You don't know it is Tembi, said Willie. 'Of course it's Tembi. Who else could it be? The silly little boy. My silly little Tembi…

She could not eat. After supper she said suddenly: 'He'll come here tonight. I'm sure of it.

'Do you think he will? said Willie seriously, for he had a great respect for Jane's irrational knowledge. 'Well, don't worry, we'll be ready for him. if he'd only let me talk to him, said Jane. 'Talk to him! said Willie. 'Like hell! I'll have him in prison. That's the only place for him. 'But,Willie… Jane protested, knowing perfectly well that Tembi must go to prison.

It was then not eight o'clock. 'I'll have my gun beside the bed, planned Willie. 'He stole a gun, didn't he, from the farm over the river? He might be dangerous. Willie's blue eyes were alight; he was walking up and down the room, his hands in his pockets, alert and excited: he seemed to be enjoying the idea of capturing Tembi, and because of this Jane felt herself go cold against him. It was at this moment that there was a sound from the bedroom next door. They sprang up, and reached the entrance together. There stood Tembi, facing them, his hands dangling empty at his sides. He had grown taller, but still seemed the same lithe, narrow child, with the thin face and great eloquent eyes. At the sight of those eyes Jane said weakly: 'Willie

Willie, however, marched across to Tembi and took that unresisting criminal by the arm. 'You young rascal, he said angrily, but in a voice appropriate, not to a dangerous thief, who had robbed many houses, but rather to a' naughty child caught pilfering fruit. Tembi did not reply to Willie: his eyes were fixed on Jane. He was trembling; he looked no more than a boy.

'Why didn't you come when I called you? asked Jane. 'You are so foolish, Tembi.

'I was afraid, missus, said Tembi, in a voice just above a whisper. 'But I said I wouldn't tell the police, said Jane.

'Be quiet, Jane, ordered Willie. 'Of course we're calling the police. What are you thinking of? As if feeling the need to remind himself of this important fact, he said: 'After all, the lad's a criminal.

'I'm not a bad boy, whispered Tembi imploringly to Jane. 'Missus, my missus, I'm not a bad boy.

But the thing was out of Jane's hands; she had relinquished it to Willie.

Willie seemed uncertain what to do. Finally he strode purposefully to the wardrobe, and took his rifle from it, and handed it to Jane. 'You stay here, he ordered. 'I'm calling the police on the telephone. He went out, leaving the door open, while Jane stood there holding the big gun, and waiting for the sound of the telephone.

She looked helplessly down at the rifle, set it against the bed, and said in a whisper: 'Tembi, why do you steal?

Tembi hung his head and said: 'I don't know, missus. 'But you must know. There was no reply. The tears poured down Tembi's cheeks.

'Tembi, did you like Johannesburg? There was no reply. 'How long were you there? "Three years, missus. 'Why did you come back? 'They put me in prison, missus. 'What for? 'I didn't have a pass. 'Did you get out of prison? 'No, I was there one month and they let me go. 'Was it you who stole all the things from the houses around here? Tembi nodded, his eyes cast down to the floor.

Jane did not know what to do. She repeated firmly to herself: 'This is a dangerous boy, who is quite unscrupulous, and very clever, and picked up the rifle again. But the weight of it, a cold hostile thing, made her feel sorry. She set it down sharply. 'Look at mc, Tembi, she whispered. Outside, in the passage. Willie was saying in a firm confident voice: 'Yes, Sergeant, we've got him here. He used to work for us, years ago. Yes.

'Look, Tembi, whispered Jane quickly. 'I'm going out of the room. You must run away quickly. How did you get in? This thought came to her for the first time. Tembi looked at the window. Jane could see how the bars had been forced apart, so that a very slight person could squeeze in, sideways. 'You must be strong, she said. 'Now, there isn't any need to go out that way. Just walk out of that door, she pointed at the door to the living-room, 'and go through into the veranda, and run into the bush. Go to another district and get yourself an honest job and stop being a thief. I'll talk to the baas. I'll tell him to tell the police we made a mistake.Now then, Tembi… she concluded urgently, and went into the passage, where Willie was at the' telephone, with his back to her.

He lifted his head, looked at her incredulously, and said: 'Jane, you're crazy. Into the telephone he said: 'Yes, come quickly. He set down the receiver, turned to Jane and said: 'You know he'll do it again, don't you? He ran back to the bedroom.