Agaat - Marlene van Niekerk [126]
What could I raise against that? Her list could have been much longer.
9 October 1961 half past seven
From early this morning there’s been a breaking & hammering in the backyard & A.’s stuff has been carried out in a pile. Decided after all to have a fireplace installed in her room. It gets cold back there in the winter & Jakkie is now spending all his time with hr. Will have to teach hr to drive as well. Don’t want another crisis when Jak or Dawid isn’t here.
Where have you ever in your life heard of slave quarters with a built-in fireplace says J., does she think she’s a royal skivvy with a pedigree in Scotland? If I were him I say I’d keep my mouth shut she led his holy Hamburg by the nose for him & blew wine spirits into him while he the so-called master was prancing about volleying on the tennis court.
Had the dish & grid welded last week & had the lime mixed for the whitewashing on the outside & the black chimney pot is standing ready & the iron cross-beam to go above the grate so that the whole operation can be completed in a few days. See to it that it draws properly I said to D. there’s no point in going to all the trouble & then we’re stuck with smother & smoke inside the room. It must be got ready & right before we start the harvest there’s no time for toiling & moiling.
Quarter past nine
Have just been to have a peep in the backyard. Hearth-hole has been broken through. It’s going to be a half-outside roundbelly fireplace otherwise it will take up too much space inside. A. is standing in the middle of the floor with hr hands in front of hr & looks at the foundation of the hearth being laid. The labourers yell so can we come & fry our scratchings by your fire? our sheep’s tails our sheep’s heads? can we stew our porcupine over your coals or are you going to be otherwise with your fire? She doesn’t twitch a muscle but I know her she’s very taken with it. More than that. She looks inspired. Lord in heaven help us the girl.
Second day of hearth-building 12 o’clock
D. had me called to the kitchen they’ve finished plastering & whitewashing on the outside he says but inside’s a problem. Apparently A. is particular about the plastering around the hearth-hole. They must do what she says I command. He feels queasy says D. the builders are teasing A. between the legs. Send them home I say he’ll just have to help her on his own with the finishing-off inside just as long as it gets finished.
She doesn’t want to be helped says D. she wants to do it herself on her own it’s her altar. Heaven help. Altar. For what sacrifice?
After lunch
Strangely quiet in the backyard all afternoon. Went & looked out of the nursery window & lo & behold there are Saar & Lietja peering into A.’s window they’re pushing & shoving each other. Had better go & investigate.
5 o’clock
A. had gone to dig potatoes in the field for supper so then I went & peeped through the window. A cloth draped in front of the fireplace a bucket of plastering-cement & a pointed trowel & a bucket of water & a snow-white block-brush & a few shoe boxes all with lids on. Typical. Grabbed my opportunity & went to have a peek. Quartz pebbles & skulls & shells & baby’s toes & sea urchins from Witsand. Couldn’t look any further.
13 October
Instructed D. to teach A. to drive the bakkie. She refuses point-blank. Will just have to teach her the ropes myself. In a week we’re mowing.
15 October
Waited till J. was out this afternoon before taking the old Chevvy down to the fields with A. & Jakkie. Coaxed & wheedled there you have your fireplace now I said exactly as you wanted it now it’s my turn. She looks at me askance won’t give me the child to hold won’t get in behind the wheel. Perhaps I should just let it be. The fireplace seems in any case to have the desired effect. Everything is running smoothly again. Bread is rising chickens are laying flower garden spick & span big fires every evening. Hear her singing & telling stories to Jakkie there in the