the days of my life-第22章

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ery　amusing　stories　told　of　him　whilst　in　London：　when　asked　what　made　the　greatest　impression　on　him　there；　he　replied　the　big　horses　in　the　carts；　and　Lord　Carnarvon’s　butler！　“He　was　a　‘mooi　carle’”　（beautiful　fellow）。
Pretoria：　March　4；　1878。
My　dearest　Mother；　—　。　。　。　At　home　you　seem　rather　alarmed　about　the　state　of　affairs　here；　and　it　is　not　altogether　reassuring。　The　Zulu　business　hangs　fire；　but　that　cloud　will　surely　burst。　Luckily　the　action　Sir　Henry　Bulwer　has　taken　has　thrown　much　of　the　future　responsibility　on　his　shoulders。　。　。　。　It　is　not　for　a　moment　to　be　supposed　that　Cetewayo　will　be　bound　by　any　decree　given　against　him。　。　。　。　Our　most　pressing　danger　now　is　the　Boers。　They　really　seem　to　mean　business　this　time。　From　every　direction　we　hear　of　their　preparations；　etc。　According　to　the　latest　news　they　are　ing　in　on　the　16th　inst。；　or　else　on　the　5th　of　April；　five　thousand　strong；　to　demand　back　the　Government。　This　of　course　will　be　refused。　Then　they　are　going　to　try　to　rush　the　camp　and　powder　magazine　and；　I　suppose；　burn　the　town。　I　am　still　sceptical　about　it：　not　that　I　doubt　that　they　would　like　to　do　it。　I　dare　say　they　will　be　tempted　by　the　small　number　of　troops　here　（we　have　only　250　men）。　。　。　。　I　am　one　of　the　marked　men　who　are　to　be　instantly　hung　on　account　of　that　Secocoeni　article　I　wrote。　Some　spiteful　brute　translated　it　into　Dutch　with　ments　and　published　it　in　the　local　papers。　The　Boers　are　furious；　there　are　two　things　they　cannot　bear　—　the　truth　and　ridicule。　。　。　。　It　is　precious　little　I　care　about　them　and　their　threats。　。　。　。　The　abuse　showered　on　the　heads　of　the　unfortunate　English　officials　here　is　something　simply　awful。　You　would　not　know　me　again　if　you　could　see　me　as　I　appear　in　the　Volkstemm　leaders。　However；　it　amuses　them　and　does　not　hurt　us。　We　only　hope　that　when　the　Chief　es　back　（we　expect　him　next　Monday）　he　will　take　strong　measures。　He　has　been　too　lenient；　and　consequently　they　have　blackguarded　him　up　hill　and　down　dale。
P。S。　I　have　a　pleasing　duty　to　perform　early　tomorrow　—　go　and　see　a　man　executed。
Very　well　do　I　remember　the　experience　alluded　to　in　this　postscript。　The　individual　referred　to　was　a　Kaffir　chief　of　high　blood；　I　think　the　Swazi　who　was　responsible　for　the　killing　of　Mr。　Bell　in　order　to　avoid　the　payment　of　taxes。　I　cannot　recall　his　name。　He　was　a　most　dignified　and　gentlemanlike　person。　At　the　execution　the　interpreter　asked　him　if　he　had　anything　to　say　before　he　died。　He　began　to　repeat　his　version　of　the　affair　with　which　we　were　already　acquainted；　and　on　being　stopped；　remarked；　“I　have　spoken；　I　am　ready。”
In　the　grey　morning　light　he　was　then　led　to　the　scaffold　erected　in　the　prison　yard。　He　walked　to　it　and　examined　the　noose　and　other　arrangements。　The　executioner　proved　to　be　hopelessly　drunk；　a　black　Christian　preacher　wearing　a　battered　tall　hat　prayed　over　the　doomed　man。　The　High　Sheriff；　Juta；　overe　by　the　spectacle；　retired　into　a　corner　of　the　yard；　where　he　was　violently　ill。　The　thing　had　to　be　done；　and　between　the　drunken　executioner　and　an　overe　High　Sheriff　it　devolved　upon　me。　So　I　stood　over　that　executioner　and　forced　him　to　perform　his　office。　Thus　died　this　brave　Swazi　gentleman。
Pretoria：　Sunday；　March　31；　1878。
My　dear　Father；　—　Very　many　thanks　for　your　long　and　kind　letter　of　20th　Feb。　1878　and　all　the　advice　it　contained。　With　what　you　say　I　to　a　very　great　extent　agree。　I　had　some　idea　of　shifting；　but　recent　events　have　considerably　altered　my　plans。　I　think　that　unless　something　unexpected　occurs　I　am　now　certain　of　the　Master　and　Registrarship　here；　which　will　be　worth　400　pounds　a　year　—　with　a　probable　increase　of　pay　in　two　or　three　years。　It　will　also　make　me　a　head　of　Department；　which　at　the　age　of　twenty…one　is　not　so　bad。　However；　experience　has　taught　me　that　it　is　foolish　to　count　one’s　chickens　before　they　are　hatched；　so　as　I　have　not　actually　been　appointed　the　less　said　about　it　at　present　the　better。　Even　supposing　I　do　not　get　it　I　am　not　sure　that　I　should　change　unless　I　got　the　offer　of　something　very　good。　This　is　a　new　country　where　there　are　very　few　above　me；　and　a　country　which　must　bee　rich　and　rising　—　also　the　climate　is　good。　However；　I　shall　of　course　be　guided　by　circumstances；　and　if　I　should　do　so　I　am　sure　you　will　understand　that　it　will　be　because　I　thought　it　on　the　whole　best。
Of　course　the　lawyers　are　making　a　desperate　stand　against　my　appointment；　but　with　very　little　effect。　It　does　not　at　all　suit　their　book。　They　want　to　get　in　a　man　of　the　old　clique　who　would　not　be　above　a　“consideration。”　When　first　I　acted　one　of　them　tried　it　on　indirectly　with　me；　wanted　to　pay　me　double　fees　for　some　missioner’s　work；　but　I　think　I　rather　startled　him。
The　next　letter　runs　as　follows：
Pretoria：　April　7；　1878。
My　dear　Father；　—　I　have　to　tell　you　what　I　am　sure　you　will　be　glad　to　hear；　namely；　that　I　have　won　the　day　with　reference　to　my　appointment　as　Master　and　Registrar。　I　have　seen　H。E。‘s　minute　to　Sec。　to　Govt。；　so　I　am　certain　about　it　now。　The　last　question　has　also　been　settled　in　my　favour；　i。e。　whether　I　was　to　receive　300　or　400　pounds　per　annum。　I　believe　I　am　by　far　the　youngest　head　of　Department　in　South　Africa。　I　have　also　the　satisfaction　of　knowing　that　my　promotion　has　not　been　due　to　any　favouritism。　My　connection　with　the　Chief　has　been　against　me　rather　than　otherwise；　because　people　in　his　position　are　very　slow　about　doing　anything　that　can　be　construed　into　favouritism。　He　was　good　enough；　I　believe；　to　speak　very　kindly　about　me　when　he　settled　the　matter　of　my　appointment　this　morning；　saying　that　“he　thought　very　highly　of　me　and　was　sure　that　I　should　rise。”　This　turn　of　affairs　to　a　great　extent　settles　the　question　of　my　going　anywhere　else。　I　am　very　glad　to　have　got　the　better　of　those　lawyers　who　petitioned　against　me；　and　also　to　have　held　the　office　so　much　to　the　satisfaction　of　the　Government　as　to　justify　them　in　appointing　so　young　a　man。　When　I　began　to　act　eight　months　since　I　had　not　the　slightest　knowledge　of　my　work；　a　good　deal　of　which　is　of　course　technical；　and　what　is　more　there　were　no　records；　no　books；　indeed　nothing　from　which　I　could　form　an　idea　of　it；　nor　had　I　anyone　to　teach　me。　In　addition　I　had　to　deal　with　a　lot　of　gentlemen　whose　paths　were　the　paths　of　self…seeking；　who　did　their　utmost　to　throw　obstacles　in　my　way。　These　difficulties　I　have；　I　am　glad　to　say；　to　a　great　extent　overe；　and　I　intend　to　make　myself　thoroughly　master　of　my　position。　Of　course　the　very　fact　of　my　rapid　rise　will　make　me　additional　enemies；　especially　the　five　or　six　disappointed　candidates；　but　I　don’t　mind　that　。　。　。　。
Pretoria；　Transvaal：　June　2；　1878。
My　dear　Father；　—　。　。　。　I　could　not　help　being　a　little　amused　at　the　alarm　everybody　seems　to　be　in　at　home　about　us　here。　The　crisis　which　frightened　you　and　which　was　really　alarming　at　the　time　has　long　since　passed；　and　I　remain　unhung。　＇I　cannot　remember　to　what　crisis　this　refers。　—　H。　R。　H。＇　There　is　however　a　still　blacker　cloud　over　us　now。　Sir　Gar’s　famous　thunder…cloud　of　thirty　thousand　armed　Zulus　is；　I　think；　really　going　to　burst　at　last。　It　must　e　some　time；　so　I　think　it　may　as　well　e　now。　We　shall　have　to　fight　like　rats　in　a　corner；　but　we　shall　lick　them　and　there　will　be　an　end　of　it。　I　do　not　think　a　Zulu　war　will　be　a　long　one：　they　will　not　hide　in　kloofs　and　mountains；　but　e　into　the　open　and　fight　it　out。
In　a　letter　I　got　from　you　nearly　a　year　ago　you　said　that　if　I　wanted　500　pounds　and　the　trustees　would　consent；　you　thought　it　might　be　advanced　to　me。　If　you　still　think　so；　and　it　could　be　done　without　inconvenience　to　anybody；　it　would　be　useful　to　me　now　to　invest。　I　would　guarantee　6　per　cent。　on　it。　Of　course　I　only　ask　for　it　if　it　can　be　done　without　hampering　you　or　my　mother。　I　am　going；　as　I　told　you；　to　build　a　nice　house　with　Cochrane。　In　a　place　of　this　sort　it　is　a　great　thing　to　have　a　pleasant　home；　and　it　will　also　be　a　very　sound　investment。　I　have　bought　two　acres　at　the　top　end　of　the　town　for　this　purpose；　where　land　will　soon　bee　very　valuable　。　。　。　。
H。　Rider　Haggard。
This　house　I　built。　We　named　it　“The　Palatial；”　and　it　has　since　bee　well　known　as　“Jess’s　Cottage。”　It　was　a　funny　little　place　consisting　of　two　rooms；　a　kitchen；　etc。；　and　having　a　tin　roof。　I　remember　how　tiny　it　looked　when　the　foundations　were　dug　out。　I　believe　that　it　still　stands　in　Pretoria。　At　any　rate　an　illustration　of　it　was　published　in　the　issue　of　South　Africa　dated　February　4；　1911；　but　if　it　is　really　the　same　building　it　has　been　much　added　to　and　altered。　The　blue　gums　in　the　picture　are　undoubtedly　those　we　planted；　they　are　very　big　trees　now；　I　am　told。　I　suppose　the　vineyard　we　made　in　front　of　the　house　has　vanished　long　ago；　and　indeed　that　streets　run　across　its　site。
The　Cochrane　alluded　to　in　the　letter　is　Mr。　Arthur　H。　D。　Cochrane；　who　came　to　the　Transvaal　with　Mr。　（afterwards　Sir　William）　Sergeaunt；　one　of　the　Crown　Agents；　who　was　sent　out　by　the　Home　Government　to　investigate　its　finances。　We　struck　up　a　close　friendship　which　has　endured　unimpaired　through　all　the　succeeding　years。　I　am　thankful　to　say　he　is　still　living；　a　man　of　almost　exactly　my　own　age。
During　the　period　covered　by　these　letters　home　I　was　overtaken　by　a　very　sore　trouble。　The　love　affair　to　which　I　have　alluded　earlier　in　this　book　unexpectedly　developed；　not　at　my　instance；　with　the　result　that　for　some　little　space　of　time　I　imagined　myself　to　be　engaged　and　was　proportionately　happy。　Then　one　day　the　mail　cart　arrived　and　all　was　over。　It　was　a　crushing　blow；　so　crushing　that　at　the　time　I　should　not　have　been　sorry　if　I　could　have　departed　from　the　world。　Its　effects　upon　me　also　were　very　bad　indeed；　for　it　left　me　utterly　reckless　and　unsettled。　I　cared　not　what　I　did　or　what　became　of　me。　Here　I　will　leave　this　subject　of　which　even　now　I　find　it　painful　to　write；　especially　after　a　morning　spent　in　the　perusal　of　old　letters；　some　of　them　indited　by　the　dead。
In　the　autumn　of　1878　Sir　Bartle　Frere；　the　High　missioner　for　South　Africa；　had　arrived　in　Natal；　and　towards　the　end　of　the　year　—　I　think　it　w