the days of my life-第73章

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ney；　not　for　its　own　sake；　but　that　he　might　use　it　to　fulfil　the　purposes　of　his　busy　and　far…reaching　brain。　He　outwitted　Kruger；　he　destroyed　the　Matabele；　he　seized　the　vast　territories　of　Rhodesia；　and　persuaded　the　British　public　to　find　him　the　gold　wherewith　to　finance　them；　most　of　which　the　British　public　has；　I　imagine；　lost。　But　the　Empire　has　gained；　for　Rhodesia　does　not　run　away；　like　the　capital；　in　over…financed　and　unremunerative　panies。　One　day　it　may　be　a　great　asset　of　the　Crown；　if　the　Imperial　possessions　hold　together。
It　would　almost　seem　as　though　Rhodes　was　one　of　those　men　who　have　been　and　still　are　raised　up　by　that　Power；　of　the　existence　of　which　he　seems　to　have　been　dubious；　to　fulfil　certain　designs　of　Its　own。　There　have　been　a　good　many　with　somewhat　similar　characteristics。　Alexander；　Caesar；　Napoleon；　Chaka；　e　to　my　mind　as　I　write。　Roosevelt；　though　his　is　a　finer　mind；　may　or　may　not　prove　another：　at　the　moment　it　rather　looks　as　though　his　cards　were　played；　but　who　knows？
Had　it　not　been　for　Rhodes　I　incline　to　the　belief　that　the　Germans　would　have　taken　Rhodesia；　perhaps　after　a　preliminary　occupation　by　the　Boers。　That　danger；　I　think；　was　present　to　his　thoughts　and　was　one　of　the　reasons　which　induced　him　to　strike；　and　strike　hard；　caring　nothing　for　the　blood　that　splashed　up　from　the　blow。　In　the　same　way　he　wished　to　seize　the　Transvaal　by　a　coup　de　main；　or　rather　a　coup　d’epee；　but　here　he　miscalculated　the　strength　of　the　opposing　forces。　Or　perhaps；　as　he　himself　said；　Jameson　—　whom　I　also　knew　and　who　possesses；　I　think；　in　some　ways　a　higher　nature　than　did　Rhodes　—　upset　his　“apple…cart。”　At　least；　whatever　his　faults；　he　was　a　great　figure　in　his　generation；　and　his　name　must　always　be　remembered　if　only　by　that　of　the　vast　territory　he　seized；　which　he　still　surveys　from　his　tomb…eyrie　on　the　Matoppos。
Rhodes　had　his　weaknesses；　like　other　men。　A　few　years　ago　I　was　staying　with　Lord　Carrington；　now　the　Marquis　of　Lincolnshire。　He　told　me　a　little　story　with　reference　to　Rhodes’　declaration；　which　Lord　Carrington　said　he　had　often　made；　to　the　effect　that　he　would　accept　no　title　or　favour　from　Royalty。　They　were　both　of　them　manded　to　Windsor　at　the　same　time；　and　Lord　Carrington　gave　me　a　lively　description　of　the　intense　amusement　of　the　pany　e　down　to　dinner　and　in　a　very　marked　manner　asked　one　of　the　gentlemen…inwaiting　whether　he　had　been　careful　to　see　that　the　“Right　Honourable　gentleman；”　pointing　to　Cecil　Rhodes；　had　been　made　fortable　in　every　way；　thereby　indicating　the　conferring　of　a　Privy　Councillorship　upon　him；　which　he　had　not　refused。
My　City　labours　endured　but　for　nine　months；　after　which　time　I　was　delivered。　During　those　tumultuous　days　I　toiled　in　a　fine　office　in　London；　where　thousands　were　talked　of　as　of　no　account。　It　was　the　period　of　the　great　African　boom；　and　the　business　machine　hummed　merrily。　We　made　money；　I　remember；　also　we　lost　money。　But　it　was　all　much　too　speculative　and　nerve…racking　for　me；　while　the　burden　of　those　panies　weighed　upon　my　mind　heavily。　The　true…bred　City　man　cares　little　for　such　things；　which　to　him　are　all　part　of　the　day’s　work；　as　writing　a　chapter　of　a　book　might　be　to　me。　He　is　accustomed　to　take　risks；　and　an　adept　at　getting　out　of　difficult　situations。
At　last　came　a　time　in　my　own　instance　when　my　partner；　an　excellent　and　very　able　gentleman　in　his　own　way　and　one　for　whom　I　retain　the　most　friendly　feelings；　announced　that　he　meant　to　depart　for　South　Africa　for　a　year　or　so；　leaving　me　to　conduct　all　the　extremely　intricate　affairs　with　which　he　was　connected。　This　was　too　much　for　me；　and　then　and　there　I　had　the　presence　of　mind　to　strike。
All　men　make　mistakes；　but　afterwards；　so　far　as　my　observation　goes；　they　may　be　divided　into　two　classes：　those　who　know　when　to　get　out　of　them；　and　those　who　do　not。
Well；　in　this　case　I　had　sufficient　sense　and　courage　to　appreciate　my　mistake　and　to　retire　while　there　was　yet　time。　Of　course　there　was　some　difficulty；　as　under　the　deed　of　partnership　I　was　bound　for　a　period。　But；　when　he　saw　that　I　was　determined　to　go；　my　partner　behaved　very　well　and　kindly　signed　a　dissolution。
I　should　add　that　the　period　which　this　chapter　covers　was　marked　by　several　events　that　were　more　or　less　important　to　me。　In　1893　my　dear　father　died　as　the　result　of　a　chill　which　he　caught　in　waiting　about　for　the　poll　to　be　declared　at　an　election　in　cold　weather。　It　was　sad　to　see　a　man　of　his　great　strength　and　energy　fading　away　and　being　so　subdued　and　gentle；　qualities　which　were　not　natural　to　him。　After　one　extraordinary　recovery　from　the　jaundice；　or　whatever　it　was　that　had　attacked　him；　believing　himself　to　be　strong　again；　he　began　to　travel　and　pay　visits　in　winter；　and　thus　brought　on　a　return　of　his　ailment。　I　was　not　actually　present　at　his　death…bed；　as　I　could　only　reach　Bradenham　on　the　following　day。　He　left　me　one　of　his　executors　and；　as　he　was　dying；　told　our　old　servant　Hocking　to　give　me　his　watch　and　chain；　which　I　think　had　been　his　father’s　before　him。　I　have　it　now；　still　marking　the　hour　at　which　it　ran　down　under　his　pillow　on　that　night。　His　last　words；　spoken　almost　as　he　expired；　were：
“God　is　everywhere！　He　is　in　this　room；　is　He　not？”
He　looked　fine　and　peaceful　in　death；　as　I　think　I　have　said；　he　was　very　handsome；　and　in　many　ways　a　remarkable　man。　I　never　knew　anyone　who　resembled　him　in　the　least　or　who　was　the　possessor　of　half　his　energy。　God　rest　him！
Sir　Theophilus　Shepstone　died　in　the　same　year；　and；　I　think；　at　almost　exactly　the　same　age。　I　mourned　my　old　chief　very　sincerely。
In　1893　or　the　previous　year　I　was　elected　Chairman　of　my　local　bench　of　magistrates；　an　office　which　I　have　filled　ever　since。　Indeed；　when　I　wished　to　resign　it　the　other　day；　on　my　appointment　to　the　Dominions　Royal　mission；　that；　all　being　well；　will　necessitate　long　absences　from　England　during　which　I　shall　be　unable　to　attend　to　the　business　of　the　bench；　my　colleagues　unanimously　requested　me　to　retain　the　position　and　appointed　my　old　friend　and　neighbour；　Captain　Meade　of　Earsham　Hall；　to　act　for　me　when　I　was　away。　I　was　touched　at　this　evidence　of　their　regard　and　confidence。
In　1895　the　mittee　did　me　the　honour　to　elect　me　to　the　Athenaeum　Club　under　Rule　2；　and　in　the　following　year　I　was　chosen　Chairman　of　mittee　of　the　Society　of　Authors；　a　post　which　I　held　until　1898。
About　this　time　I　made　the　acquaintance　of　one　of　the　most　interesting　of　all　my　friends；　Major　F。　R。　Burnham；　D。S。O。；　concerning　whom　and　whose　career　I　should　like　to　say　a　few　words。　Burnham　is　an　American；　born　among　the　Indians　on　the　frontiers　of　Minnesota　in　1861；　and　one　of　the　best　specimens　of　that　great　people　whom　I　have　ever　met。　Indeed；　taking　him　altogether；　I　am　not　sure　that　when　the　circumstances　of　his　upbringing　and　life　are　considered；　he　is　not　the　most　remarkable　man　whom　it　has　been　my　privilege　to　know。　He　belongs　to　the　seventh　generation　of　pioneers；　as　his　family　went　to　America　from　England　in　1635。
In　personal　appearance　he　is　small　and　quiet…mannered；　with　steady；　grey…blue　eyes　that　have　in　them　a　far…away　look　such　as　those　acquire　whose　occupation　has　caused　them　to　watch　continually　at　sea　or　on　great　plains。　He　does　not　smoke；　fearing；　as　he　told　me；　lest　it　should　injure　the　acuteness　of　his　sense　of　smell；　and　he　drinks　less　liquid　perhaps　than　anyone　else。　One　wineglass　of　water；　or　perhaps　claret；　is　the　amount　he　will　consume　during　a　long　meal。　He　has　trained　himself　to　this　abstinence　in　order　that；　when　scouting　or　travelling　where　there　is　no　water；　he　may　still　be　able　to　exist；　with　the　result　that　on　one　occasion　at　least　he　survived　when　all　or　nearly　all　of　his　panions　died；　I　think　in　the　deserts　of　Arizona。　He　is　not　at　all　municative；　indeed　I　remember　his　telling　me　that　I　was　one　of　the　very　few　people　to　whom　he　had　imparted　any　information　concerning　his　many　adventures。
When　he　was　in　England　Charles　Longman　was　very　anxious　that　he　should　write　his　Life；　but　although　he　offered　him　a　handsome　sum　on　account　and；　to　my　knowledge；　Burnham　at　the　time　was　not　too　well　supplied　with　money；　in　spite　of　my　entreaties　and　offers　of　assistance；　this；　to　my　lasting　regret；　he　absolutely　refused　to　do。　Therefore；　if　he　still　lives；　as　I　believe　to　be　the　case　—　although　somewhat　to　my　surprise　I　have　heard　nothing　from　him　for　the　last　three　or　four　years　—　when　he　dies　the　record　of　all　his　extraordinary　adventures；　of　which　he　has　experienced　more　in　fact　than　Allan　Quatermain　himself　in　fiction；　will；　I　fear；　perish　with　him。　Of　those　adventures；　of　course；　I　can　only　repeat　a　few　specimens　from　memory；　as　he　has　told　them　to　me　walking　about　the　land　or　sitting　together　over　the　fire　in　this　house。
His　first　recollection　is　of　being　carried　away　by　his　mother　when　the　savage　Indians　attacked　the　place　where　they　lived；　somewhere　on　the　Mexican　border。　He　was　then　about　three　years　old；　and　at　last　his　mother；　unable　to　bear　him　any　farther；　hid　him　in　a　shock　of　maize；　telling　him　that　he　must　keep　quite　silent。　From　between　the　stalks　of　the　maize　presently　he　saw　the　pursuing　Indians　pass。　Next　day　his　mother　returned　and　rescued　him。
Later　on；　as　a　married　man；　he　found　his　way　with　some　members　of　his　family　to　Rhodesia；　attracted　by　the　magic　name　of　Cecil　Rhodes；　and　took　part　in　the　settlement　of　that　colony。　Prospecting　and　the　management　of　mines　were　their　occupations。　Here　his　little　girl　was　born；　the　first　white　child　that　saw　the　light　in　Buluwayo。　He　named　her　Nada　after　the　heroine　of　my　Zulu　tale。　Poor　infant；　she　did　not　live　long；　as　the　following　dedication　to　one　of　my　stories　shows：
To　the　Memory　of　the　Child
NADA　BURNHAM
who　“bound　all　to　her”　and；　while　her　father　cut　his　way　through　the　hordes　of　the　Ingubu　Regiment；　perished　of　the　hardships　of　war　at　Buluwayo　on　May　22nd；　1896；　I　dedicate　this　tale　of　Faith　triumphant　over　savagery　and　death。
Burnham　was　with　Wilson　when　he　was　wiped　out　on　the　banks　of　the　Shangani；　together　with　all　his　panions；　except　Burnham　himself　and　his　brother…inlaw；　Ingram；　who　had　been　sent　back　to　try　to　bring　help　from　the　column。　All