the days of my life

第24部分 (第1/7頁)

goaded　into　resignation　over　a　money　matter；　a　few　months　later　the　sacrifice　was　pleted。　He　was　recalled　with　ignominy；　no　other　word　seems　to　meet　the　case。　He　retired　to　England　to　die；　as　thought　many　of　his　friends；　of　a　broken　heart。　Thus　did　Britain　reward　her　faithful　servant　whose　greatest　crime　was　an　error　of　judgment；　if　indeed　he　really　erred；　a　matter　that　may　well　be　argued。　Well；　he　took　with　him　the　love　and　respect　of　every　loyal　man　in　South　Africa；　and　oils　are　forgotten；　his　name　will　shine　on　serene　and　untarnished　in　the　sky　of　history。

To　return　to　my　personal　reminiscences　of　this　great　Governor。　During　the　year　1877；　in　an　unguarded　moment　I　wrote　an　article　descriptive　of　my　visit　to　Secocoeni；　which　was　published　in　an　English　magazine。　In　the　course　of　this　article　I　gave　an　accurate　and　lively　account　of　the　menage　of　an　ordinary　Transvaal　Boer；　in　the　course　of　which　I　was　so　foolish　as　to　say　that　the　ladies　were；　for　the　most　part；　plain　and　stout。　I　do　not　think　that　I　signed　the　paper；　but　from　internal　evidence　it　was　traced　back　to　me；　and；　needless　to　say；　translated　into　Dutch　by　the　journals　of　the　Cape　Colony。　Then　a　great　hubbub　arose；　and　ultimately；　two　years　later；　the　matter　came　to　the　ears　of　Sir　Bartle　Frere。

He　sent　for　me　and　very　rightly　reproached　me　for　my　indiscretion。　In　defence　I　replied　that　I　had　written　no　word　that　was　not　the　strict　and　absolute　truth。

“Haggard；”　he　said　in　his　suave　voice；　“do　you　not　know　that　there　are　occasions　on　which　the　truth　is　the　last　thing　that　should　be　uttered？　I　beg　you　in　future　to　keep　it　to　yourself。”

I　bethought　me　of　Talleyrand’s　saying　that　language　was　given　to　us　to　conceal　our　thoughts；　but　did　not；　I　think；　attempt　to　cap　the　argument　b