the days of my life

第19部分 (第1/7頁)

was　largely　posed　of　English　folk　or　of　those　who　were　not　unsympathetic。　After　this　ceremony　was　pleted　the　ex…President　Burgers’　formal　protest；　of　which　the　draft　had　already　been　submitted　to　the　missioner　and　approved　by　him；　was　also　read；　and　received　respectfully　but　in　silence。　The　text　of　these　historical　documents　can　be　studied　in　the　Blue…books　of　the　day；　if　anybody　ever　reads　an　old　Blue…book；　so　I　will　not　dwell　upon　them　here。

I　recall　that　after　everything　was　over　it　became　my　duty　to　deliver　copies　of　the　Proclamation；　and　of　another　document　under　which　Sir　Theophilus　assumed　the　office　of　Administrator　of　the　new　Government；　at　the　various　public　offices。　In　front　of　one　of　these　offices　—　I　remember　its　situation　but　not　which　one　of　them　it　was　—　was　gathered　a　crowd　of　sullen…looking　Boers　who　showed　no　disposition　to　let　me　pass　upon　my　business。　I　looked　at　them　and　they　looked　at　me。　I　advanced；　purposing　to　thrust　my　way　between　two　of　them；　and　as　still　they　would　not　let　me　pass　I　trod　upon　the　foot　of　one　of　them；　half　expecting　to　be　shot　as　I　did　so；　whereon　the　man　drew　back　and　let　me　go　about　my　duty。　It　was　insolent；　I　admit；　and　had　I　been　an　older　man　probably　I　should　have　withdrawn　and　left　the　Proclamation　undelivered。　But　I　do　not　think　that　the　incident　was　without　its　effect；　for　it　did　not　pass　unobserved。　I　was　but　one　young　fellow　facing　a　hostile　crowd　which　had　gathered　in　the　remoter　spaces　of　the　square；　but　for　the　moment　I　was　the　representative　of　England；　and　I　felt　that　if　I　recoiled　before　their　muttered　threats　and　oaths；　inferences　might　be　drawn。　Therefore　I　went　on。　Whatever　happened　to　me　I　was　determined　to　deliver　my　Proclamation　as　I　had　been　ordered　to　do；　or　to　fail　because　I　must。

My