the days of my life

第29部分 (第5/7頁)

rom　the　public　service　on　a　pension。　At　first　his　idea　was　to　settle　in　England；　but　ultimately　our　climate　proved　too　much　for　him；　and　he　drifted　back　to　South　Africa；　where　not　long　afterwards　he　died。　I　do　not　think　that　his　departure　from　the　world　grieved　him　very　much；　for　in　addition　to　the　loss　of　his　son　Jack；　my　ward；　he　was　called　upon　to　endure　other　heavy　sorroed　his　religious　views；　but　I　remember　that　one　night；　when　I　was　talking　to　him　on　such　matters；　he　stretched　out　his　arm　and　clasped　a　handful　from　the　swarm　of　white　ants　that　were　flying　past　us。　“What　is　the　difference　between　us　and　these？”　he　asked　with　a　little　laugh；　and　let　them　go　again。　By　the　way；　I　may　mention　he　was　the　origin　of　my　character　Alston　in　“The　Witch’s　Head。”　Dear　old　“Mali…mat”　—　that　was　his　Kaffir　name；　which　means；　I　believe；　“so　much　money”　—　shrewd；　kindly；　honourable；　the　truest　of　friends；　the　bravest　of　men；　surely　you；　if　any　do；　belong　to　that　class　which　Pope　defined　as　the　noblest　work　of　God。

Osborn　was　a　great　believer　in　the　virtue　of　the　raw　Kaffir。　Thus；　when　he　was　magistrate　of　Newcastle；　he　did　not　hesitate　to　send　down　from　Newcastle　to　Maritzburg；　two　hundred　miles　away；　the　total　sum　of　the　hut　tax　collected　in　his　district　—　which；　if　I　remember　rightly；　amounted　to　one　or　two　thousand　pounds　—　tied　in　gold…filled　belts　about　the　middle　of　some　of　his　native　policemen。　The　fact　about　the　Kaffirs；　and　especially　the　Zulu　Kaffirs；　is；　or　was；　that　those　whom　they　love　and　respect　may　trust　them　to　the　death；　whereas　those　whom　they　despise　or　hate　cannot　lend　them　sixpence　with　safety　or　believe　their　word　about　the　smallest　matter。　Their　absolute　fidelity　to　duty　is　well　exemplified　in　the　following　story　which　Sir　Theophilus　Shepstone　told　m