the days of my life

第33部分 (第2/7頁)

iers；　townsfolk；　and　natives。　I　saw　strong　men　weeping　like　children；　and　heard　English…born　people　crying　aloud　that　they　were　“b　——　y　Englishmen”　no　more。　Soldiers　were　raging　and　cursing；　and　no　one　tried　to　stop　them；　natives　stood　stupefied；　staring　before　them；　their　arms　folded　on　their　breasts；　women　wrung　their　hands。

Then　an　idea　struck　the　crowd；　they　made　a　rude　effigy　of　Mr。　Gladstone　and；　as　was　done　in　most　of　the　other　loyal　parts　of　South　Africa；　burnt　it　with　contempt　and　curses。　It　was　a　futile　and　perhaps　a　foolish　act；　but　excuses　must　be　made　for　the　ruined　and　the　shamed。　They　could　not　believe　their　ears；　in　which　still　echoed　the　vehement　declaration　of　Sir　Gar　Wolseley　that　no　Government　would　dare　under　any　circumstances　to　give　back　the　Transvaal；　and　the　statements；　in　the　House　of　Lords；　by　telegram；　and　in　other　ways　of　various　members　of　the　Administration　to　the　same　effect。

And　now　I　have　done　and　am　glad　to　have　done　with　the　matter　of　this　great　betrayal；　the　bitterness　of　which　no　lapse　of　time　ever　can　solace　or　even　alleviate；　and　will　return　to　its　results　upon　my　own　life。

On　July　30；　1881；　I　sent　to　my　father　what　I　suppose　was　the　last　letter　that　I　wrote　to　him　from　South　Africa。　It　was　in　answer　to　one　from　him　enclosing　a　munication　from　the　late　Mr。　Blake；　who　was　at　that　time　my　lawyer；　in　which　for　various　reasons；　both　personal　and　connected　with　our　property；　they　remended　our　return　to　England。

My　dear　Father；　—　I　have　delayed　replying　to　your　kind　letter　of　June　22nd　in　order　that　I　might　have　time　to　give　it　full　consideration；　and　also　to　enable　me　to　try　to　arrive　at　some　satisfactory　conclusion　as　regards　the　probable　course　of　events　in　this　country。　I　must　now　tell　you　that　after　thor