第23部分(第4/7 頁)

n　fine　style。　But　arms　cannot　always　be　kept　at　the　“present；”　and　in　due　course　it　became　necessary　that　they　should　be　returned　to　their　original　position。　Then　arose　my　difficulty。　I　had　either　neglected　to　provide　myself　with　or　had　forgotten　the　exact　words　that　should　be　used。　Yet　the　occasion　was　urgent：　something　had　to　be　done。　So　I　shouted　in　stentorian　tones　—　or　so　at　least　my　military　friends　used　to　swear　afterwards　when　they　wanted　to　chaff　me；　though　to　this　hour　I　do　not　believe　them　—　“Put　’em　back　again！”　Well；　it　served。　The　Pretoria　Horse　grinned　and　the　arms　went　back。

I　saw　Sir　Bartle　a　good　many　times　while　he　was　in　Pretoria；　being　brought　in　touch　with　him　not　only　as　an　official　but　because　he　and　my　mother　had　been　friends　when　they　were　young　together　in　India。　He　was　a　tall；　refined…looking　man　of　about　sixty…five；　who　always　seemed　to　me　to　be　employed　in　collecting　first…hand　information；　questioning　everyone　whom　he　met　on　the　chance　of　extracting　something　of　value。　I　think　that　occasionally　the　Colonial　officials　and　others　rather　resented　his　continual　cross…examination。　Indeed　there　is　a　trace　of　this　in　a　report　that　he　wrote　to　the　Colonial　Office　as　to　Shepstone’s　character；　dated　February　1879；　in　which　document　he　plained　that　he　could　not　get　as　much　out　of　Sir　Theophilus　as　he　would　have　wished。　Now　knowing　my　Chief　as　well　as　I　did；　my　conclusion　is　that　he　did　not　altogether　like　being　pumped；　especially　as　he　was　not　sure　what　use　would　be　made　of　the　information　or　if　it　would　be　correctly　assimilated。　Shepstone　was　always　open　enough　with　those　whom　he　thoroughly　knew　and　trusted；　but　these；　I　admit；　were　not　very　many　in　number。　Sir　Bartle　describes　him　as　“a　singular　type　of　an　Africander　Talleyrand；　shrewd；　obse