第66部分(第2/7 頁)

h　his　vast　mand　of　money；　could　have　dispossessed　this　tyrant　and　annexed　those　great　territories。

I　did　not　know　Cecil　Rhodes　in　Africa；　where　we　never　crossed　each　other’s　paths；　indeed　I　think　he　arrived　there　only　towards　the　end　of　my　time。　We　first　met　in　London；　I　believe　somewhere　about　the　year　1888；　when　I　was　asked　to　meet　him　at　the　National　Liberal　Club。　At　that　time　he　was　little　known；　I　do　not　think　that　I　had　ever　heard　of　him　before。　He　impressed　me　a　good　deal；　and　I　remember　his　explaining　to　me　in　great　detail　the　provisions　of　a　measure　he　was　introducing　into　the　Cape　Parliament　—　I　think　it　was　the　Glen　Grey　Act　—　in　such　detail；　indeed；　that　I　lost　the　thread　of　the　thing　and　grew　bewildered。　Rhodes　could　rarely　be　persuaded　to　write　a　letter；　but　my　recollection　is　that　he　could　talk　at　a　great　pace　when　he　was　in　the　mood。

When　he　was　in　England；　just　before　the　Jameson　Raid；　I　saw　Rhodes　several　times；　for　it　was　then　that　the　African　people　were　anxious　that　I　should　stand　for　Parliament。　I　remember　going　to　breakfast　with　him　at　the　Burlington　Hotel。　He　was　then　at　the　height　of　his　success；　and　the　scene　was　very　curious。　Already　before　breakfast　a　number　of　people；　some　of　them　well　known；　who　were　not　asked　to　that　meal；　were　waiting　about　in　ante…rooms　on　the　chance　of　getting　a　word　with　or　favour　from　the　great　man。　It　reminded　me　of　a　picture　I　have　seen　of　Dr。　Johnson　and　others　hanging　about　in　the　vestibule　of；　I　think；　Lord　Chesterfield’s　apartment　for　a　like　object。　There　was　the　same　air　of　patient　expectancy　upon　their　faces。　In　a　china　bowl　on　a　table　I　observed　a　great　accumulation　of　unopened　letters；　most　of　which　had　a　kind　of　society　look　about　them；　probably　they　were　invitations　and　so　forth。　It　was；　I　ha