第66部分(第5/7 頁)

old　me　a　little　story　with　reference　to　Rhodes’　declaration；　which　Lord　Carrington　said　he　had　often　made；　to　the　effect　that　he　would　accept　no　title　or　favour　from　Royalty。　They　were　both　of　them　manded　to　Windsor　at　the　same　time；　and　Lord　Carrington　gave　me　a　lively　description　of　the　intense　amusement　of　the　pany　e　down　to　dinner　and　in　a　very　marked　manner　asked　one　of　the　gentlemen…inwaiting　whether　he　had　been　careful　to　see　that　the　“Right　Honourable　gentleman；”　pointing　to　Cecil　Rhodes；　had　been　made　fortable　in　every　way；　thereby　indicating　the　conferring　of　a　Privy　Councillorship　upon　him；　which　he　had　not　refused。

My　City　labours　endured　but　for　nine　months；　after　which　time　I　was　delivered。　During　those　tumultuous　days　I　toiled　in　a　fine　office　in　London；　where　thousands　were　talked　of　as　of　no　account。　It　was　the　period　of　the　great　African　boom；　and　the　business　machine　hummed　merrily。　We　made　money；　I　remember；　also　we　lost　money。　But　it　was　all　much　too　speculative　and　nerve…racking　for　me；　while　the　burden　of　those　panies　weighed　upon　my　mind　heavily。　The　true…bred　City　man　cares　little　for　such　things；　which　to　him　are　all　part　of　the　day’s　work；　as　writing　a　chapter　of　a　book　might　be　to　me。　He　is　accustomed　to　take　risks；　and　an　adept　at　getting　out　of　difficult　situations。

At　last　came　a　time　in　my　own　instance　when　my　partner；　an　excellent　and　very　able　gentleman　in　his　own　way　and　one　for　whom　I　retain　the　most　friendly　feelings；　announced　that　he　meant　to　depart　for　South　Africa　for　a　year　or　so；　leaving　me　to　conduct　all　the　extremely　intricate　affairs　with　which　he　was　connected。　This　was　too　much　for　me；　and　then　and　there　I　had　the　presence　of　mind　to　strike。

All　men　make　mistakes；　but　afterwards；　so　far　as　my　observati