第32部分(第4/7 頁)

　heard　much　of　what　was　going　on。　It　was　a　strange　fate　which　decreed　that　the　Retrocession　of　the　Transvaal；　over　which　I　had　myself　hoisted　the　British　flag；　should　be　practically　acplished　beneath　my　roof。

On　May　24；　1881；　I　write　to　my　father：

I　hope　by　now　you　will　have　received　the　telegram　I　despatched　yesterday　telling　you　of　the　safe　birth　of　a　son　。　。　。　a　full　three　weeks　before　the　child　was　expected　to　arrive。

I　am　now　most　thankful　to　be　able　to　tell　you　that　both　dear　Louie　and　her　son　were　doing　as　well　as　possible；　indeed　Louie　looks　little　if　any　the　worse　。　。　。　。

Jack　got　here　all　right　acpanied　by　Spice　（who　signalised　her　arrival　by　fighting　the　household　cat　at　the　top　of　a　tree）　about　a　week　ago。　He　is　very　flourishing；　but　I　fear　there　is　no　chance　of　his　getting　employment　in　Natal　owing　to　the　flood　of　Transvaal　officials　who　have　to　be　provided　for　somehow。　His　account　of　Vancouver　Island　is　such　as　to　make　us　abandon　our　idea　of　forming　a　pany　and　going　there；　so　I　suppose　we　must　stay　on　here　and　then　e　home。　The　Royal　mission　are　still　in　the　house。　I　have　dined　with　Sir　Hercules　once　or　twice；　he　is　a　very　pleasant　old　gentleman。　We　don’t　at　all　know　what　is　going　to　happen　here。　If　it　is　war　I　only　hope　it　will　not　be　until　Louie　is　well　enough　to　travel　down　country。　I　don’t　want　to　stop　here　through　another　war。　。　。　。　The　farm　is　going　fairly。　All　our　oxen　that　are　in　Government　service　have　knocked　up　from　work；　so　we　have　to　spend　about　300　pounds　in　fresh　ones；　which　is　a　great　pull。　However　it　will　give　us　a　fine　head　of　draught　cattle　next　year。

About　this　time　I　received　the　following　from　Sir　Bartle　Frere：

Athenaeum　Club；　Pall　Mall：

July　20；　1881。

My　dear　Haggard；　—　I　am　very