第30部分(第2/7 頁)

o　advance　seemed　too　risky；　to　remain　where　we　were　was　both　wearisome　and；　with　our　servants；　ruinously　expensive。

At　length　my　wife；　who；　I　think；　take　her　altogether；　is　the　most　courageous　woman　I　ever　met；　announced　that　she　would　have　no　more　of　it：　her　house　was　at　Newcastle　two　hundred　miles　away；　and；　Boers　or　no　Boers；　thither　she　would　go。　There　were　rumours　that　Sir　George　Colley；　who　was　then　the　Governor　and　mander…inChief　of　Natal；　intended　to　attack　the　passes　of　the　Drakensberg　with　the　few　troops　at　his　disposal。　Nobody　believed　it；　since　the　thing　was　so　obviously　a　madness。　But　I　was　not　so　sure。　I　went　to　Colonel　（afterwards　Sir　Charles）　Mitchell；　the　Colonial　Secretary；　and　asked　him　in　confidence　if　he　knew　anything。　He　replied　—　Nothing；　but　that　I　might　be　quite　certain　that　so　distinguished　a　soldier　would　never　act　foolishly。

So　I　bought　two　good　horses　—　which　afterwards　died　of　the　sickness　—　harnessed　them　to　the　“spider；”　and　we　started。

I　think　it　was　on　the　night　before　Colley　left　Maritzburg　to　take　personal　mand　of　the　troops　at　Newcastle　that　my　wife　and　I　dined　at　Government　House。　If　so；　this　historical　dinner　took　place　on　January　9；　1881。　I　believe　that　there　were　thirteen　of　us　at　table；　though　on　this　point　I　am　not　absolutely　clear；　of　whom　three　were　ladies　—　Lady　Colley；　another　lady　whose　name　I　forget；　and　my　wife。　The　other　guests　were　officers　and　the　members　of　Colley’s　staff。　The　only　name　that　I　can　remember　is　that　of　young　Elwes；　who　within　a　week　or　two　was　to　die　charging　the　Boer　schanzes　and　shouting　“Floreat　Etona！”　I　sat　next　to　him　at　table。

My　wife　reminds　me　of　an　absurd　little　incident　that　happened　at　this　dinner。　Elwes；　I　think；　was　A。D。C。　to　Colley；　and　one　of　his　duties　—　it