第30部分(第3/7 頁)

used　to　be　mine　when　I　was　on　the　Governor’s　staff　in　the　same　house　—　was　to　write　the　menus　in　French。　One　of　the　items　of　fare　recorded　by　him　was　pates　de　mince。　In　a　silence　such　as　happens　at　dinner…parties；　Lady　Colley　was　heard　saying　from　the　end　of　the　table：

“Mr。　Elwes；　what　are　pates　de　mince？　I　never　heard　of　a　dish　called　pates　de　mince！”　whereon　everyone　turned　and　looked　at　Elwes。

“Pates　de　mince；　Lady　Colley；”　he　stammered　presently；　his　youthful　face　covered　with　blushes；　“is　the　French　for　mince…pies。”

Poor　Elwes！　He　did　not　hear　the　last　of　his　pates　de　mince　during　that　meal。　Thus　do　farce　and　tragedy　often　walk　hand　in　hand。

In　a　few　months’　time　Lady　Colley；　the　other　lady；　my　wife　and　I　were　the　sole　survivors　of　that　dinner…party。　The　other　lady　died　shortly　afterwards。　About　the　year　1888　my　wife　and　I　were　guests　at　a　dinner　given　by　the　late　Anthony　Froude。　Lady　Colley；　as　she　was　then；　was　another　of　the　guests。　Thus　we　three　survivors　of　that　fatal　Government　House　dinner　met　again。　When　Lady　Colley　recognised　us　she　burst　into　tears；　and　my　wife　was　obliged　to　stand　over　her　to　screen　her　grief　from　observation。

Here　are　some　extracts　from　a　letter　written　by　my　wife　to　my　father　from　the　little　town　of　Estcourt；　and　dated　January　19；　1881　—　nearly　thirty…one　years　ago。

We　have　at　last　summoned　up　courage　to　start　up…country　in　spite　of　the　Boers；　the　real　fact　being　that　we　were　getting　dreadfully　tired　of　doing　nothing　down　in　Maritzburg；　which　was　besides　most　fearfully　hot。　We　got　to　our　first　stage；　Howick；　last　Friday；　which　luckily　for　us　was　a　very　pretty　place　with　a　fortable　hotel。　I　say　luckily；　because　we　were　detained　there　by　the　rain　till　Monday。　We　then　started　at　about　9：30　A。M。　fo