第34部分(第4/7 頁)

　chance　to　love。

I　do　not　know　that　I　felt　anything　more　in　leaving　Africa　than　the　saying　of　good…bye　to　this　loving；　half…wild　man。　I　remember　that　I　made　him　some　present　when　we　parted　—　I　think　it　was　a　cow；　but　am　not　sure。

On　Wednesday；　the　31st　of　August；　from　the　deck　of　the　Dunkeld；　we　saw　the　shores　of　Natal　recede　from　our　sight　for　ever。

Chapter　9

Return　to　England　—　Called　to　Bar　—　Wrote　“Cetewayo　and　his　White　Neighbours”　—　Reception　of　the　work　—　Why　H。　R。　H。　took　to　writing　fiction　—　“Dawn”　—　J。　Cordy　Jeaffreson　—　Press　notices　encouraging　but　sales　small　at　first　—　“The　Witch’s　Head”　—　Quiet　life　at　Ditchingham　—　Letters　from　Shepstone　—　Life　in　London　—　Practice　in　Divorce　Court。

On　our　return　to　England　in　the　autumn　of　1881　we　went　to　stay　at　Bradenham　for　a　while　and　rested　after　our　African　adventures。　I　do　not　remember　anything　that　we　did　there；　except　that　we　were　at　the　Sandringham　ball。　A　note　in　my　wife’s　diary　mentions　that　the　Princess；　afterwards　Queen　Alexandra；　“looked　lovely　in　pearl　grey　satin　and　was　the　prettiest　woman　in　the　room　with　the　exception　of　Lady　Lonsdale。”

Before　Christmas　we　moved　to　a　furnished　house　at　Norwood。　Here；　having　all　my　way　still　to　make　in　the　world；　I　set　to　work　in　earnest。　First　of　all　I　entered　myself　at　Lincoln’s　Inn；　but　found　to　my　disgust　that　before　I　could　do　so　I　was　expected　to　pass　an　examination　in　Latin；　English　History　and；　I　think；　Arithmetic。　My　Latin　I　had　practically　forgotten；　and　my　English　History　dates　were　somewhat　to　seek。　I　represented　to　the　Benchers　that；　after　having　filled　the　office　of　Master　of　the　High　Court　of　the　Transvaal；　this　entrance　examination　was　perhaps　superfluous；　but　they　were　obdurate　on　the　matter。　So　I　set　to　work　a