adventures and letters-第58章

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guns　for　causing　your　nerves　to　riot。　　We　climbed　up　the　hill　and　saw　the　English　coming　in　their　usual　solid　formation　stretching　out　for　three　miles。　　We　went　back　and　got　the　cart　and　drove　to　a　nearer　kopje；　but　just　as　we　reached　it　the　Boers　abandoned　it。　　Roberts's　column　was　now　much　nearer。　　We　then　drove　on　still　further　in　the　direction　of　the　bridge。　　I　kept　telling　Cecil　that　the　firing　was　all　from　the　Boers　as　I　did　not　want　Christian　to　bolt　and　run　away　with　the　cart　and　mules。　　But　Cecil　remembered　the　pictures　in　Harper's　Weekly　showing　the　shrapnel　smoke　making　rings　in　the　air　and　as　she　saw　these　floating　over　our　head；　she　knew　the　English　were　firing　on　us；　but　said　nothing　for　fear　of　scaring　Christian。　　I　had　promised　to　get　her　under　fire　which　was　her　one　wish　so　I　said　that　she　was　now　well　under　fire　for　the　first　and　the　last　time。　　To　which　she　replied　〃Pshaw！〃　　I　never　saw　any　one　show　such　self　possession。　　We　halted　the　cart　behind　a　deserted　farm　house；　and　saddled　her　pony。　　The　shells　were　now　falling　all　over　the　shop；　and　I　was　scared　to　distraction。　　But　she　took　about　five　minutes　to　see　that　her　saddle　was　properly　tightened　and　then　we　rode　up　to　the　hill。　　Again　the　Boers　were　leaving　and　only　a　few　remained。　　They　warned　her　to　keep　back　but　we　dismounted　and　walked　up　to　the　hill。　　It　was　a　very　hot　place　but　Cecil　was　quite　unmoved。　　We　showed　her　the　shells　striking　back　of　her　and　around　her　but　she　refused　to　be　impressed　with　the　danger。　　She　went　among　the　Boers　begging　them　to　make　a　stand　very　quietly　and　like　one　man　to　another　and　they　took　it　just　in　that　way　and　said　〃But　we　are　very　tired。　　We　have　been　driven　back　for　three　days。　　We　are　only　a　thousand；　they　are　twenty　thousand。〃　　Some　of　them　only　sat　still　too　proud　to　run；　too　sick　to　fight！　　When　the　British　got　within　five　hundred　yards　of　the　artillery　I　told　her　she　must　run。　　At　the　same　moment　Botha's　men　a　mile　on　our　right　broke　away　in　a　mad　gallop；　as　though　the　lancers　were　after　them。　　I　finally　got　her　on　her　pony　and　we　raced　for　Ventersberg　with　Christian　a　good　first。　　He　had　lost　all　desire　to　out…span。

At　Ventersberg　we　found　every　one　harnessing　up　in　the　street　and　abandoning　everything。　　We　again　felt　this　untimely　desire　for　food；　and　had　lunch　at　Jones's　hotel　on　scraps　and　Cecil　went　off　to　see　if　she　could　loot　the　cook；　as　everyone　but　her　had　left　the　hotel　and　as　we　needed　one　in　Pretoria。　　A　despatch…rider　came　running　to　me　as　I　was　smoking　in　the　garden　and　shouted　that　the　〃Roinekes〃　were　coming　in　force　over　the　hill。　　I　ran　out　in　the　street　and　saw　their　shells　falling　all　over　the　edge　of　the　village。　　They　were　only　a　quarter　of　an　hour　behind　us。　　I　yelled　for　Cecil　who　was　helping　the　looted　cook　pack　up　her　own　things　and　anyone　else's　she　could　find　in　a　sheet。　　I　gathered　up　a　dog　and　a　kitten　Cecil　wanted　and　left　a　note　for　the　next　English　officer　who　occupied　my　room　with　the　inscription　〃I'd　leave　my　happy　home　for　you。〃　　We　then　put　the　cook；　the　kitten；　the　dog　and　Cecil　in　the　cart　and　I　got　on　the　horse　and　we　let　out　for　Kronstad　at　a　gallop。　　We　raced　the　thirty　miles　in　five　hours　without　one　halt。　　That　was　not　our　cruelty　to　animals　but　Christian's　who　whenever　I　ordered　him　to　halt　and　let　us　rest；　yelled　that　the　Englesses　were　after　us　and　galloped　on。　　The　retreat　was　a　terribly　pathetic　spectacle；　for　hours　we　passed　through　group　after　group　of　the　broken　and　dispirited　Boers。　　At　Kronstad　President　Steyn　whom　I　went　to　see　on　arriving　ordered　a　special　car　for　me；　and　sent　us　off　at　once。　　We　reached　here　the　next　morning；　Christian　arriving　a　day　later　having　killed　one　mule　and　one　pony　in　his　eagerness　to　escape。　　We　are　going　back　again　as　soon　as　Roberts　reaches　the　Vaal。　　There　there　must　be　a　stand。　　Love　and　best　wishes　to　you　all

DICK。


June　8th；　1900。　On　board　the　Kausler。　DEAR　MOTHER：

We　engaged　our　passage　on　this　ship　some　weeks　ago　not　thinking　we　would　have　the　English　near　Pretoria　until　　August。　　But　as　it　happened　they　came　so　near　that　we　did　not　know　whether　or　not　to　wait　over　and　see　them　enter　the　capital。　　I　decided　not；　first；　because　after　that　one　event；　there　would　be　nothing　for　us　to　see　or　do。　　We　could　not　leave　until　the　2nd　of　July　and　a　month　under　British　martial　law　was　very　distasteful　to　me。　　Besides　I　did　not　care　much　to　see　them　enter；　or　to　be　forced　to　witness　their　rejoicing。　　As　soon　as　we　got　under　way　and　about　half　the　distance　to　the　coast；　it　is　a　two　days'　trip。　　We　heard　so　many　rumors　of　Roberts's　communication　having　been　cut　off　and　that　the　war　was　not　over；　that　we　thought　perhaps　we　ought　to　go　back　As　we　have　no　news　since　except　that　the　British　are　in　Pretoria　we　still　do　not　know　what　to　think。　　Personally　I　am　glad　I　came　away　as　I　can　do　just　as　much　for　the　Boers　at　home　now　as　there　where　the　British　censor　would　have　shut　me　off　from　cabling　and　mails　are　so　slow。　　With　the　local　knowledge　I　have；　I　hope　to　keep　at　it　until　it　is　over。　　But　when　I　consider　the　magnitude　of　the　misrepresentation　about　the　burghers　I　feel　appalled　at　the　idea　of　going　up　against　it。　　One　is　really　afraid　to　tell　all　the　truth　about　the　Boer　because　no　one　would　believe　you　It　is　almost　better　to　go　mildly　and　then　you　may　have　some　chance。　　But　personally　I　know　no　class　of　men　I　admire　as　much　or　who　to…day　preserve　the　best　and　oldest　ideas　of　charity；　fairness　and　good…will　to　men。

DICK。


June　29th；　1900。　DEAR　MOTHER：

We　are　now　just　off　Crete；　and　our　next　sight　of　the　blue　land　will　be　Europe。　　It　means　so　many　things；　being　alone　with　Cecil　again；　instead　of　on　a　raft　touching　elbows　with　so　　many　strangers；　and　it　means　a　shop　where　you　can　buy　collars；　and　where　they　put　starch　in　your　linen。　　Also　many　beautiful　ladies　one　does　not　know　and　men　in　evening　dress　one　does　not　know　and　green　tables　covered　with　gold　and　little　green　and　red　bits　of　ivory　where　one　passes　among　the　tables　and　wonders　what　they　would　think　if　they　knew　we　two　had　found　our　greatest　friends　in　the　Boer　farmers；　in　Dutch　Station　Masters　who　gave　us　a　corner　under　the　telegraph　table　in　which　to　sleep；　with　Nelson　who　kept　the　Transvaal　Steam　Laundry；　Col。　Lynch　of　the　steerage　who　comes　to　the　dividing　line　to　beg　French　books　from　Cecil；　and　that　we　had　cooked　our　food　on　sticks；　drunk　out　of　the　same　cups　with　Kaffir　servants　and　slept　on　the　ground　when　there　was　frost　on　it。　　It　will　be　so　strange　to　find　that　there　are　millions　of　people　who　do　not　know　Komali　poort；　who　have　thought　of　anything　else　except　burghers　and　roor…i…neks　It　seems　almost　disloyal　to　the　Boers　to　be　glad　to　see　newspapers　only　an　hour　old　instead　of　six　weeks　old；　and　to　welcome　all　the　tyranny　of　collar　buttons；　scarf　pins；　watch　chains；　walking　sticks　and　gloves　even。　　I　love　them　both　and　I　can　hardly　believe　it　is　true　that　we　are　to　go　to　a　real　hotel　with　a　lift　and　a　chasseur；　where　you　cannot　smoke　in　the　dining…room。　　As　for　Aix；　that　I　cannot　believe　will　ever　happen　It　was　just　a　part　of　one's　honeymoon　and　I　refuse　to　cheat　myself　into　thinking　that　within　a　week　I　will　be　riding　through　the　lanes　of　the　little　villages；　drinking　red　wine　at　Burget；　watching　Chas　spread　cheese　over　great　hunks　of　bread　and　listening　to　three　bands　at　one　time。　　And　then　the　joy　to　follow　of　Home　and　America　and　all　that　is　American。　　Even　the　Custom　House　holds　nothing　but　joy　for　meand　then　〃mine　own　people！〃　　It　has　been　six　weeks　since　we　have　heard　from　you　or　longer；　nearly　two　months　and　how　I　miss　you　and　want　you。　　It　will　be　a　happy　day　when　Dad　meets　me　at　the　wharf　and　I　can　see　his　blue　and　white　tie　again　and　his　dear　face　under　the　white　hatwhere　you　and　Nora　will　be　I　cannot　tell；　but　I　will　seek　you　out。　　We　will　be　happy　togetherso　happy　It　has　been　the　longest　separation　we　have　known　and　such　a　lot　of　things　have　happened。　　It　will　be　such　peace　to　see　you　and　hold　you　once　again。

DICK。


AIXLESBAINS。　July　6th；　1900。　DEAR　FAMILY：

Cecil　and　I　arrived　last　night　tired　and　about　worn　outwe　had　had　a　month　on　board　ship　and　two　days　in　the　cars　and　when　we　got　out　at　Aix　and　found　our　rooms　ready　and　Fra