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第9部分（第2页）

Conscience　shall　hallow　all；　grant　noble　aim；

？And　firm　resolve　the　paths　of　vice　to　shun；

And　haply；　in　reward；　Love’s　lambent　flame

？Through　storms　of　life　shall　shine；　like　Earth’s　fair　sun！

But　a　few　days：　and　far　across　the　flood；

？To　stranger　lands　with　strangers　wilt　thou　roam；

Yet　shall　not　absence　loose　the　bonds　of　blood；

？Or　still　the　voices　of　thy　distant　home。

So；　go　thy　way；　my　Child！　I　love　thee　well：

？How　well；　no　heart　but　mother’s　heart　may　know　—

Yet　One　loves　better；　—　more　than　words　can　tell；　—

？Then　trust　Him；　now　and　evermore；　—　and　go！

Ella　Haggard。

July　16；　1875。

I　think　them　beautiful　lines。　Moreover　they　are　typical　of　the　writer。

Duty　and　Faith　are　words　of　solemn　sound；

Well；　duty　and　faith　were　the　stars　by　which　she　guided　her　own　life。

Of　our　voyage　to　Africa　there　is　little　to　be　said　except　that　in　those　days　it　was　long。　On　arriving　at　Cape　Town　we　went　to　Government　House；　where　we　stayed　for　about　a　week　with　Lady　Barkly。

Government　House　is；　or　was；　a　large；　quaint　old　place　—　I　have　not　seen　it　from　that　day　to　this　—　which　had　the　reputation　of　being　haunted　by　a　certain　Grey　Lady　who　had　lived　there　generations　before　in　the　old　Dutch　days。

Since　these　chapters　were　written　some　letters　of　mind　have　been　found　at　Bradenham。　From　one　of　these；　dealing　with　my　arrival　in　South　Africa；　I　e　passages：

Government　House

Cape　Town：　August　18；　1875。

My　dear　Father；　—　You　will　see　from　the　heading　of　my　letter　that　I　have　arrived　all　safe　at　Cape　Town。　We　have　not　made　a　very　quick　passage；　nor　yet　a　very　slow　one。　。　。　。　Among　other　things　we　got　up　a　sort　of　penny　reading　on　board；　for　which　I　wrote　the　Prologue。　I　also　had　a　good　deal　of　work　to　do；　getting　up　all　the　Langalibalele　case　and　extracting　the　pith　from　a　mass　of　blue…books。　It　is　not　easy　to　get　at　the　truth　when　it　is　hedged　round　by　such　a　mass　of　contradictory　evidence。　However　the　whole　affair　is　rather　interesting；　inasmuch　as　it　gives　you　an　idea　of　the　tremendous　state　of　ferment　and　excitement　the　Colony　was　and　still　is　in　。　。　。　。

We　arrived　here　early　yesterday　morning；　expecting　to　find　Sir　Gar　Wolseley　waiting　for　us；　but　he　has　not　yet　returned　from　Natal；　which　is　very　awkward；　as　we　do　not　know　whether　to　wait　for　him　or　to　go　on　and　meet　him　there。　。　。　。

I　am　getting　on　all　right；　though　my　position　is　not　an　easy　one。　I　find　myself　responsible　for　everything；　and　everybody　es　and　bothers　me。　However　it　all　es　in　the　day’s　work。　I　don’t　know　yet　if　I　am　private　secretary；　but　I　suppose　I　am　as　nobody　else　has　appeared。　I　make　a　good　many　blunders；　but　still　I　think　I　get　on　very　well　on　the　whole。　I　expect　I　shall　have　a　tremendous　lot　of　work　at　Natal　as　the　Chief　told　me　that　he　was　going　to　entertain　a　good　deal；　and　all　that　will　fall　on　my　shoulders　in　addition　to　business。　We　are　very　good　friends　and　shall；　I　think；　continue　to　be　so；　as　he　is　not　a　captious　or　changeable　man。　。　。　。　Beaumont；　who　was　secretary　to　Pine　（the　late　Governor　of　Natal）；　puts　me　up　to　a　lot　of　things；　he　is　an　excessively　nice　fellow　and　we　are　great　allies　。　。　。　。

The　merchants　of　Cape　Town　give　a　ball　tomorrow　night　to　which　I　am　invited。　It　will　be　a　good　opportunity　of　studying　the　Cape　Town　aristocracy。　I　have　just　returned　from　calling　on　the　Bishop。　The　Barklys　have　a　first…rate　four…inhand　and　we　went　through　a　beautiful　country；　so　our　drive　was　a　pleasant　one。　I　like　the　Bishop　very　much。　He　is　a　thorough　specimen　of　muscular　Christianity。　。　。　。　This　continual　influx　of　strangers　has　a　very　depressing　effect。　There　is　another　big　dinner　on　to…night；　and　there　won’t　be　a　soul　I　know　among　them　unless　Beaumont　es；　which　I　devoutly　hope　he　will。　All　these　new　faces　that　you　don’t　know　make　you　think　of　the　old　ones　that　you　do　know。　。　。　。　I　hope　that　you　are　quite　well　now；　my　dear　Father；　and　that　you　do　not　miss　me　as　much　as　I　do　you。

I　remain；　with　best　love　to　all；

Ever　your　most　affectionate　and　dutiful　son；

H。　Rider　Haggard　（or　“Waggart”　as　they　put　my　name

in　the　paper）。

My　mother　will　pity　me