Cape of Good Hope (South Africa) -- Fiction; English fiction; Xhosa (African people) -- Fiction
She was found there that afternoon. Lynx and Frolic brought some old
soldiers of the Ninety --th up the slope; they spoke in Dutch, and
begged her to go with them to the wagons in the rear; but she told them
her husband had bid her wait for him there.
But he never came; the kind soldiers brought her provisions, but she
would accept nothing at their hands.
She sat there through the day, still watching the combatants, as the
English pursued the Dutch from ridge to ridge.
The sun went down amid the vapours that rose from the conflict; night
fell moody and dark; the din of battle was succeeded by the whistling of
the wind through the rocky passes; the sleet began to drive; the dress
of the miserable watcher was saturated with damp, but she was reckless
of bodily discomfort. The mind, for many months wound up to a pitch
beyond its powers, gave way, "started aside like a broken bow," and,
helpless and "infirm of purpose," she continued to keep the vigil till
nature was exhausted, and she fell insensible upon the cold earth.
She awoke to consciousness under the kind hands of an English surgeon;
she was lying on a couch in a comfortable marquee, Anne Vanbloem and
Amayeka were watching beside her--a baby slept on Anne's lap--Amayeka,
mournful but very quiet, sat sewing at the opening of the tent. Madame
Vander Roey could see far out upon the plain; she pressed her hand to
her eyes, looked again, collected her scattered memories, and recognised
the position of a former bivouac; it was occupied now by the tents and
wagons of the English. Soldiers were lying on the ground, or passing to
and fro, or engaged in merry games, or singing beside the scanty fires.
The air came in cold, but dry and balmy; it gave her strength to rise
and look around, and to question Anne.
And then she learned that Vander Roey was dead.
She waited many minutes before she uttered any remark, and then she
said--
"Did they take him prisoner?"
"No," replied Madame Vanbloem; "he died of his wounds among his own
people."
"It is well!" said the widow, and, turning her face from the light, she
never spoke again.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note 1. The lake lately discovered is said to have long been known to
the Dutch. Pretorius, the rebel Boer, will not allow travellers to pass
through his settlements to explore the locality.
Note 2. A story is told of the regiment, which was composed of many men
from Glasgow. Being checked in their charge in battle, an old soldier
cried out, "Down the Gallowgate, my boys," and away they dashed.
CHAPTER TWENTY.
THE GENERAL.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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