The Cape and the Kaffirs: A Diary of Five Years' Residence in KaffirlandWard, Mrs.
History
The Cape and the Kaffirs: A Diary of Five Years' Residence in Kaffirland
Ward, Mrs.
South Africa -- History -- Frontier Wars, 1811-1878
On learning this, as we were about to
retire, a man-servant followed, begging us, in his lady's name, to
proceed. We did so, and under a group of trees we discovered Lady
Harriet, surrounded by books and work, and apparently intent on the
instruction of two sable pupils. The sound of her voice as she rose to
meet me, bespoke her pity for my pale looks and exhausted frame, and the
refreshment we accepted at her ladyship's hospitable hands enabled me to
endure the fatigue of returning to the town better than I should
otherwise have done.
The gun from the "Abercrombie" announced her being under weigh, and we
were obliged to depart in haste, the heavy surf and constant swell of
the sea at Madeira rendering the passage from the shore to the ship
always tedious and more or less difficult.
Almost every one has heard of Clementina, the beautiful nun, at the
Convent at Madeira. Her name has been so often before the public that
there can be no possible harm in relating a singular incident of which
she was the heroine, and which occurred while we were there. A large
party (from the English frigate lying like ourselves at anchor) landed
and paid a visit to the convent. Among the group assembled in front of
the grafting, behind which the nuns appear to receive visitors, was a
Mr H. As Clementina advanced she caught sight of this gentleman, and
had no sooner done so than with a sudden scream she fainted. Every one
was amazed, Mr H as much so as any. On recovering her senses, the fair
nun inquired if the gentleman who had caused her emotion bore the name
of H? On being answered in the affirmative, she almost relapsed into a
state of insensibility; but on recovering herself, she begged further to
know if he was the Mr H with whom she had formerly eloped from the
convent? It was explained that the Mr H she now saw was the cousin of
her lover, to whom he bore an extraordinary resemblance. On learning
this, she requested him to be the bearer of a letter from her to his
cousin, which she afterwards forwarded to him, and then the curtain
dropping between the nuns and the visitors closed this singular and
romantic interview.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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