第23部分(第1/7 页)

d　in　some　ordinary　occupation；　such　as　reading　or　writing。

After　an　hour　or　two　of　this　things　came　to　a　climax；　and　I　began　to　wonder　whether　we　had　another　five　minutes　to　live。　It　was　then　that　the　ready　resource　of　one　of　my　sergeants；　a　fine　young　fellow　called　Glynn；　saved　the　situation。　One　of　the　Boers　paused　in　a　furious　harangue　to　light　his　pipe；　and　having　done　so　threw　the　lighted　match　on　to　the　floor。　Glynn；　who　was　standing　amongst　them；　stepped　forward；　picked　up　the　match；　blew　it　out；　and　exclaimed　in　tones　of　heartfelt　gratitude　and　relief；　“Dank　Gott！”　（Thank　God）。

The　Boers　stared　at　him；　then　asked；　“For　what　do　you　thank　God；　Englishman？”

“I　thank　God；”　answered　Glynn；　who　could　talk　Dutch　perfectly；　“because　we　are　not　now　all　in　small　pieces。　Do　you　not　know；　Heeren；　that　the　British　Government　has　stored　two　tons　of　dynamite　under　that　floor？　Is　this　a　place　to　smoke　pipes　and　throw　down　matches？　Do　you　desire　that　all　your　wives　should　bee　widows；　as　would　have　happened　if　the　fire　from　that　match　had　fallen　through　the　boards　on　to　the　dynamite　beneath？　Oh！　thank　the　Lord　God。　Thank　the　Lord　God！”

Now　the　Boers　of　that　day　had　a　great　terror　of　dynamite；　of　the　properties　of　which　they　were　quite　ignorant。

“Allemagte！”　said　one　of　them。　“Allemagte！”　echoed　the　others。

Then　they　rose　in　a　body；　fearing　lest　we　had　some　devilish　scheme　to　blow　them　up。　In　a　few　minutes　not　one　of　them　was　to　be　seen。

Shortly　after　this　dynamite　incident　I　was　relieved　by　my　co…lieutenant；　a　very　nice　fellow　whose　name；　I　think；　was　Fell。　I　returned　to　Pretoria　on　a　beautiful　stallion　which　I　had　named　Black　Billy。　I　remember　that　Black　Billy　took　me　from　the　inn　to　the　town　in　very　little　over　the　hour。　Here