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So John shook hands with him and left, to find an eager crowd gathered outside. The news of their good luck had gone abroad, and everybody was running down to hear the truth of it. Such an event as a departure out of Pretoria had not happened for a couple of months and more, and the excitement was proportionate to its novelty. "I say, Niel, is it true you are going?" halloed a burly farmer.
This last-named lady certainly has a remarkable power of rendering the beauties of the queen of flowers, whether she chooses to paint the sumptuous yellow of the 'Maréchal Niel, the blush of the 'Katherine Mermet, or the crimson glory of the 'Queen of Autumn. She seems not only to give the richness of color and fulness of contour of the flowers, but to capture for the delight of the beholder the very spiritual essence of them."
"We maun gar wheat-flour serve us for a blink," said Niel, in a tone of resignation; "it's no that ill food, though far frae being sae hearty or kindly to a Scotchman's stamach as the curney aitmeal is; the Englishers live amaist upon't; but, to be sure, the pock-puddings ken nae better."
"Stop a bit, Jess dear," she said. "I want to speak to you about something else." Jess sat or rather dropped back into her chair, and her pale face turned paler than ever; but Bessie blushed very red and hesitated. "It's about Captain Niel," she said at length. "Oh," answered Jess with a little laugh, and her voice sounded cold and strange in her own ears.
There were many varieties of flowers in bloom besides roses, which we strongly suspected came from afar. They were too familiar, those tea, damask, Jaqueminot, Marshal Niel, and moss roses. The indigenous ones were not nearly so full in leaf or pure in color, nor so fragrant or beautiful.
"Niel Booshalloch," said the glover, "we have been old friends, as thou say'st; and as I think thee a true one, I will speak to thee freely, though what I say might be perilous if spoken to others of thy clan. Thou think'st I come hither to make my own profit of thy young chief, and it is natural thou shouldst think so.
Roses had still a too baleful association. He doubted if he could ever tolerate a Maréchal Niel again as much on account of Lance, as on account of the other. Tara was wearing his flower sweet-peas, palest pink and lavender.
But, Captain Niel, both the horses have bolted; mine has gone home, and I expect yours has followed, and I should like to know how we are going to get up to Mooifontein beautiful fountain, that's what we call our place, you know. Can you walk?" "I don't know," he answered doubtfully; "I'll try.
Now they began to gyrate, slowly at first, then quicker, and yet more quick, till at last it seemed to Captain John Niel that time and space and the solid earth were nothing but a revolving vision fixed somewhere in the watches of the night.
And a few there are who tell us that they live there always, listening to the voice of God; but these are old and worn with journeying men and women who have outlived passions and ambitions and the fire heats of love, and who now, girt about with memories, stand face to face with the sphinx Eternity. But John Niel was no chicken, nor very likely to fall in love with the first pretty face he met.
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