NOTE BY THE BARONESS GLENTHIRSK, FORMERLY KNOWN AS SUZANNE KENZIE.
It is something over three years since my great-grandmother, the VrouwSuzanne Botmar, finished dictating to me this history of her early daysand of my grandparents, Ralph Kenzie, the English castaway, and SuzanneBotmar, her daughter. Now, if it be only as an instance of the wonderfulworkings of fate, or, as I prefer to call it, of Providence, I add thisnote to her narrative. As I write there stretches before me, not thebushy veldt of Weenen in Natal cut by the silver line of the Tugela,but a vast prospect of heather-clad mountains, about whose feet brawlsa salmon river. For this is Scotland, and I sit in the castle ofGlenthirsk, while on the terrace beneath my window passes my little son,who, if he lives, will one day be lord of it. But I will tell the story,which is indeed a strange one.
As I think my great-grandmother has said, I was educated at a school inDurban, for, although she was in many ways so prejudiced and narrow, shewished that I should be able to hold my own with other girls in learningas in all things. Also she knew well that this would have been thedesire of my dear father, who was killed in the Zulu war with _his_father, the Ralph Kenzie of the story, whom, by the way, I can rememberas a handsome grey-headed man. For my father was a thorough Englishman,with nothing of the Boer about him, moreover he married an Englishlady, the daughter of a Natal colonist, and for these reasons he and hisgrandmother did not get on very well.
After I had finished my schooling I used to stay with friends in Durban,the parents of one of my schoolfellows, and it was at their house thatI met my husband, Mr. Ralph Mackenzie, who then was called LordGlenthirsk, his father having died about six months previous to ouracquaintance.
Ralph, my husband, was then quite young, only three-and-twenty indeed,and a subaltern in a Scotch regiment which was quartered at Durban,whither it had come from India. As the term of this regiment's foreignservice was shortly to expire, and as at the time there was a prospectof further troubles in South Africa, my husband did not resign hiscommission on succeeding to the peerage, as his mother wished him todo, for he said that this was a step which he could consider when theregiment returned home, as it would do shortly.
Well, we met, and since we are now quite old married people I may aswell admit at once that we fell in love with each other, though to me itseemed a marvellous thing that this handsome and brilliant young lord,with his great wealth and all the world before him, should come to carefor a simple Dutch girl who had little to recommend her except herlooks (of which my great-grandmother thought, or pretended to think, solittle) and some small inheritance of South African farms and cattle.Indeed, when at last he proposed to me, begging me to be his wife, asthough I were the most precious thing on the whole earth, I told himso plainly, having inherited some sense with my strain of Huguenot andDutch blood, and though I trembled at the risk I ran, when everythinglay in my own hand, I refused to become engaged to him until he hadobtained the consent of his mother and relations, or, at the least,until he had taken a year to think the matter over.
The truth is that, although I was still so young I had seen and heardenough of the misfortunes of unsuitable marriages, nor could I bear thatit should ever be said of me that I had taken advantage of some passingfancy to entangle a man so far above me in wealth and station. ThereforeI would permit him to say nothing of our engagement, nor did I speak asingle word of it to my great-grandmother or my friends. Still Ralph andI saw a great deal of each other during the month which I remained inDurban, for it is a gay town, and almost every day there were parties,and when there were none we rode out together.
It was during one of these rides on the Berea that I told him what Iknew of the strange history of my grandfather and grandmother, not allof it indeed, for it was not until the book was dictated to me that Ilearned the exact facts, the matter being one of which our family spokelittle. Ralph listened very attentively, and when I had done asked if Ihad the ring and locket of which I spoke.
"Here they are," I answered, for since my father's death I had alwaysmade a practice of wearing both of them.
He examined the ring with its worn device and proud motto of "Honourfirst," and as he deciphered it I saw him start, but when he came tolook at the miniatures in the locket he turned quite pale.
"Do you know, Suzanne," he said presently, "I believe that we must bedistant cousins; at the least I am sure that I have seen the picturefrom which one of these miniatures was originally copied, and the crestand motto are those of my family."
Now I became very curious, and plied him with questions, but he wouldsay no more, only he led me on to talk of my grandfather, Ralph Kenzie,the castaway, and from time to time made a note in his pocket-book. Alsoafterwards I showed him the writing in the testament which was found onthe body of the shipwrecked lady, my great-grandmother, and he asked mefor an impression of the ring, and to allow the ivory miniatures and thewriting to be photographed, which I did.
Within three days of that ride we separated for a while, not withoutheartache on both our parts and some tears on mine, for I feared thatonce he had lost sight of me he would put me from his mind, and as Iloved him truly that thought was sore. But he, speaking very quietly,said that outside death only one thing should divide us from each other,namely, my own decree.
"Then, Ralph, we shall be one for ever," I answered, for at the moment Iwas too sad for any artifice of maiden coyness.
"You think so now, dear," he said, "but time will show. Supposing that Iwere not----" and he stopped, nor would he complete the sentence. Indeedthose words of his tormented me day and night for weeks, for I finishedthem in a hundred ways, each more fatal than the last.
Well, I returned to the farm, and immediately afterwards mygreat-grandmother took the fancy of dictating her history, the endingof which seemed to affect her much, for when it was done she told mesharply to put the typed sheets away and let her hear or see no more ofthem. Then she rose with difficulty, for the dropsy in her limbs madeher inactive, and walked with the help of a stick to the _stoep_,where she sat down, looking across the plain at the solemn range of theDrakensberg and thinking without doubt, of that night of fear when mygrandfather had rushed down its steeps upon the great _schimmel_ to saveher daughter and his wife from an awful death.
The stead where we lived in Natal was built under the lea of aprojecting spur of the white-topped koppie, and over that spur runs afootpath leading to the township. Suddenly the old lady looked up and,not twenty yards away from her, saw standing on the ridge of it, asthough in doubt which way to turn, a gentleman dressed in the kilteduniform of an officer of a Highland regiment the like of which she hadnever seen before.
"Dear Lord!" I heard her exclaim, "here is a white man wearing the_moocha_ of a Kaffir. Suzanne! Suzanne! come and send away thishalf-clad fellow."
Putting down my papers I ran from the room and at a single glance sawthat "the half-clad fellow" was none other than Ralph himself. Inmy delight I lost my head, and forgetting everything except that mybetrothed was there before me, I sprang from the _stoep_ and, flying upthe little slope, I fell into his open arms. For a few seconds there wassilence, then from behind me rose a dreadful shriek followed by criesfor help. Freeing myself from Ralph's embrace, I looked round to see mygreat-grandmother hobbling towards us with uplifted stick. Ralph put hiseye-glass in his eye and looked at her.
"Who is this old lady, Suzanne?" he asked.
Before I could answer there came from her lips such a torrent ofindignation as I had never heard before.
"What is she saying?" asked Ralph again, who could not understand oneword of Dutch. "She seems put out."
"It is my great-grandmother, the Vrouw Botmar," I faltered, "and shedoes not understand--I have never told her."
"Ah! I see. Well, perhaps it would be as well to explain," he answered,which I accordingly began to do as best I could, feeling more foolishthan ever I did before. As I stammered out my excuses I saw her facechange, and guessed that she was no longer listening to me.
r /> "Who does the man remind me of?" she said, speaking aloud, but toherself. "Allemachter! his face is the face of that English lord whovisited us with the lawyer more than fifty years ago. Yes, his face isthe face of Ralph's cousin. Girl," she added, turning on me fiercely,"tell me that man's name."
"His name is Lord Glenthirsk"
"Lord Glenthirsk! The same face and the same name and _you_ in his arms.Is God then making a sequel to the story which I finished this day?Come," and she hobbled back to the _stoep_. "Be seated," she said whenwe had reached it. "Now, speak; no, Suzanne, give me that kaross."
I handed her the rug, wondering what she meant to do with it, anddisturbed as I was, nearly burst into hysterics when I saw her solemnlyplace it upon Ralph's knees saying, "The man has lost his garments andwill catch a chill."
"Would you kindly explain," said Ralph blandly, "what the old lady is atnow? Really I do not feel cold."
"Your kilt surprises her," I stammered; whereat he began to laugh.
"Silence," she exclaimed in so vigorous a voice that he stopped at once."Now tell your story; no, I forgot, the man is not educated, do youinterpret for him, Suzanne."
"First I have something to say for myself, grandmother," I answered, andin a few words I told that Ralph and I were affianced, though I had saidnothing of it, because I wished to give him opportunity to change hismind if he should desire to do so.
"Change his mind!" said the old lady, with a glare of indignation, "Ishould like to see him dare to change his mind, this Englishman whomyou seem to have honoured thus, _opsitting_ with him without my leave. Alord indeed? What do I care for lords? The question is whether I shouldnot order the English creature off the place; yes, and I would do itwere not his face the face of Ralph's cousin, and his name the nameGlenthirsk."
When I had interpreted as much of this speech as I thought necessary,there was a little silence, after which Ralph began to speak verysolemnly.
"Listen, Suzanne," he said, "and repeat my words to yourgreat-grandmother. She says that my name is Lord Glenthirsk, but withinthe last few days I have come to believe that it is nothing of the sort,but only plain Ralph Mackenzie."
"What do you mean?" I asked, astonished.
"I mean, Suzanne, that if your legitimate descent from that RalphMackenzie who was cast away about sixty years ago on the coast of theTranskei can be proved--as I believe it can, for I have made inquiries,and find that his marriage to your grandmother to which her mother whostill lives can bear witness, was duly registered--then _you_ are theBaroness Glenthirsk of Glenthirsk, and I, the descendant of a youngerson, am only Lieutenant Ralph Mackenzie of Her Majesty's--Highlanders."
"Oh! Ralph, how can this be?" I gasped. "I thought that in England mentook rank, not the women."
"So they do generally," he answered; "but as it happens in our familythe title descends in the female line, and with it the entailed estates,so that you would succeed to your father's rights although he neverenjoyed them. Suzanne, I am not speaking lightly; all this while that Ihave kept away from you I have been inquiring in Scotland and the Cape,for I sent home photographs of those miniatures and a statement of thefacts, and upon my word I believe it to be true that you and no otherare the heiress of our house."
Almost mechanically, for I was lost in amazement, I translated hiswords. My great-grandmother thought a while and said:
"Wonderful are the ways of the Lord who thus in my old age answers myprayers and rolls from my back the load of my sin. Suzanne, ask thatScotchman if he still means to marry you," and seeing me hesitate, aswell I might, she struck her stick upon the floor and added, "Obey,girl, and ask."
So with great shame I asked, explaining that I was forced to it.
"Do I still mean to marry you, Suzanne?" he said, astonished. "Whysurely you must understand that the question is, do you still intendto marry me? When I begged you to take me some months ago I had much tooffer; to-day if things be as I am sure they are, I am but a pennilessScottish gentleman, while you are one of the richest and most nobleladies in Great Britain."
By way of answer I looked at him in a fashion which I trust heunderstood, but before I could speak, Vrouw Botmar broke in, for, asusual, I had translated.
"Tell the man to stop talking about money and rank after his godlessEnglish manner. I wish to inquire of his character and religion." And soshe did clearly and at length, but I do not think that I need set downher questions or his answers.
At last, when we were both overwhelmed and gasping for breath, I refusedflatly to ask anything more, whereon she ceased her examinations,saying:
"Well, if he speaks the truth, which is doubtful, he does not seem tobe any worse than other men, though that is saying little enough. Is hesound in wind and limb, and what illnesses has he had?"
"You must ask him yourself," I replied, losing patience, whereon shecalled me a "mealy-mouthed little fool" and laughed. Then of a suddenshe said, "Kneel, both of you," and, strange as it may seem, we obeyedher, for we, and especially Ralph, were afraid of the old lady. Yes,there we knelt on the _stoep_ before her, while a Kaffir girl stoodoutside and stared with her mouth open.
"Ralph Kenzie," she said, "whatever else you may be, at least you arean honest man like your grandfather before you, for were it not soyou would never have come to tell this child that your fortune is herfortune, and your title her title, though whether this be the case ornot, I neither know nor care, since at least you are of the blood of mylong-dead adopted son, and that is more to me than any wealth or rank.
"As for you, Suzanne, you are pert and deceitful, for you have keptsecret from me that which I had a right to learn; also you have too goodan opinion of your own looks, which as I tell you now for the lasttime, are nothing compared to mine at your age, or even to those of mydaughter Suzanne, your grandmother. But this I will say, you have a goodheart and some of the spirit of your forbears, therefore"--and shelaid one of her heavy hands on the head of each of us--"I, old SuzanneBotmar, bless you both. You shall be married next week, and may you behappy in your marriage, and have children that would be a credit to meand your great-grandfather, could we have lived to see them.
"There, there, Ralph and Suzanne--the first ones, my own lost Ralph andSuzanne--will be glad to hear of this when I come to tell them of it, asI shall do shortly. Yes, they will be glad to hear of it--" and she roseand hobbled back to the _sit-kammer_, turning at the open door to callout:
"Girl, where are your manners? Make that Scotchman some of your coffee."
So we were married, and within the week, for, all my protestationsnotwithstanding, the Vrouw Botmar would suffer no delay. Moreover,by means of some other interpreter, Ralph, playing traitor, secretlybrought my arguments to nothing, and indeed there was a cause for hurry,for just then his regiment was ordered to return to England.
It was a strange sight, that marriage, for my great-grandmother attendedit seated on the _voor-kisse_ of her best waggon drawn by eighteen whiteoxen, the descendants of Dingaan's royal cattle that Swart Piet stole tobring destruction upon the Umpondwana. By her side was her husband, oldJan Botmar, whom she caused to be carried to the waggon and tied in itin his chair. He, poor old man, knew nothing of what was passing, butfrom some words he let fall we gathered that he believed that he wasonce more starting on the great trek from the Transkei. My Ralph,he thought, was his adopted child, perhaps because of some inheritedsimilarity of voice, for he called him "son," but my own presencepuzzled him, for he said once or twice, "So Suzanne has escaped fromthat hell-hound, Swart Piet. Have you killed the dog, Ralph? Ralph, haveyou killed the dog?"
Thus we went to the little church where the chaplain of the regimentwas to wed us, the pipers going first, playing a wild marriage march ontheir bagpipes. Next came Ralph and I walking side by side, and after usthe waggon with my great-grandparents, while the rear was brought upby a guard of honour formed of every available soldier in the company.Outside the open door of the church the waggon was halted, and fromit the Vrouw Botmar witness
ed the ceremony, causing the register to bebrought to her to sign. This she did, resting the book upon the head ofthe Kaffir driver, down whose back she managed to upset the ink.
"Never mind," she said, not the least disturbed, "it cannot make thepoor creature any blacker than he is."
"Oh! how can I leave you, grandmother?" I said to her afterwards.
"Child," she answered, with a stern face, "in my youth, to keep one Iloved near me, I committed a great sin. Now by way of penance I partfrom one I love; yes, being yet alive I say farewell for ever to thelast of my race. Thus in our age do we pay for the sins of youth. Go,and God with you."
So I placed my hand in that of my husband and went. When we reached thiscountry it was proved that the rank and estates were mine by law, forthe evidence of my descent was too strong to be disputed. I did not wishto take either, but Ralph insisted on it and I was overruled. Indeed,had I not done so, it seems that confusion and endless law-suits mighthave resulted in the future, perhaps after I am dead.
Six months afterwards, in this castle of Glenthirsk, I received aletter, at the foot of which was faintly scrawled the signature ofSuzanne Botmar. It was short and ran thus:
"Grand-daughter Suzanne,
"Last night your great-grandfather died. To-day I buried him, andto-morrow I shall die also, for after being together for so many yearsI miss his company and mean to seek it again. Till we meet in Heaven,if your pomp and riches will allow you to come there through the eye ofwhatever needle it has pleased God to choose for you, farewell to youand your husband, whom I love because Ralph Kenzie's blood is in hisveins."
As I learnt by other letters on that morrow of which she spoke mygreat-grandmother, the Vrouw Botmar, did die, for even in this she wouldnot be thwarted, and was buried on the evening of the same day by theside of her husband, Jan Botmar.
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