le following, he was, unfortunately, powerful.
When genuine efforts were being made to bury the hatchet over the
racial question, this man had more than once dug it up again; but it
was not entirely clear at present whether he was actuated by motives
of misguided patriotism, or whether, like far greater men, he only
wanted to make himself thoroughly heard in the world first, and when
that object was satisfactorily attained, he would modify his tendency
to rabid policies and prove himself a reliable statesman. In the
meantime he was dangerous.

In England there were many who quite seriously believed the racial
feud was over. There were others who knew that it was still
exceedingly bitter. There were others again who said very little, and
perhaps professed to know very little, but in the quietness of their
own thoughts pondered deeply and patriotically how a real and sincere
union, and not a merely public newspaper one, was to be wrought
between two fine races, so that in true harmony they might bring a
country of great promise to its day of fulfilment. The men who saw any
solution in making both languages compulsory were not men of true
insight; neither were those who retrenched Englishmen in one
direction, and created new posts for Dutchmen in others. One could but
suppose these men were content to be patriots, not in a big sense to
the whole country, but in a limited one to their own countrymen. To be
patriots of South Africa herself, in her widest sense, seemed too much
to ask of them. Yet, because of the fine qualities many of these men
possessed, one could but hope that ere long what was good for South
Africa would be good for each individual, whether in private life he
called himself English or Dutch.

That William van Hert was ever a welcome guest in the Pyms' household
showed that he had many excellent qualities besides his undisputed
personal attractiveness to counterbalance his obstinate bigotry.
Otherwise Mr. Pym would not have shown him the friendliness he did;
for in his quiet way Henry Pym possessed greatness, and everyone
throughout the land knew that he was of those resolute, reliable few
who would let all their wealth go before they would pander to any
government or any party to save it. Meryl talked to him because she
perceived there was a rough sincerity in the man underneath his
bigotry, and hoped because he was powerful he would presently expand.

Diana alone crossed swords with him, and though pe