a very bad
impression on those who had begun to entertain hopes that he might be
induced to throw the weight of his personality into the scale of a
settlement. It confirmed the suspicions held by the Afrikander party ever
since the Raid.

They say that everyone is afforded once the chance of one's lifetime. In
the case of Rhodes, he certainly missed by that action the one opportunity
of reinstating himself once again upon the pinnacle whence the adventure
of Doctor Jameson had caused him to fall.

I remember that whilst these events were going on a political man, well
acquainted with all details of the endeavour to secure a reconciliation
between the Afrikander Bond and Rhodes, came to see me one evening. We
talked over the whole situation. He told me that there were people who
thought it would be a good thing to inform Sir Alfred Milner of what was
going on, in the hope that he might give Rhodes an inkling that he knew
that intrigue was rife at Groote Schuur, and at the same time express to
Rhodes with what satisfaction he personally would view the good offices of
the Colossus to influence both the South African League and the Afrikander
Bond. But we agreed that it was quite impossible. Such a course would not
inspire the High Commissioner with an exalted idea as to our morality in
matters of trust, and, besides, it would not be playing the game in regard
to Rhodes and his group. So the matter dropped; but Rhodes suspected, and
never forgave us or any of those whose thoughts ran on the same lines.

Whether Sir Alfred Milner ever learned who had been trying to persuade the
master of Groote Schuur to seek his co-operation in what would have been
the noblest deed of Rhodes' life, I have not been able to ascertain to the
present day. To tell the truth, I never tried to do so, the matter having
lost all interest except as a matter of history.

CHAPTER IX.

THE OPENING OF THE NEW CENTURY

Such were the preoccupations, the intrigues and the emotions which, all
through that monotonous winter of 1900-1901, agitated the inhabitants of
and the visitors to Groote Schuur. Rhodes himself seemed to be the one man
who thought the least about them. It is certain that he felt hurt in his
pride and in his consciousness that the good which he had wanted to do
failed to be appreciated by those whom he had intended to benefit. But
outwardly he made no sign that the matter interested him otherwise than
from a purely objective