Part 3 (1/2)
To say truth the aspect of Doppersdorp was calculated to impress nobody in its favour It lay upon an open plain, shut in on three sides by bare and craggy htlike lumps of clay dropped upon the veldt and left to dry in the sun It improved, however, on closer inspection The streets were broad and well laid out, and bordered by s--and on the lower side of the toere gardens, whicharidity Some of the houses were double-storeyed, but theof all was the Dutch Reforly new, and surmounted by a badly proportioned steeple The inhabitants of this place were firmly under the impression that Doppersdorp was the most attractive, and nearly the most important, town in the world; which was a comfortable form of belief for themselves, if a bore to the new arrival, as expected to acquiesce
”What d'you think of Doppersdorp?” was fired into the said new arrival by every one hoht into contact, socially or officially, unawares or with premeditation And each individual querist would be sure to continue in a tone of coht convey the idea that it owed its attractiveness, if not its very existence, mainly to himself:
”Ah, it's not half a bad little place, Doppersdorp; not half a bad little place”
To which Roden Musgrave would agree, from the double-barrelled motive of expediency, and the needless exertion entailed byelse, he held prudently in reserve
CHAPTER FOUR
CARTE AND TIERCE!
”I wonder what the new istrate's clerk is like!”
And the speaker who had been staring ether behind the coiled nificent for, and, sitting upright, stretches her arreen hose drooping boughs afford a cool and pleasant shade Beyond, bordered by a low sod wall and a ditch, is a large garden planted with fruit trees soon to be weighed doith golden apricots and ripening peaches, albeit these are at present green Over the tree-tops shi+ated iron roof of a house
”It's awfully hot still, but not so hot as it was,” continues the speaker ”Why, Grace, I do believe you're asleep!”
The other occupant of this cool retreat starts violently, nearly falling frohtly built wo, albeit with rather a faded and 'washed-out' air
”Yes, I was; nodding, at any rate What were you trying to say, Mona?”
”I was saying, 'I wonder what the new o into Doppersdorp with Charlie this ? Then you could have seen for yourself”
”Charlie would insist on starting at each an unholy hour Charlie delights in turning me out at four o'clock if he can, and I am constitutionally lazy Charlie is a barbarian”
”I wonder what Gonjana will get? A year, I hope Mr Van Stolz has been heavily down upon sheep-stealing of late”
”Grace Suffield, I'm surprised at you! That's a ht to be hted heathen, who doesn't know any better”
”He's the worst 'boy' we have ever had on the place, and I for one shall be heartily glad to get rid of hiistrate's clerk, 'Roden Musgrave!' It has quite a rohs Mrs Suffield ”You're not in luck's way this ti, and is awfully reserved and stiff; quite a , eh! That e I believe I'h of boys”
”Oh, poor Mr Watkins! Why, Mona, I believe you were ed to that poor boy, and now you are preparing to throw him over for his successor”
”Poor fellow, he was rather fond of me!” is the complacent rejoinder
”I don't know that I ever saw any of theood-bye But, look here, Gracie He is no older than am, and has only been a couple of years in the Service! What sort of aged and wrinkled hag shall I be by the tiistracy?”
”Quite so And having broken his heart--done your best to I should say, for hearts don't break at young Watkins' age--you are going to set to work to subjugate his successor”
”What is life worth without its little excite reply; but no attempt does the speaker make to repudiate the imputation
”Little excitements, indeed! Did you ever try and count the nuin There was young Watkins here; the new doctor at Villiersdorp; then there was that man on board shi+p-- two rather--for I hear you were playing off one against the other And while you were in England--”