ntique. "It
seems like that of an Englishman. Nay--I don't know what this good land
of ours is coming to. The tongue our fathers spoke with before us was
good enough for me in my young days. Now everybody must be chattering
in English--a tongue only fit for baboons."

"It is Tant' Plessis," said Mrs De la Rey in English and an undertone,
"a sort of distant cousin of Stephanus'; I had forgotten she was in the
room. She doesn't say a word for a whole day, sometimes."

Colvin, who had now finished his meal, went over to the speaker, who was
seated in a huge armchair in a dark corner. She was a typical old-time
Boer _vrouw_, large-faced, heavy, and shapeless. She had small eyes,
and her thin hair, which, however, was still almost black, was plastered
down flat upon her head.

"_Daag, Tanta_," [Good-day, Aunt] he said, extending his hand. The old
woman stared at him for a moment in a sort of semi-distrustful,
semi-resentful way, then touched it with a flabby paw.

"_Daag, Neef_," [Good-day, nephew] she replied, then subsided, leaving
the other to carry on the conversation--which he did, descanting mainly
upon the fine rain which was still falling. She cut him short
ruthlessly by calling out:

"Gertruida, who is he?"

Mrs De la Rey, thus invoked, came over to explain.

"Ah, yes. An Englishman! I could have seen that by the way he talks.
He does not talk well."

Colvin, glancing round sedately, caught the flash of mirth which had
begun to light up Aletta's face. He thought there was some fun coming
directly.

"Who is he? What is his name?" she went on.

"It's Mr Kershaw, Tanta," explained Mrs De la Rey. "He often comes
here."

"I asked what his name was," shrilled the old woman, bringing the end of
her stick down hard upon the floor. "Is it Abram Kershaw, or Izaak
Kershaw, or what is it?"

"No, Tanta. It's Colvin--Colvin Kershaw," replied that worthy himself,
conscious of something between a gurgle and a sob in the direction of
Aletta.

"Calvin. Oh, yes. Calvin--Calvinus, that is. You have a good name,
nephew. _Ja_, I have often heard the _predikant_ talk of Calvinus--and
preach about him too. Johan was his first name. _Ja_, he was a good
man was Calvinus. He killed a great many Roman Catholics--burnt them
all. I have often heard Mynheer say so."

The gurgling in Aletta's direction was now becoming convulsive. Colvin
himself was inconveniently infected.

"Perhaps you are of his fam