Soon Captain
Laycock came in, and after a little more talk, during which I could see
that he and my new acquaintance were on the best of terms, the latter
went out, expressing a hope I should stay to tea, which I thought
exceedingly kind of him, but scarcely necessary, as I was Captain
Laycock's guest. When he had gone, I questioned the latter as to the
identity of his friend, and was horrified to learn that it was General
French himself whom I had so unceremoniously disturbed, and to whom I
had volunteered information. When the General returned with some more of
his Staff, including Lord Brooke, Colonel Douglas Haig,[38] Mr. Brinsley
Fitzgerald, and Mr. Brinton, 2nd Life Guards,[39] I was profuse in my
apologies, which he promptly cut short by asking me to make the tea, and
we had a most cheery meal, interspersed with a good deal of chaff, one
of his friends remarking to me that it was probably the only occasion
during the last six months in South Africa that General French had been
caught asleep.
The following day, Sunday, we attended a very impressive military
service, at which Lord Roberts and his Staff, in full uniform, were
present, and at the conclusion the whole congregation sang the National
Anthem with the organ accompaniment. The volume of sound, together with
the well-loved tune, was one not soon to be forgotten.
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