blyarrogant.
AndJameswashorrifiedatthepettinessandtheprejudicewhichhefoundinhishome.Readingnobooks,fortheythoughtitwasteoftimetoread,themindsofhisfatherandmotherhadsunkintosuchanarrowsluggishnessthattheycouldinterestthemselvesonlyintrivialities.Theirthoughtswereoccupiedbytheirneighboursandthehumdrumdetailsofthelifeaboutthem.Flatteringthemselvesontheiridealsandtheirhighprinciples,theyvegetatedinstupidslothandinalessthananimalvacuity.Everytopicofconversationabovethemostcommonplacetheyfounddullorincomprehensible.Jameslearnedthathehadtotalktothemalmostasiftheywerechildren,andthetediumofthoseendlessdayswasintolerable.
Occasionallyhewasexasperatedthathecouldnotavoidthediscussionswhichhisfather,withaweakman'sobstinacy,forceduponhim.Someunhappy,banefulpowerseemedtodriveColonelParsonstowidentherift,theexistenceofwhichcausedhimsuchexquisitepainhisnaturalkindlinesswasobscuredbyanuncontrollableirritation.Onedayhewasreadingthepaper.
"Iseewe'vehadanotherunfortunatereverse,"hesaid,lookingup.
"Oh!"
"Isupposeyou'redelighted,Jamie?"
"I'mverysorry.WhyshouldIbeotherwise?"
"Youalwaysstickupfortheenemiesofyourcountry."Turningtohisbrother-in-law,heexplained:"Jamessaysthatifhe'dbeenaCapeDutchmanhe'dhavefoughtagainstus."
"Well,hedeservestobecourt-martialledforsayingso!"criedMajorForsyth.
"Idon'tthinkhemeanstobetakenseriously,"saidhismother.
"Oh,yes,Ido."ItconstantlyannoyedJamesthatwhenhesaidanythingthatwasnotquiteanobvioustruism,theyshouldthinkhewasspeakingmerelyforeffect."Why,mydearmother,ifyou'dbeenaBoerwomanyou'dhavepottedatusfrombehindahaystackwiththebestofthem."
"TheBoersarerobbersandbrigands."
"That'sjustwhattheysayweare."
"Butwe'reright."
"Andthey'reequallyconvincedthattheyare."
"Godcan'tbeonbothsides,James."
"TheoddthingisthecertaintywithwhichbothsidesclaimHisexclusiveprotection."
"IshouldthinkitwickedtodoubtthatGodiswithusinarighteouswar,"saidMrs.Parsons.
"IftheBoersweren'tdeceived