Tender-hearted and magnanimous Uncle Paul had not come best out of this
interview, neither had he exhibited much of his vaunted diplomacy and
character-reading. Indeed, he had shown himself to be what he was
exactly--a densely stupid and tyrannical Boer, who thought to cow three
lads with his threats, and make them his tools by a little clumsy and
transparent cajolery. This was the only method he had, however, of
dealing with people, and what his parasites termed his greatness.
His agents and whitewashes have called him a man of deep religious
feeling, honesty of purpose, singleness of life, thoroughness of
character, free from all vices and defects, of great magnanimity, mercy,
clemency, and justice, and possessed of the simplicity of a child.
Yes; he had the simplicity of a very much spoilt, greedy, and vicious
child. Our heroes had penetrated this side of his nature. They were
now about to taste of his clemency and justice. They had thwarted his
intentions concerning them, and, being a Boer, he could not pardon that
from either man or child. No Boer was ever known to forgive or forget
any rebuff. They never reason; they can only brood upon their side of
the question and plan revenge.
Kruger showed his thoroughness in the way he pursued them with his
witnesses and private orders to the landdrost. He did this with the
thoroughness of a red-skin. Their advocate was snubbed, and ordered to
sit down the moment he rose to defend them. No witnesses were called on
their side, while people they had never seen came and swore to actions
and words they had never thought about or said. Then the verdict was
given without a pause, and their sentence delivered with vicious
denunciation from the judge. As they listened to him they were almost
persuaded that they were very dangerous criminals, and deserved the
gallows, instead of hard labour and long imprisonment.
Boer justices, now that Kotze was removed and they had only one will to
consult, did their work with sweeping and drastic force. They punished
not only the criminal, but his friends as well, when they could be got
at.