used to be mine when I was on the Governor’s staff in the same house — was to write the menus in French。 One of the items of fare recorded by him was pates de mince。 In a silence such as happens at dinner…parties； Lady Colley was heard saying from the end of the table：
“Mr。 Elwes； what are pates de mince？ I never heard of a dish called pates de mince！” whereon everyone turned and looked at Elwes。
“Pates de mince； Lady Colley；” he stammered presently； his youthful face covered with blushes； “is the French for mince…pies。”
Poor Elwes！ He did not hear the last of his pates de mince during that meal。 Thus do farce and tragedy often walk hand in hand。
In a few months’ time Lady Colley； the other lady； my wife and I were the sole survivors of that dinner…party。 The other lady died shortly afterwards。 About the year 1888 my wife and I were guests at a dinner given by the late Anthony Froude。 Lady Colley； as she was then； was another of the guests。 Thus we three survivors of that fatal Government House dinner met again。 When Lady Colley recognised us she burst into tears； and my wife was obliged to stand over her to screen her grief from observation。
Here are some extracts from a letter written by my wife to my father from the little town of Estcourt； and dated January 19； 1881 — nearly thirty…one years ago。
We have at last summoned up courage to start up…country in spite of the Boers； the real fact being that we were getting dreadfully tired of doing nothing down in Maritzburg； which was besides most fearfully hot。 We got to our first stage； Howick； last Friday； which luckily for us was a very pretty place with a fortable hotel。 I say luckily； because we were detained there by the rain till Monday。 We then started at about 9：30 A。M。 fo