An I.D.B. in South Africa

“Who is that beautiful woman in the box opposite us, Herr Schwatka?”
“Which one, Major? There are two, if my eyes may be trusted.”
“She with the dark hair?”
“That is Mrs Laure, and the gentleman is her husband, Donald Laure.”
“What a beautiful creature, is she not?”
“Yes, beautiful indeed, as many of the Cape women are. But the union of European with African produces, in their descendants, beings endowed with strange and inconsistent natures. These two bloods mingle but will not blend; more prominently are these idiosyncrasies developed where the Zulu parentage can be traced, and naturally so, for the Zulus are the most intelligent of all the African tribes. Now they are all love, tenderness, and devotion, ready to make any sacrifice for those on whom their affections are placed; again revengeful, jealous, vindictive.”
“But surely that woman has no African blood in her veins,” said the major.
“Yes,” replied Schwatka, quietly; “but the fact is not generally known.”
“What eyes! I should like to know such a woman. To analyse character moulded in such a form would be a delightful study. And the lady with her, who may she be?” continued the major.
“Miss Kate Darcy, an American lady now visiting her brother, a director in the Standard Diamond Mining Company. These Americans, turn up everywhere,” and Schwatka lifted his shoulders with an expressive shrug.
“Then the gentleman with her is the brother, eh?” persistently continued the major.