'No, I am the military chaplain to the Dutch forces.'
'And you think the Free State will continue to resist?'
'We will go down fighting. What else is there to do? History and Europe will do us justice.'
'It is easy for you to say that, who do not fight; but what of the poor farmers and peasants you have dragged into this war? They do not tell us that they wish to fight. They think they have been made a catspaw for the Transvaal.'
'Ah,' he rejoined, warmly, 'they have no business to say that now. They did not say so before the war. They wanted to fight. It was a solemn pledge. We were bound to help the Transvaalers; what would have happened to us after they were conquered?'
'But, surely you, and men like you, knew the strength of the antagonist you challenged. Why did you urge these simple people to their ruin?'
'We had had enough of English methods here. We knew our independence was threatened. It had to come. We did not deceive them. We told them. I told my flock often that it would not be child's play.'
'Didn't you tell them it was hopeless?'
'It was not hopeless,' he said. 'There were many chances.'
'All gone now.'