Life at the
Cape in the mid-eighteenth century, being the biography of Rudolph Siegfried Allemann, Captain of the Military Forces at the Cape of
Good Hope
O.F. Mentzel
|
Translated
from the German by M
Greenlees. Notes
by Kathleen M Jeffreys. ISBN
of Reprint: 0-9584522-5-3 |
This 'biography' of Allemann
is, in fact, an entertaining account of social life at the |
70 Life of R. S. Allemann.
Mistress Meijboom: “If this is the case, I await Your Excellency’s commands.”
The Governor: “It
is not in the least a command! Give me your hand upon it that you will not
refuse me.” She gave him her hand and he held it fast. Then he went on: “Listen, Mistress Meijboom;
I have a parti for you; he is a fine young gentleman,
‘galant,’ a man of understanding; he occupies a
position of honour, and I am well disposed towards
him and will see that he is
promoted. What have you to say to this?”
Mistress Meijboom: “If this be your request, may I humbly beg to be
informed who he is?"
The Governor: “It is Ensign Allemann. I
am sure that it is a match you ought not to refuse.”
Mistress Meijboom: “If that is Your Excellency’s opinion, I will not
oppose it, provided that Ensign Allemann seeks my
hand of his own free will and not simply because of Your Excellency’s command.”
The Governor:
“Heel wel gesproocken!"
Hereupon he opened the window and shouted: “A man
from the guard I” A Rapportgänger came running up,
and the Governor shouted to him: “Ensign Allemann is
to come to me at once.” Herr Allemann presented
himself without delay, and, having paid his respects to the Governor, greeted
the assembled company. Meanwhile the Governor continued to keep Mistress Meijboom beside him, holding her fast by the hand.
The Governor:
“Ensign, it have to-day played the part of matchmaker
on your behalf. I have proposed for you to Mistress Meijboom,
and she has promised to give you her hand if you seek it, not through any
command of mine, but because of your own inclination. What do you think about
it?"
Herr Allemann: “Edel Heer, I should esteem it the greatest possible honour and happiness. All my life long I
should regard your gracious recommendation with humble gratitude, and I would
strive on all occasions
to make myself worthy of it.” Then, turning to Mistress Meijboom, he went on: “Dearest lady, I offer you my heart
and hand. Ever since I have had the privilege of knowing you I have regarded
you with the utmost respect and affection; -but I should probably never have dared on my own
account to make the proposal that His Excellency
Becomes Wealthy. 71
has been so exceedingly kind as to make for me. I
entreat you most earnestly to complete my happiness by assenting to this
proposal. Say ‘Yes!’”
Mistress Meijboom: “Yes! But,” she added, with a smile, “there is
something that you too must
promise—to forget what is past!"
Herr Allemann: “I know of nothing to forget! I love you from the
bottom of my heart; here is my hand.”
The Governor then
released her hand; she extended it to Herr Allemann who
took and kissed it. “Op de beck! Op de beck!"
cried the Governor. Herr Allemann -complied, and Mistress Meijboom
returned his salute. The Governor then called for wine and the whole company
drank the health of the newly-engaged couple. Then the Governor asked what it
was that Mistress Meijboom wanted Herr Allemann to forget, so Madame Valck
told him the story of the bed in the kitchen. The Governor pretended to be very
stern and declared that as a punishment Mistress Meijboom
must, after her marriage, let Herr Allemann sleep in
her own bed. There was much laughter at this; but the Kampanjemeester
carried the joke further still by advising the culprit that if she wanted to
appeal against the sentence, she had better do so quickly, before she was
married. Mistress Meijboom was embarrassed, but
Madame Valck took her part and said that since she
had long ago recognised, and repented of, her fault,
she would not appeal against the sentence, but would regard it as valid
whenever, after three weeks had gone by, Herr Allemann
took possession of the quarters assigned to him.
After the company had been amused for a while
with this ~ joke, the Governor sent a messenger round to the principal
gentlemen and servants of the Company, inviting them, together with their wives
and grown-up sons and daughters, to attend a ball that was to be held that day
in the Castle. The trumpeters and six hautbois
players from the Garrison were summoned, and the guests appeared without delay.
The Governor announced the engagement, and congratulations were showered upon
the pair. Then the Governor opened the ball with Mistress Meijboom,
and led her to Herr Allemann. Supper was at eight
o’clock, and during dessert the Governor addressed Mistress Meijboom
as follows:
“My dear young lady, don’t for a moment imagine
that I have made this match in order that your future husband might be
supported by your means. On the contrary, I have helped him to a position of honour, and to a bride,