Wattle Estate Company's plant. The other to the firm of Foyle's
booksellers in Choring Cross Road, London, requesting the immediate
dispatch of all and any literature on the processing of wattle bark.
Michael Courtney had caught from Sean the habit of dreaming
extravagantly. He had also acquired the trick of setting out to make
those dreams become reality.
Three days before the wedding Ada and her young ladies set out for
Pietermaritzburg by train and Sean, Michael and Dirk followed in the
Rolls.
The three of them arrived dusty and bad-tempered outside the White
Horse Hotel. It had been a nerve-racking journey. Sean had enlivened
it by shouting incessant warnings, instruction and blasphemy at
Michael, the driver.
'Slow down, for God's sake, slow down! Do you want to kill us all!'
Look out! Watch that cow!'
'Don't drive so close to the verge!
Dirk had done his share by demanding halts for urination, hanging over
the sides, climbing tirelessly between the front and back seats and
urging Michael to exceed the speed-limit set by Sean. Finally, in
anger, Sean had Michael stop the car and administered corporal
punishment with the birch of a melkbos tree cut from beside the road.
On arrival Dirk was met by Ada, and led away snivelling.
Michael took the Rolls and disappeared in the direction of the Natal
Wattle Company's plant, where he was to spend most of the following
three days snooping and asking questions, and Sean went to find Jan
Paulus Leroux, who had come down from Pretoria in response to Sean's
wedding invitation. By the day of the wedding Michael Courtney had
compiled a small volume of notes on wattle processing, and Jan Paulus
had given Sean a minute account of the aims and objects of the South
African Party. But in response to his urging Sean had promised only to
''think about it.'
The wedding ceremony had given everybody much cause for thought.
Although Sean had no qualms about marrying in a synagogue, yet he
steadfastly refused to undergo the painful little operation which would
enable him to do so. His halfhearted suggestion that Ruth should
convert to Christianity was met with a curt rejection. Finally, a
compromise was agreed, and Ben Goldberg persuaded the local Magistrate
to perform a civil ceremony in the dining-room of The Golds.
Ben Goldberg gave the bride away and Ma Goldberg wept a little.
Ruth was magnificent in Ada's creation of green satin and seed
pearls.
Storm wore an exact miniature of Ruth's dress and sparked off a minor
brawl with the other flower girls during the ceremony. Michael as Best
Man conducted himself with aplomb.
He quelled the riot among the flower girls, produced the wedding ring
on cue and prompted the groom when he muffed his lines.
The reception on the lawns was attended by a large crowd of the
Goldbergs' friends and business associates and by half the population
of Ladyburg, including Ronny Pye, Dennis Petersen and their families.
