the letters-2-第57节
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limbs of the （ahem） cart…horse would be loosed by death。 So you
are to conceive me； sitting in my house； dubitative； and the
medallion chuckling in the warehouse of the German firm； for some
days longer； and hear me meanwhile on the golden letters。
Alas！ they are all my fancy painted； but the price is prohibitive。
I cannot do it。 It is another day…dream burst。 Another gable of
Abbotsford has gone down； fortunately before it was builded； so
there's nobody injured … except me。 I had a strong conviction that
I was a great hand at writing inscriptions； and meant to exhibit
and test my genius on the walls of my house； and now I see I can't。
It is generally thus。 The Battle of the Golden Letters will never
be delivered。 On making preparation to open the campaign； the King
found himself face to face with invincible difficulties； in which
the rapacity of a mercenary soldiery and the complaints of an
impoverished treasury played an equal part。 … Ever yours；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
I enclose a bill for the medallion； have been trying to find your
letter； quite in vain； and therefore must request you to pay for
the bronze letters yourself and let me know the damage。
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO J。 HORNE STEVENSON
VAILIMA； SAMOA； NOVEMBER 5TH； 1893。
MY DEAR STEVENSON； … A thousand thanks for your voluminous and
delightful collections。 Baxter … so soon as it is ready … will let
you see a proof of my introduction； which is only sent out as a
sprat to catch whales。 And you will find I have a good deal of
what you have； only mine in a perfectly desultory manner； as is
necessary to an exile。 My uncle's pedigree is wrong； there was
never a Stevenson of Caldwell； of course； but they were tenants of
the Muirs； the farm held by them is in my introduction； and I have
already written to Charles Baxter to have a search made in the
Register House。 I hope he will have had the inspiration to put it
under your surveillance。 Your information as to your own family is
intensely interesting； and I should not wonder but what you and we
and old John Stevenson； 'land labourer in the parish of Dailly；'
came all of the same stock。 Ayrshire … and probably Cunningham …
seems to be the home of the race … our part of it。 From the
distribution of the name … which your collections have so much
extended without essentially changing my knowledge of … we seem
rather pointed to a British origin。 What you say of the Engineers
is fresh to me； and must be well thrashed out。 This introduction
of it will take a long while to walk about！ … as perhaps I may be
tempted to let it become long； after all； I am writing THIS for my
own pleasure solely。 Greetings to you and other Speculatives of
our date； long bygone； alas！ … Yours very sincerely；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
P。S。 … I have a different version of my grandfather's arms … or my
father had if I could find it。
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO JOHN P…N
VAILIMA； SAMOA； DECEMBER 3RD； 1893。
DEAR JOHNNIE； … Well； I must say you seem to be a tremendous
fellow！ Before I was eight I used to write stories … or dictate
them at least … and I had produced an excellent history of Moses；
for which I got 1 pound from an uncle； but I had never gone the
length of a play； so you have beaten me fairly on my own ground。 I
hope you may continue to do so； and thanking you heartily for your
nice letter； I shall beg you to believe me yours truly；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Letter： TO RUSSELL P…N
VAILIMA； SAMOA； DECEMBER 3RD； 1893。
DEAR RUSSELL； … I have to thank you very much for your capital
letter； which came to hand here in Samoa along with your mother's。
When you 'grow up and write stories like me；' you will be able to
understand that there is scarce anything more painful than for an
author to hold a pen； he has to do it so much that his heart
sickens and his fingers ache at the sight or touch of it； so that
you will excuse me if I do not write much； but remain （with
compliments and greetings from one Scot to another … though I was
not born in Ceylon … you're ahead of me there）。 … Yours very truly；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Letter： TO ALISON CUNNINGHAM
VAILIMA； DECEMBER 5； 1893。
MY DEAREST CUMMY； … This goes to you with a Merry Christmas and a
Happy New Year。 The Happy New Year anyway； for I think it should
reach you about NOOR'S DAY。 I dare say it may be cold and frosty。
Do you remember when you used to take me out of bed in the early
morning； carry me to the back windows； show me the hills of Fife；
and quote to me。
'A' the hills are covered wi' snaw；
An' winter's noo come fairly'？
There is not much chance of that here！ I wonder how my mother is
going to stand the winter。 If she can； it will be a very good
thing for her。 We are in that part of the year which I like the
best … the Rainy or Hurricane Season。 'When it is good； it is
very； very good； and when it is bad； it is horrid；' and our fine
days are certainly fine like heaven； such a blue of the sea； such
green of the trees； and such crimson of the hibiscus flowers； you
never saw； and the air as mild and gentle as a baby's breath； and
yet not hot！
The mail is on the move； and I must let up。 … With much love； I am；
your laddie；
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO CHARLES BAXTER
6TH DECEMBER 1893。
'OCTOBER 25； 1685。 … At Privy Council； George Murray； Lieutenant of
the King's Guard； and others； did； on the 21st of September last；
obtain a clandestine order of Privy Council to apprehend the person
of Janet Pringle； daughter to the late Clifton； and she having
retired out of the way upon information； he got an order against
Andrew Pringle； her uncle； to produce her。 。 。 。 But she having
married Andrew Pringle； her uncle's son （to disappoint all their
designs of selling her）； a boy of thirteen years old。' But my boy
is to be fourteen； so I extract no further。 … FOUNTAINHALL； i。 320。
'MAY 6； 1685。 … Wappus Pringle of Clifton was still alive after
all； and in prison for debt； and transacts with Lieutenant Murray；
giving security for 7000 marks。' … i。 372。
No； it seems to have been HER brother who had succeeded。
MY DEAR CHARLES； … The above is my story； and I wonder if any light
can be thrown on it。 I prefer the girl's father dead； and the
question is； How in that case could Lieutenant George Murray get
his order to 'apprehend' and his power to 'sell' her in marriage？
Or … might Lieutenant G。 be her tutor； and she fugitive to the
Pringles； and on the discovery of her whereabouts hastily married？
A good legal note on these points is very ardently desired by me；
it will be the corner…stone of my novel。
This is for … I am quite wrong to tell you … for you will tell
others … and nothing will teach you that all my schemes are in the
air； and vanish and reappear again like shapes in the clouds … it
is for HEATHERCAT： whereof the first volume will be called THE
KILLING TIME； and I believe I have authorities ample for that。 But
the second volume is to be called （I believe） DARIEN； and for that
I want； I fear； a good deal of truck：…
DARIEN PAPERS；
CARSTAIRS PAPERS；
MARCHMONT PAPERS；
JERVISWOODE CORRESPONDENCE；
I hope may do me。 Some sort of general history of the Darien
affair （if there is a decent one； which I misdoubt）； it would also
be well to have … the one with most details； if possible。 It is
singular how obscure to me this decade of Scots history remains；
1690…1700 … a deuce of a want of light and grouping to it！
However； I believe I shall be mostly out of Scotland in my tale；
first in Carolina； next in Darien。 I want also … I am the daughter
of the horse…leech truly … 'Black's new large map of Scotland；'
sheets 3； 4； and 5； a 7s。 6d。 touch。 I believe； if you can get the
CALDWELL PAPERS；
they had better come also； and if there be any reasonable work …
but no； I must call a halt。 。 。 。
I fear the song looks doubtful； but I'll consider of it； and I can
promise you some reminiscences which it will amuse me to write；
whether or not it will amuse the public to read of them。 But it's
an unco business to SUPPLY deid…heid coapy。
Letter： TO J。 M。 BARRIE
VAILIMA； SAMOA； DECEMBER 7TH； 1893。
MY DEAR BARRIE； … I have received duly the MAGNUM OPUS； and it
really is a MAGNUM OPUS。 It is a beautiful specimen of Clark's
printing； paper sufficient； and the illustrations all my fancy
painted。 But the particular flower of the flock to whom I have
hopelessly lost my heart is Tibby Birse。 I must have known Tibby
Birse when she was a servant's mantua…maker in Edinburgh and
answered to the name of Miss
