vailima letters-第12节
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that he belonged to right enough。 And then all the Papists
laughed till the woods rang； he was slashing away with a
cutlass as he spoke。
The pictures have decidedly not come； they may probably
arrive Sunday。
CHAPTER IX
JUNE； 1891。
SIR； … To you； under your portrait； which is； in expression；
your true； breathing self； and up to now saddens me； in time；
and soon； I shall be glad to have it there； it is still only
a reminder of your absence。 Fanny wept when we unpacked it；
and you know how little she is given to that mood； I was
scarce Roman myself； but that does not count … I lift up my
voice so readily。 These are good compliments to the artist。
I write in the midst of a wreck of books； which have just
come up； and have for once defied my labours to get straight。
The whole floor is filled with them； and （what's worse） most
of the shelves forbye； and where they are to go to； and what
is to become of the librarian； God knows。 It is hot to…
night； and has been airless all day； and I am out of sorts；
and my work sticks； the devil fly away with it and me。 We
had an alarm of war since last I wrote my screeds to you； and
it blew over； and is to blow on again； and the rumour goes
they are to begin by killing all the whites。 I have no
belief in this； and should be infinitely sorry if it came to
pass … I do not mean for US； that were otiose … but for the
poor； deluded schoolboys； who should hope to gain by such a
step。
＇LETTER RESUMED。＇
JUNE 20TH。
No diary this time。 Why？ you ask。 I have only sent out four
Letters； and two chapters of the WRECKER。 Yes； but to get
these I have written 132 pp。； 66；000 words in thirty days；
2200 words a day； the labours of an elephant。 God knows what
it's like； and don't ask me； but nobody shall say I have
spared pains。 I thought for some time it wouldn't come at
all。 I was days and days over the first letter of the lot …
days and days writing and deleting and making no headway
whatever； till I thought I should have gone bust； but it came
at last after a fashion； and the rest went a thought more
easily； though I am not so fond as to fancy any better。
Your opinion as to the letters as a whole is so damnatory
that I put them by。 But there is a 'hell of a want of' money
this year。 And these Gilbert Island papers； being the most
interesting in matter； and forming a compact whole； and being
well illustrated； I did think of as a possible resource。
It would be called
SIX MONTHS IN MELANESIA；
TWO ISLAND KINGS；
… MONARCHIES；
GILBERT ISLAND KINGS；
… MONARCHIES；
and I daresay I'll think of a better yet … and would divide
thus：…
BUTARITATI。
I。 A Town asleep。
II。 The Three Brothers。
III。 Around our House。
IV。 A Tale of a Tapu。
V。 The Five Day's Festival。
VI。 Domestic Life … （which might be omitted； but not well；
better be recast）。
THE KING OF APEMAMA。
VII。 The Royal Traders。
VIII。 Foundation of Equator Town。
IX。 The Palace of Mary Warren。
X。 Equator Town and the Palace。
XI。 King and Commons。
XII。 The Devil Work Box。
XIII。 The Three Corslets。
XIV。 Tail piece； the Court upon a Journey。
I wish you to watch these closely； judging them as a whole；
and treating them as I have asked you； and favour me with
your damnatory advice。 I look up at your portrait； and it
frowns upon me。 You seem to view me with reproach。 The
expression is excellent； Fanny wept when she saw it； and you
know she is not given to the melting mood。 She seems really
better； I have a touch of fever again； I fancy overwork； and
to…day； when I have overtaken my letters； I shall blow on my
pipe。 Tell Mrs。 S。 I have been playing LE CHANT D'AMOUR
lately； and have arranged it； after awful trouble； rather
prettily for two pipes； and it brought her before me with an
effect scarce short of hallucination。 I could hear her voice
in every note； yet I had forgot the air entirely； and began
to pipe it from notes as something new； when I was brought up
with a round turn by this reminiscence。 We are now very much
installed； the dining…room is done； and looks lovely。 Soon
we shall begin to photograph and send you our circumstances。
My room is still a howling wilderness。 I sleep on a platform
in a window； and strike my mosquito bar and roll up my
bedclothes every morning； so that the bed becomes by day a
divan。 A great part of the floor is knee…deep in books； yet
nearly all the shelves are filled； alas！ It is a place to
make a pig recoil； yet here are my interminable labours begun
daily by lamp…light； and sometimes not yet done when the lamp
has once more to be lighted。 The effect of pictures in this
place is surprising。 They give great pleasure。
JUNE 21ST。
A word more。 I had my breakfast this morning at 4。30！ My
new cook has beaten me and （as Lloyd says） revenged all the
cooks in the world。 I have been hunting them to give me
breakfast early since I was twenty； and now here comes Mr。
Ratke； and I have to plead for mercy。 I cannot stand 4。30； I
am a mere fevered wreck； it is now half…past eight； and I can
no more； and four hours divide me from lunch； the devil take
the man！ Yesterday it was about 5。30； which I can stand； day
before 5； which is bad enough； to…day； I give out。 It is
like a London season； and as I do not take a siesta once in a
month； and then only five minutes； I am being worn to the
bones； and look aged and anxious。
We have Rider Haggard's brother here as a Land Commissioner；
a nice kind of a fellow； indeed； all the three Land
Commissioners are very agreeable。
CHAPTER X
SUNDAY； SEPT。 5 （？）； 1891。
MY DEAR COLVIN； … Yours from Lochinver has just come。 You
ask me if I am ever homesick for the Highlands and the Isles。
Conceive that for the last month I have been living there
between 1786 and 1850； in my grandfather's diaries and
letters。 I HAD to take a rest； no use talking； so I put in a
month over my LIVES OF THE STEVENSONS with great pleasure and
profit and some advance； one chapter and a part drafted。 The
whole promises well Chapter I。 Domestic Annals。 Chapter II。
The Northern Lights。 Chapter III。 The Bell Rock。 Chapter
IV。 A Family of Boys。 Chap。 V。 The Grandfather。 VI。 Alan
Stevenson。 VII。 Thomas Stevenson。 My materials for my
great…grandfather are almost null； for my grandfather copious
and excellent。 Name； a puzzle。 A SCOTTISH FAMILY； A FAMILY
OF ENGINEERS； NORTHERN LIGHTS； THE ENGINEERS OF THE NORTHERN
LIGHTS： A FAMILY HISTORY。 Advise； but it will take long。
Now； imagine if I have been homesick for Barrahead and Island
Glass； and Kirkwall； and Cape Wrath； and the Wells of the
Pentland Firth； I could have wept。
Now for politics。 I am much less alarmed； I believe the MALO
（=RAJ； government） will collapse and cease like an overlain
infant； without a shot fired。 They have now been months here
on their big salaries … and Cedarcrantz； whom I specially
like as a man； has done nearly nothing； and the Baron； who is
well…meaning； has done worse。 They have these large
salaries； and they have all the taxes； they have made scarce
a foot of road； they have not given a single native a
position … all to white men； they have scarce laid out a
penny on Apia； and scarce a penny on the King； they have
forgot they were in Samoa； or that such a thing as Samoans
existed； and had eyes and some intelligence。 The Chief
Justice has refused to pay his customs！ The President
proposed to have an expensive house built for himself； while
the King； his master； has none！ I had stood aside； and been
a loyal； and； above all； a silent subject； up to then； but
now I snap my fingers at their MALO。 It is damned； and I'm
damned glad of it。 And this is not all。 Last 'WAINIU；' when
I sent Fanny off to Fiji； I hear the wonderful news that the
Chief Justice is going to Fiji and the Colonies to improve
his mind。 I showed my way of thought to his guest； Count
Wachtmeister； whom I have sent to you with a letter … he will
tell you all the news。 Well； the Chief Justice stayed； but
they said he was to leave yesterday。 I had intended to go
down； and see and warn him！ But the President's house had
come up in the meanwhile； and I let them go to their doom；
which I am only anxious to see swiftly and （if it may be）
bloodlessly fall。
Thus I have in a way withdrawn my unrewarded loyalty。 Lloyd
is down to…day with Moors to call on Mataafa； the news of the
excursion made a considerable row in Apia； and both the
German and the English consuls besought Lloyd not to go。 But
he stuck to his purpose； and with my approval。 It's a poor
thing if people are to
