vailima letters-第44节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
are the devil； of course； miserable screws； and some of them
a little vicious。 I had a dreadful fright … the passage in
my mother's letter is recrossed and I see it says the end of
/94： so much the better； then； but I would like to submit to
you my alternative plan。 I could meet you at Hawaii； and
reconduct you to Hawaii； so that we could have a full six
weeks together and I believe a little over； and you would see
this place of mine； and have a sniff of native life； native
foods； native houses … and perhaps be in time to see the
German flag raised； who knows？ … and we could generally yarn
for all we were worth。 I should like you to see Vailima； and
I should be curious to know how the climate affected you。 It
is quite hit or miss； it suits me； it suits Graham； it suits
all our family； others it does not suit at all。 It is either
gold or poison。 I rise at six； the rest at seven； lunch is
at 12； at five we go to lawn tennis till dinner at six； and
to roost early。
A man brought in a head to Mulinuu in great glory； they
washed the black paint off； and behold！ it was his brother。
When I last heard he was sitting in his house； with the head
upon his lap； and weeping。 Barbarous war is an ugly
business； but I believe the civilised is fully uglier； but
Lord！ what fun！
I should say we now have definite news that there are THREE
women's heads； it was difficult to get it out of the natives；
who are all ashamed； and the women all in terror of
reprisals。 Nothing has been done to punish or disgrace these
hateful innovators。 It was a false report that the head had
been returned。
THURSDAY； 13TH；
Mataafa driven away from Savaii。 I cannot write about this；
and do not know what should be the end of it。
MONDAY； 17TH。
Haggard and Ahrens （a German clerk） to lunch yesterday。
There is no real certain news yet： I must say； no man could
SWEAR to any result； but the sky looks horribly black for
Mataafa and so many of our friends along with him。 The thing
has an abominable； a beastly； nightmare interest。 But it's
wonderful generally how little one cares about the wounded；
hospital sights； etc。； things that used to murder me。 I was
far more struck with the excellent way in which things were
managed； as if it had been a peep…show； I held some of the
things at an operation； and did not care a dump。
TUESDAY； 18TH。
Sunday came the KATOOMBA； Captain Bickford； C。M。G。
Yesterday； Graham and I went down to call； and find he has
orders to suppress Mataafa at once； and has to go down to…day
before daybreak to Manono。 He is a very capable； energetic
man； if he had only come ten days ago； all this would have
gone by； but now the questions are thick and difficult。 （1）
Will Mataafa surrender？ （2） Will his people allow themselves
to be disarmed？ （3） What will happen to them if they do？
（4） What will any of them believe after former deceptions？
The three consuls were scampering on horseback to Leulumoega
to the King； no Cusack…Smith； without whose accession I could
not send a letter to Mataafa。 I rode up here； wrote my
letter in the sweat of the concordance and with the able…
bodied help of Lloyd … and dined。 Then down in continual
showers and pitchy darkness； and to Cusack…Smith's； not re…
returned。 Back to the inn for my horse； and to C。…S。's； when
I find him just returned and he accepts my letter。 Thence
home； by 12。30； jolly tired and wet。 And to…day have been in
a crispation of energy and ill…temper； raking my wretched
mail together。 It is a hateful business； waiting for the
news； it may come to a fearful massacre yet。 … Yours ever；
R。 L。 S。
CHAPTER XXXII
AUGUST； 1893。
MY DEAR COLVIN； … Quite impossible to write。 Your letter is
due to…day； a nasty； rainy…like morning with huge blue
clouds； and a huge indigo shadow on the sea； and my lamp
still burning at near 7。 Let me humbly give you news。 Fanny
seems on the whole the most； or the only； powerful member of
the family； for some days she has been the Flower of the
Flock。 Belle is begging for quinine。 Lloyd and Graham have
both been down with 'belly belong him' （Black Boy speech）。
As for me； I have to lay aside my lawn tennis； having （as was
to be expected） had a smart but eminently brief hemorrhage。
I am also on the quinine flask。 I have been re…casting the
beginning of the HANGING JUDGE or WEIR OF HERMISTON； then I
have been cobbling on my grandfather； whose last chapter
（there are only to be four） is in the form of pieces of
paper； a huge welter of inconsequence； and that glimmer of
faith （or hope） which one learns at this trade； that somehow
and some time； by perpetual staring and glowering and
rewriting； order will emerge。 It is indeed a queer hope；
there is one piece for instance that I want in … I cannot put
it one place for a good reason … I cannot put it another for
a better … and every time I look at it； I turn sick and put
the Ms。 away。
Well； your letter hasn't come； and a number of others are
missing。 It looks as if a mail…bag had gone on； so I'll
blame nobody； and proceed to business。
It looks as if I was going to send you the first three
chapters of my Grandfather。 。 。 。 If they were set up； it
would be that much anxiety off my mind。 I have a strange
feeling of responsibility； as if I had my ancestors' SOULS in
my charge； and might miscarry with them。
There's a lot of work gone into it； and a lot more is needed。
Still Chapter I。 seems about right to me； and much of Chapter
II。 Chapter III。 I know nothing of； as I told you。 And
Chapter IV。 is at present all ends and beginnings； but it can
be pulled together。
This is all I have been able to screw up to you for this
month； and I may add that it is not only more than you
deserve； but just about more than I was equal to。 I have
been and am entirely useless； just able to tinker at my
Grandfather。 The three chapters … perhaps also a little of
the fourth … will come home to you next mail by the hand of
my cousin Graham Balfour； a very nice fellow whom I recommend
to you warmly … and whom I think you will like。 This will
give you time to consider my various and distracted schemes。
All our wars are over in the meantime； to begin again as soon
as the war…ships leave。 Adieu。
R。 L。 S。
CHAPTER XXXIII
23RD AUGUST。
MY DEAR COLVIN； … Your pleasing letter RE THE EBB TIDE； to
hand。 I propose； if it be not too late； to delete Lloyd's
name。 He has nothing to do with the last half。 The first we
wrote together； as the beginning of a long yarn。 The second
is entirely mine； and I think it rather unfair on the young
man to couple his name with so infamous a work。 Above all；
as you had not read the two last chapters； which seem to me
the most ugly and cynical of all。
You will see that I am not in a good humour； and I am not。
It is not because of your letter； but because of the
complicated miseries that surround me and that I choose to
say nothing of。 Life is not all Beer and Skittles。 The
inherent tragedy of things works itself out from white to
black and blacker； and the poor things of a day look ruefully
on。 Does it shake my cast…iron faith？ I cannot say it does。
I believe in an ultimate decency of things； ay； and if I woke
in hell； should still believe it！ But it is hard walking；
and I can see my own share in the missteps； and can bow my
head to the result； like an old； stern； unhappy devil of a
Norseman； as my ultimate character is。 。 。 。
Well； IL FAUT CULTIVER SON JARDIN。 That last expression of
poor； unhappy human wisdom I take to my heart and go to ST。
IVES。
24th AUG。
And did； and worked about 2 hours and got to sleep ultimately
and 'a' the clouds has blawn away。' 'Be sure we'll have some
pleisand weather； When a' the clouds （storms？） has blawn
（gone？） away。' Verses that have a quite inexplicable
attraction for me； and I believe had for Burns。 They have no
merit； but are somehow good。 I am now in a most excellent
humour。
I am deep in ST。 IVES which； I believe； will be the next
novel done。 But it is to be clearly understood that I
promise nothing； and may throw in your face the very last
thing you expect … or I expect。 ST。 IVES will （to my mind）
not be wholly bad。 It is written in rather a funny style； a
little stilted and left…handed； the style of St。 Ives； also；
to some extent； the style of R。 L。 S。 dictating。 ST。 IVES
is unintellectual and except as an adventure novel； dull。
But the adventures seem to me sound and pretty probable； and
it is a love story。 Speed his wings！
SUNDAY NIGHT。
DE COEUR UN PEU PLUS DISPOS； MONSIEUR ET CHER CO
