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！
yourself； believe me； your laddie；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
P。S。 … I suppose Mrs。 Todd ought to see the paper about her man；
judge of that； and if you think she would not dislike it； buy her
one from me； and let me know。 The article is called 'Pastoral；' in
LONGMAN'S MAGAZINE for April。 I will send you the money； I would
to…day； but it's the Sabbie day； and I cannae。
R。 L。 S。
Remembrances from all here。
Letter： TO SIDNEY COLVIN
＇EDINBURGH； JUNE 1887。＇
MY DEAR S。 C。； … At last I can write a word to you。 Your little
note in the P。 M。 G。 was charming。 I have written four pages in
the CONTEMPORARY； which Bunting found room for： they are not very
good； but I shall do more for his memory in time。
About the death； I have long hesitated； I was long before I could
tell my mind； and now I know it； and can but say that I am glad。
If we could have had my father； that would have been a different
thing。 But to keep that changeling … suffering changeling … any
longer； could better none and nothing。 Now he rests； it is more
significant； it is more like himself。 He will begin to return to
us in the course of time； as he was and as we loved him。
My favourite words in literature； my favourite scene … 'O let him
pass；' Kent and Lear … was played for me here in the first moment
of my return。 I believe Shakespeare saw it with his own father。 I
had no words； but it was shocking to see。 He died on his feet； you
know； was on his feet the last day； knowing nobody … still he would
be up。 This was his constant wish； also that he might smoke a pipe
on his last day。 The funeral would have pleased him； it was the
largest private funeral in man's memory here。
We have no plans； and it is possible we may go home without going
through town。 I do not know； I have no views yet whatever； nor can
have any at this stage of my cold and my business。 … Ever yours；
R。 L。 S。
CHAPTER IX … THE UNITED STATES AGAIN： WINTER IN THE ADIRONDACKS；
AUGUST 1887…OCTOBER 1888
Letter： TO W。 E。 HENLEY
＇SKERRYVORE； BOURNEMOUTH＇； AUGUST 1887。
DEAR LAD； … I write to inform you that Mr。 Stevenson's well…known
work； VIRGINIBUS PUERISQUE； is about to be reprinted。 At the same
time a second volume called MEMORIES AND PORTRAITS will issue from
the roaring loom。 Its interest will be largely autobiographical；
Mr。 S。 having sketched there the lineaments of many departed
friends； and dwelt fondly； and with a m'istened eye； upon byegone
pleasures。 The two will be issued under the common title of
FAMILIAR ESSAYS； but the volumes will be vended separately to those
who are mean enough not to hawk at both。
The blood is at last stopped： only yesterday。 I began to think I
should not get away。 However； I hope … I hope … remark the word …
no boasting … I hope I may luff up a bit now。 Dobell； whom I saw；
gave as usual a good account of my lungs； and expressed himself；
like his neighbours； hopefully about the trip。 He says； my uncle
says； Scott says； Brown says … they all say … You ought not to be
in such a state of health； you should recover。 Well； then； I mean
to。 My spirits are rising again after three months of black
depression： I almost begin to feel as if I should care to live： I
would； by God！ And so I believe I shall。 … Yours； BULLETIN
M'GURDER。
How has the Deacon gone？
Letter： TO W。 H。 LOW
＇SKERRYVORE； BOURNEMOUTH＇； August 6TH； 1887。
MY DEAR LOW； … We … my mother； my wife； my stepson； my maidservant；
and myself； five souls … leave； if all is well； Aug。 20th； per
Wilson line SS。 LUDGATE HILL。 Shall probably evade N。 Y。 at first；
cutting straight to a watering…place： Newport； I believe； its
name。 Afterwards we shall steal incognito into LA BONNE VILLA； and
see no one but you and the Scribners； if it may be so managed。 You
must understand I have been very seedy indeed； quite a dead body；
and unless the voyage does miracles； I shall have to draw it dam
fine。 Alas； 'The Canoe Speaks' is now out of date； it will figure
in my volume of verses now imminent。 However； I may find some
inspiration some day。 … Till very soon； yours ever；
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO MISS ADELAIDE BOODLE
BOURNEMOUTH； AUGUST 19TH； 1887。
MY DEAR MISS BOODLE； … I promise you the paper…knife shall go to
sea with me； and if it were in my disposal； I should promise it
should return with me too。 All that you say； I thank you for very
much； I thank you for all the pleasantness that you have brought
about our house； and I hope the day may come when I shall see you
again in poor old Skerryvore； now left to the natives of Canada； or
to worse barbarians； if such exist。 I am afraid my attempt to jest
is rather A CONTRE…COEUR。 Good…bye … AU REVOIR … and do not forget
your friend；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Letter： TO MESSRS。 CHATTO AND WINDUS
BOURNEMOUTH ＇AUGUST 1887＇。
DEAR SIRS； … I here enclose the two titles。 Had you not better
send me the bargains to sign？ I shall be here till Saturday； and
shall have an address in London （which I shall send you） till
Monday； when I shall sail。 Even if the proofs do not reach you
till Monday morning； you could send a clerk from Fenchurch Street
Station at 10。23 A。M。 for Galleons Station； and he would find me
embarking on board the LUDGATE HILL； Island Berth； Royal Albert
Dock。 Pray keep this in case it should be necessary to catch this
last chance。 I am most anxious to have the proofs with me on the
voyage。 … Yours very truly；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Letter： TO SIDNEY COLVIN
H。M。S。 'VULGARIUM；'
OFF HAVRE DE GRACE； THIS 22ND DAY OF AUGUST ＇1887＇。
SIR； … The weather has been hitherto inimitable。 Inimitable is the
only word that I can apply to our fellow…voyagers； whom a
categorist； possibly premature； has been already led to divide into
two classes … the better sort consisting of the baser kind of
Bagman； and the worser of undisguised Beasts of the Field。 The
berths are excellent； the pasture swallowable； the champagne of H。
James （to recur to my favourite adjective） inimitable。 As for the
Commodore； he slept awhile in the evening； tossed off a cup of
Henry James with his plain meal； walked the deck till eight； among
sands and floating lights and buoys and wrecked brigantines； came
down （to his regret） a minute too soon to see Margate lit up；
turned in about nine； slept； with some interruptions； but on the
whole sweetly； until six； and has already walked a mile or so of
deck； among a fleet of other steamers waiting for the tide； within
view of Havre； and pleasantly entertained by passing fishing…boats；
hovering sea…gulls； and Vulgarians pairing on deck with endearments
of primitive simplicity。 There； sir； can be viewed the sham
quarrel； the sham desire for information； and every device of these
two poor ancient sexes （who might； you might think； have learned in
the course of the ages something new） down to the exchange of head…
gear。 … I am； sir； yours；
BOLD BOB BOLTSPRIT。
B。 B。 B。 （ALIAS the Commodore） will now turn to his proofs。 Havre
de Grace is a city of some show。 It is for…ti…fied； and； so far as
I can see； is a place of some trade。 It is situ…ated in France； a
country of Europe。 You always complain there are no facts in my
letters。
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO SIDNEY COLVIN
NEWPORT； R。 I。 U。S。A。 ＇SEPTEMBER 1887＇。
MY DEAR COLVIN； … So long it went excellent well； and I had a time
I am glad to have had； really enjoying my life。 There is nothing
like being at sea； after all。 And O； why have I allowed myself to
rot so long on land？ But on the Banks I caught a cold； and I have
not yet got over it。 My recep