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！
MY DEAR JAMES PAYN； … I am asked to relate to you a little incident
of domestic life at Vailima。 I had read your GLEAMS OF MEMORY； No。
1； it then went to my wife； to Osbourne； to the cousin that is
within my gates； and to my respected amanuensis； Mrs。 Strong。
Sunday approached。 In the course of the afternoon I was attracted
to the great 'all … the winders is by Vanderputty； which upon
entering I beheld a memorable scene。 The floor was bestrewn with
the forms of midshipmen from the CURACOA … 'boldly say a wilderness
of gunroom' … and in the midst of this sat Mrs。 Strong throned on
the sofa and reading aloud GLEAMS OF MEMORY。 They had just come
the length of your immortal definition of boyhood in the concrete；
and I had the pleasure to see the whole party dissolve under its
influence with inextinguishable laughter。 I thought this was not
half bad for arthritic gout！ Depend upon it； sir； when I go into
the arthritic gout business； I shall be done with literature； or at
least with the funny business。 It is quite true I have my
battlefields behind me。 I have done perhaps as much work as
anybody else under the most deplorable conditions。 But two things
fall to be noticed： In the first place； I never was in actual
pain； and in the second； I was never funny。 I'll tell you the
worst day that I remember。 I had a haemorrhage； and was not
allowed to speak； then； induced by the devil； or an errant doctor；
I was led to partake of that bowl which neither cheers nor
inebriates … the castor…oil bowl。 Now； when castor…oil goes right；
it is one thing； but when it goes wrong； it is another。 And it
went WRONG with me that day。 The waves of faintness and nausea
succeeded each other for twelve hours； and I do feel a legitimate
pride in thinking that I stuck to my work all through and wrote a
good deal of Admiral Guinea （which I might just as well not have
written for all the reward it ever brought me） in spite of the
barbarous bad conditions。 I think that is my great boast； and it
seems a little thing alongside of your GLEAMS OF MEMORY illustrated
by spasms of arthritic gout。 We really should have an order of
merit in the trade of letters。 For valour； Scott would have had
it； Pope too； myself on the strength of that castor…oil； and James
Payn would be a Knight Commander。 The worst of it is； though Lang
tells me you exhibit the courage of Huish； that not even an order
can alleviate the wretched annoyance of the business。 I have
always said that there is nothing like pain； toothache； dumb…ague；
arthritic gout； it does not matter what you call it； if the screw
is put upon the nerves sufficiently strong； there is nothing left
in heaven or in earth that can interest the sufferer。 Still； even
to this there is the consolation that it cannot last for ever。
Either you will be relieved and have a good hour again before the
sun goes down； or else you will be liberated。 It is something
after all （although not much） to think that you are leaving a brave
example； that other literary men love to remember； as I am sure
they will love to remember； everything about you … your sweetness；
your brightness； your helpfulness to all of us； and in particular
those one or two really adequate and noble papers which you have
been privileged to write during these last years。 … With the
heartiest and kindest good…will； I remain； yours ever；
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO LIEUTENANT EELES
VAILIMA； SAMOA； NOVEMBER 24； 1894。
MY DEAR EELES； … The hand； as you will perceive （and also the
spelling！）； is Teuila's； but the scrannel voice is what remains of
Tusitala's。 First of all； for business。 When you go to London you
are to charter a hansom cab and proceed to the Museum。 It is
particular fun to do this on Sundays when the Monument is shut up。
Your cabman expostulates with you； you persist。 The cabman drives
up in front of the closed gates and says； 'I told you so； sir。'
You breathe in the porter's ears the mystic name of COLVIN； and he
immediately unfolds the iron barrier。 You drive in； and doesn't
your cabman think you're a swell。 A lord mayor is nothing to it。
Colvin's door is the only one in the eastern gable of the building。
Send in your card to him with 'From R。 L。 S。' in the corner； and
the machinery will do the rest。 Henry James's address is 34 De
Vere Mansions West。 I cannot remember where the place is； I cannot
even remember on which side of the park。 But it's one of those big
Cromwell Road…looking deserted thoroughfares out west in Kensington
or Bayswater； or between the two； and anyway； Colvin will be able
to put you on the direct track for Henry James。 I do not send
formal introductions； as I have taken the liberty to prepare both
of them for seeing you already。
Hoskyn is staying with us。
It is raining dismally。 The Curacoa track is hardly passable； but
it must be trod to…morrow by the degenerate feet of their successor
the Wallaroos。 I think it a very good account of these last that
we don't think them either deformed or habitual criminals … they
seem to be a kindly lot。
The doctor will give you all the gossip。 I have preferred in this
letter to stick to the strictly solid and necessary。 With kind
messages from all in the house to all in the wardroom； all in the
gunroom； and （may we dare to breathe it） to him who walks abaft；
believe me； my dear Eeles； yours ever；
R。 L。 STEVENSON。
Letter： TO SIR HERBERT MAXWELL
VAILIMA； SAMOA； DECEMBER 1； 1894。
DEAR SIR HERBERT； … Thank you very much for your long and kind
letter。 I shall certainly take your advice and call my cousin； the
Lyon King； into council。 It is certainly a very interesting
subject； though I don't suppose it can possibly lead to anything；
this connection between the Stevensons and M'Gregors。 Alas！ your
invitation is to me a mere derision。 My chances of visiting Heaven
are about as valid as my chances of visiting Monreith。 Though I
should like well to see you； shrunken into a cottage； a literary
Lord of Ravenscraig。 I suppose it is the inevitable doom of all
those who dabble in Scotch soil； but really your fate is the more
blessed。 I cannot conceive anything more grateful to me； or more
amusing or more picturesque； than to live in a cottage outside your
own park…walls。 … With renewed thanks； believe me； dear Sir
Herbert； yours very truly；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Letter： TO ANDREW LANG
VAILIMA； SAMOA； DECEMBER 1； 1894。
MY DEAR LANG； … For the portrait of Braxfield； much thanks！ It is
engraved from the same Raeburn portrait that I saw in '76 or '77
with so extreme a gusto that I have ever since been Braxfield's
humble servant； and am now trying； as you know； to stick him into a
novel。 Alas！ one might as well try to stick in Napoleon。 The
picture shall be framed and hung up in my study。 Not only as a
memento of you； but as a perpetual encouragement to do better with
his Lordship。 I have not yet received the transcripts。 They must
be very interesting。 Do you know； I picked up the other day an old
LONGMAN'S； where I found an article of yours that I had missed；
about Christie's？ I read it with great delight。 The year ends
with us pretty much as it began； among wars and rumours of wars；
and a vast and splendid exhibition of official incompetence。 …
Yours ever；
R。 L。 STEVENSON。
Letter： TO EDMUND GOSSE
VAILIMA； SAMOA； DECEMBER 1； 1894。
I AM afraid； MY DEAR WEG； that this must be the result of bribery
and corruption！ The volume to which the dedication stands as
preface seems to me to stand alone in your work； it is so natural；
so personal； so sincere； so articulate in substance； and what you
always were sure of … so rich in adornment。
Let me speak fir