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！
Baltic； or somewhere。
Love to you all。 … Ever your afft。；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Letter： TO EDMUND GOSSE
SARANAC LAKE； OCT。 8TH； 1887。
MY DEAR GOSSE； … I have just read your article twice； with cheers
of approving laughter。 I do not believe you ever wrote anything so
funny： Tyndall's 'shell；' the passage on the Davos press and its
invaluable issues； and that on V。 Hugo and Swinburne； are
exquisite； so； I say it more ruefully； is the touch about the
doctors。 For the rest； I am very glad you like my verses so well；
and the qualities you ascribe to them seem to me well found and
well named。 I own to that kind of candour you attribute to me：
when I am frankly interested； I suppose I fancy the public will be
so too； and when I am moved； I am sure of it。 It has been my luck
hitherto to meet with no staggering disillusion。 'Before' and
'After' may be two； and yet I believe the habit is now too
thoroughly ingrained to be altered。 About the doctors； you were
right； that dedication has been the subject of some pleasantries
that made me grind； and of your happily touched reproof which made
me blush。 And to miscarry in a dedication is an abominable form of
book…wreck； I am a good captain； I would rather lose the tent and
save my dedication。
I am at Saranac Lake in the Adirondacks； I suppose for the winter：
it seems a first…rate place； we have a house in the eye of many
winds； with a view of a piece of running water … Highland； all but
the dear hue of peat … and of many hills … Highland also； but for
the lack of heather。 Soon the snow will close on us； we are here
some twenty miles … twenty…seven； they say； but this I profoundly
disbelieve … in the woods； communication by letter is slow and （let
me be consistent） aleatory； by telegram is as near as may be
impossible。
I had some experience of American appreciation； I liked a little of
it； but there is too much； a little of that would go a long way to
spoil a man； and I like myself better in the woods。 I am so damned
candid and ingenuous （for a cynic）； and so much of a 'cweatu' of
impulse … aw' （if you remember that admirable Leech）； that I begin
to shirk any more taffy； I think I begin to like it too well。 But
let us trust the Gods； they have a rod in pickle； reverently I doff
my trousers； and with screwed eyes await the AMARI ALIQUID of the
great God Busby。
I thank you for the article in all ways； and remain yours
affectionately；
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO W。 H。 LOW
＇SARANAC； OCTOBER 1887。＇
SIR； … I have to trouble you with the following PAROLES BIEN
SENTIES。 We are here at a first…rate place。 'Baker's' is the name
of our house； but we don't address there； we prefer the tender care
of the Post…Office； as more aristocratic （it is no use to telegraph
even to the care of the Post…Office who does not give a single
damn）。 Baker's has a prophet's chamber； which the hypercritical
might describe as a garret with a hole in the floor： in that
garret； sir； I have to trouble you and your wife to come and
slumber。 Not now； however： with manly hospitality； I choke off
any sudden impulse。 Because first； my wife and my mother are gone
（a note for the latter； strongly suspected to be in the hand of
your talented wife； now sits silent on the mantel shelf）； one to
Niagara and t'other to Indianapolis。 Because； second； we are not
yet installed。 And because third； I won't have you till I have a
buffalo robe and leggings； lest you should want to paint me as a
plain man； which I am not； but a rank Saranacker and wild man of
the woods。 … Yours；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Letter： TO WILLIAM ARCHER。
SARANAC LAKE； OCTOBER 1887。
DEAR ARCHER； … Many thanks for the Wondrous Tale。 It is scarcely a
work of genius； as I believe you felt。 Thanks also for your
pencillings； though I defend 'shrew；' or at least many of the
shrews。
We are here （I suppose） for the winter in the Adirondacks； a hill
and forest country on the Canadian border of New York State； very
unsettled and primitive and cold； and healthful； or we are the more
bitterly deceived。 I believe it will do well for me； but must not
boast。
My wife is away to Indiana to see her family； my mother； Lloyd； and
I remain here in the cold； which has been exceeding sharp； and the
hill air； which is inimitably fine。 We all eat bravely； and sleep
well； and make great fires； and get along like one o'clock；
I am now a salaried party； I am a BOURGEOIS now； I am to write a
weekly paper for Scribner's； at a scale of payment which makes my
teeth ache for shame and diffidence。 The editor is； I believe； to
apply to you； for we were talking over likely men； and when I
instanced you； he said he had had his eye upon you from the first。
It is worth while； perhaps； to get in tow with the Scribners； they
are such thorough gentlefolk in all ways that it is always a
pleasure to deal with them。 I am like to be a millionaire if this
goes on； and be publicly hanged at the social revolution： well； I
would prefer that to dying in my bed； and it would be a godsend to
my biographer； if ever I have one。 What are you about？ I hope you
are all well and in good case and spirits； as I am now； after a
most nefast experience of despondency before I left； but indeed I
was quite run down。 Remember me to Mrs。 Archer； and give my
respects to Tom。 … Yours very truly；
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON。
Letter： TO HENRY JAMES
＇SARANAC LAKE； OCTOBER 1887。＇ I know not the day； but the month it
is the drear October by the ghoul…haunted woodland of Weir
MY DEAR HENRY JAMES； … This is to say FIRST； the voyage was a huge
success。 We all enjoyed it （bar my wife） to the ground： sixteen
days at sea with a cargo of hay； matches； stallions； and monkeys；
and in a ship with no style on； and plenty of sailors to talk to；
and the endless pleasures of the sea … the romance of it； the sport
of the scratch dinner and the smashing crockery； the pleasure … an
endless pleasure … of balancing to the swell： well； it's over。
SECOND； I had a fine time； rather a troubled one； at Newport and
New York； saw much of and liked hugely the Fairchilds； St。 Gaudens
the sculptor； Gilder of the CENTURY … just saw the dear Alexander …
saw a lot of my old and admirable friend Will Low； whom I wish you
knew and appreciated … was medallioned by St。 Gaudens； and at last
escaped to
THIRD； Saranac Lake； where we now are； and which I believe we mean
to like and pass the winter at。 Our house … emphatically 'Baker's'
… is on a hill； and has a sight of a stream turning a corner in the
valley … bless the face of running water！ … and sees some hills
too； and the paganly prosaic roofs of Saranac itself； the Lake it
does not see； nor do I regret that； I