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！
REPUBLIC； Lang's LETTERS ON LITERATURE； a complete set of my works；
JENKIN； in duplicate； also FAMILIAR STUDIES； ditto。
I have to thank you for the accounts； which are satisfactory
indeed； and for the cheque for 1000。 Another account will have
come and gone before I see you。 I hope it will be equally roseate
in colour。 I am quite worked out； and this cursed end of THE
MASTER hangs over me like the arm of the gallows； but it is always
darkest before dawn； and no doubt the clouds will soon rise； but it
is a difficult thing to write； above all in Mackellarese； and I
cannot yet see my way clear。 If I pull this off； THE MASTER will
be a pretty good novel or I am the more deceived； and even if I
don't pull it off； it'll still have some stuff in it。
We shall remain here until the middle of June anyway； but my mother
leaves for Europe early in May。 Hence our mail should continue to
come here； but not hers。 I will let you know my next address；
which will probably be Sydney。 If we get on the MORNING STAR； I
propose at present to get marooned on Ponape； and take my chance of
getting a passage to Australia。 It will leave times and seasons
mighty vague； and the cruise is risky； but I shall know something
of the South Seas when it is done； or else the South Seas will
contain all there is of me。 It should give me a fine book of
travels； anyway。
Low will probably come and ask some dollars of you。 Pray let him
have them； they are for outfit。 O； another complete set of my
books should go to Captain A。 H。 Otis； care of Dr。 Merritt； Yacht
CASCO； Oakland； Cal。 In haste；
R。 L。 S。
Letter： TO MISS ADELAIDE BOODLE
HONOLULU； APRIL 6TH； 1889。
MY DEAR MISS BOODLE； … Nobody writes a better letter than my
Gamekeeper： so gay； so pleasant； so engagingly particular；
answering （by some delicate instinct） all the questions she
suggests。 It is a shame you should get such a poor return as I can
make； from a mind essentially and originally incapable of the art
epistolary。 I would let the paper…cutter take my place； but I am
sorry to say the little wooden seaman did after the manner of
seamen； and deserted in the Societies。 The place he seems to have
stayed at … seems； for his absence was not observed till we were
near the Equator … was Tautira； and； I assure you； he displayed
good taste； Tautira being as 'nigh hand heaven' as a paper…cutter
or anybody has a right to expect。
I think all our friends will be very angry with us； and I give the
grounds of their probable displeasure bluntly … we are not coming
home for another year。 My mother returns next month。 Fanny；
Lloyd； and I push on again among the islands on a trading schooner；
the EQUATOR … first for the Gilbert group； which we shall have an
opportunity to explore thoroughly； then； if occasion serve； to the
Marshalls and Carolines； and if occasion （or money） fail； to Samoa；
and back to Tahiti。 I own we are deserters； but we have excuses。
You cannot conceive how these climates agree with the wretched
house…plant of Skerryvore： he wonders to find himself sea…bathing；
and cutting about the world loose； like a grown…up person。 They
agree with Fanny too； who does not suffer from her rheumatism； and
with Lloyd also。 And the interest of the islands is endless； and
the sea； though I own it is a fearsome place； is very delightful。
We had applied for places in the American missionary ship； the
MORNING STAR； but this trading schooner is a far preferable idea；
giving us more time and a thousandfold more liberty； so we
determined to cut off the missionaries with a shilling。
The Sandwich Islands do not interest us very much； we live here；
oppressed with civilisation； and look for good things in the
future。 But it would surprise you if you came out to…night from
Honolulu （all shining with electric lights； and all in a bustle
from the arrival of the mail； which is to carry you these lines）
and crossed the long wooden causeway along the beach； and came out
on the road through Kapiolani park； and seeing a gate in the
palings； with a tub of gold…fish by the wayside； entered casually
in。 The buildings stand in three groups by the edge of the beach；
where an angry little spitfire sea continually spirts and thrashes
with impotent irascibility； the big seas breaking further out upon
the reef。 The first is a small house； with a very large summer
parlour； or LANAI； as they call it here； roofed； but practically
open。 There you will find the lamps burning and the family sitting
about the table； dinner just done： my mother； my wife； Lloyd；
Belle； my wife's daughter； Austin her child； and to…night （by way
of rarity） a guest。 All about the walls our South Sea curiosities；
war clubs； idols； pearl shells； stone axes； etc。； and the walls are
only a small part of a lanai； the rest being glazed or latticed
windows； or mere open space。 You will see there no sign of the
Squire； however； and being a person of a humane disposition； you
will only glance in over the balcony railing at the merry…makers in
the summer parlour； and proceed further afield after the Exile。
You look round； there is beautiful green turf； many trees of an
outlandish sort that drop thorns … look out if your feet are bare；
but I beg your pardon； you have not been long enough in the South
Seas … and many oleanders in full flower。 The next group of
buildings is ramshackle； and quite dark； you make out a coach…house
door； and look in … only some cocoanuts； you try round to the left
and come to the sea front； where Venus and the moon are making
luminous tracks on the water； and a great swell rolls and shines on
the outer reef； and here is another door … all these places open
from the outside … and you go in； and find photography； tubs of
water； negatives steeping； a tap； and a chair and an inkbottle；
where my wife is supposed to write； round a little further； a third
door； entering which you find a picture upon the easel and a table
sticky with paints； a fourth door admits you to a sort of court；
where there is a hen sitting … I believe on a fallacious egg。 No
sign of the Squire in all this。 But right opposite the studio door
you have observed a third little house； from whose open door
lamplight streams and makes hay of the strong moonlight shadows。
You had supposed it made no part of the grounds； for a fence runs
round it lined with oleander； but as the Squire is nowhere else； is
it not just possible he may be here？ It is a grim little wooden
shanty； cobwebs bedeck it； friendly mice inhabit its recesses； the
mailed cockroach walks upon the wall； so also； I regret to say； the
scorpion。 Herein are two pallet beds； two mosquito curtains；
strung to the pitch…boards of the roof； two tables laden with books
and manuscripts； three chairs； and； in one of the beds； the Squire
busy writin