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 COLVIN； … Yours from Lochinver has just come。 You
ask me if I am ever homesick for the Highlands and the Isles。
Conceive that for the last month I have been living there
between 1786 and 1850； in my grandfather's diaries and
letters。 I HAD to take a rest； no use talking； so I put in a
month over my LIVES OF THE STEVENSONS with great pleasure and
profit and some advance； one chapter and a part drafted。 The
whole promises well Chapter I。 Domestic Annals。 Chapter II。
The Northern Lights。 Chapter III。 The Bell Rock。 Chapter
IV。 A Family of Boys。 Chap。 V。 The Grandfather。 VI。 Alan
Stevenson。 VII。 Thomas Stevenson。 My materials for my
great…grandfather are almost null； for my grandfather copious
and excellent。 Name； a puzzle。 A SCOTTISH FAMILY； A FAMILY
OF ENGINEERS； NORTHERN LIGHTS； THE ENGINEERS OF THE NORTHERN
LIGHTS： A FAMILY HISTORY。 Advise； but it will take long。
Now； imagine if I have been homesick for Barrahead and Island
Glass； and Kirkwall； and Cape Wrath； and the Wells of the
Pentland Firth； I could have wept。
Now for politics。 I am much less alarmed； I believe the MALO
（=RAJ； government） will collapse and cease like an overlain
infant； without a shot fired。 They have now been months here
on their big salaries … and Cedarcrantz； whom I specially
like as a man； has done nearly nothing； and the Baron； who is
well…meaning； has done worse。 They have these large
salaries； and they have all the taxes； they have made scarce
a foot of road； they have not given a single native a
position … all to white men； they have scarce laid out a
penny on Apia； and scarce a penny on the King； they have
forgot they were in Samoa； or that such a thing as Samoans
existed； and had eyes and some intelligence。 The Chief
Justice has refused to pay his customs！ The President
proposed to have an expensive house built for himself； while
the King； his master； has none！ I had stood aside； and been
a loyal； and； above all； a silent subject； up to then； but
now I snap my fingers at their MALO。 It is damned； and I'm
damned glad of it。 And this is not all。 Last 'WAINIU；' when
I sent Fanny off to Fiji； I hear the wonderful news that the
Chief Justice is going to Fiji and the Colonies to improve
his mind。 I showed my way of thought to his guest； Count
Wachtmeister； whom I have sent to you with a letter … he will
tell you all the news。 Well； the Chief Justice stayed； but
they said he was to leave yesterday。 I had intended to go
down； and see and warn him！ But the President's house had
come up in the meanwhile； and I let them go to their doom；
which I am only anxious to see swiftly and （if it may be）
bloodlessly fall。
Thus I have in a way withdrawn my unrewarded loyalty。 Lloyd
is down to…day with Moors to call on Mataafa； the news of the
excursion made a considerable row in Apia； and both the
German and the English consuls besought Lloyd not to go。 But
he stuck to his purpose； and with my approval。 It's a poor
thing if people are to give up a pleasure party for a MALO
that has never done anything for us but draw taxes； and is
going to go pop； and leave us at the mercy of the identical
Mataafa； whom I have not visited for more than a year； and
who is probably furious。
The sense of my helplessness here has been rather bitter； I
feel it wretched to see this dance of folly and injustice and
unconscious rapacity go forward from day to day； and to be
impotent。 I was not consulted … or only by one man； and that
on particular points； I did not choose to volunteer advice
till some pressing occasion； I have not even a vote； for I am
not a member of the municipality。
What ails you； miserable man； to talk of saving material？ I
have a whole world in my head； a whole new society to work；
but I am in no hurry； you will shortly make the acquaintance
of the Island of Ulufanua； on which I mean to lay several
stories； the BLOODY WEDDING； possibly the HIGH WOODS … （O；
it's so good； the High Woods； but the story is craziness；
that's the trouble；） … a political story； the LABOUR SLAVE；
etc。 Ulufanua is an imaginary island； the name is a
beautiful Samoan word for the TOP of a forest； ulu … leaves
or hair； fanua=land。 The ground or country of the leaves。
'Ulufanua the isle of the sea；' read that verse dactylically
and you get the beat； the u's are like our double oo； did
ever you hear a prettier word？
I do not feel inclined to make a volume of Essays； but if I
did； and perhaps the idea is good … and any idea is better
than South Seas … here would be my choice of the Scribner
articles： DREAMS； BEGGARS； LANTERN…BEARERS； RANDOM MEMORIES。
There was a paper called the OLD PACIFIC CAPITAL in Fraser；
in Tulloch's time； which had merit； there were two on
Fontainebleau in the MAGAZINE OF ART in Henley's time。 I
have no idea if they're any good； then there's the EMIGRANT
TRAIN。 PULVIS ET UMBRA is in a different key； and wouldn't
hang on with the rest。
I have just interrupted my letter and read through the
chapter of the HIGH WOODS that is written； a chapter and a
bit； some sixteen pages； really very fetching； but what do
you wish？ the story is so wilful； so steep； so silly … it's a
hallucination I have outlived； and yet I never did a better
piece of work； horrid； and pleasing； and extraordinarily
TRUE； it's sixteen pages of the South Seas； their essence。
What am I to do？ Lose this little gem … for I'll be bold；
and that's what I think it … or go on with the rest； which I
don't believe in； and don't like； and which can never make
aught but a silly yarn？ Make another end to it？ Ah； yes；
but that's not the way I write； the whole tale is implied； I
never use an effect； when I can help it； unless it prepares
the effects that are to follow； that's what a story consists
in。 To make another end； that is to make the beginning all
wrong。 The denouement of a long story is nothing； it is just
a 'full close；' which you may approach and accompany as you
please … it is a coda； not an essential member in the rhythm；
but the body and end of a short story is bone of the bone and
blood of the blood of the beginning。 Well； I shall end by
finishing it against my judgment； that fragment is my
Delilah。 Golly； it's good。 I am not shining by modesty； but
I do just love the colour and movement of that piece so far
as it goes。
I was surprised to hear of your fishing。 And you saw the
'Pharos；' thrice fortunate man； I wish I dared go home； I
would ask the Commissioners to take me round for old sake's
sake； and see all my family pictures once more from the Mull
of Galloway to Unst。 However； all is arranged for our
meeting in Ceylon； except the date and the blooming pounds。
I have heard of an exquisite hotel in the country； airy；
large rooms； good cookery； not dear； we shall have