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she has got to BE yet： SURSUM CORDA！ So has the young
Chevalier； whom I have not yet touched； and who comes next in
order。 Characters： Balmile； or Lord Gladsmuir； COMME VOUS
VOULEZ； Prince Charlie； Earl Marischal； Master of Ballantrae；
and a spy； and Dr。 Archie Campbell； and a few nondescripts；
then； of women； Marie…Salome and Flora Blair； seven at the
outside； really four full lengths； and I suppose a half…dozen
episodic profiles。 How I must bore you with these
ineptitudes！ Have patience。 I am going to bed； it is （of
all hours） eleven。 I have been forced in （since I began to
write to you） to blatter to Fanny on the subject of my
heroine； there being two CRUCES as to her life and history：
how came she alone？ and how far did she go with the
Chevalier？ The second must answer itself when I get near
enough to see。 The first is a back…breaker。 Yet I know
there are many reasons why a FILLE DE FAMINE； romantic；
adventurous； ambitious； innocent of the world； might run from
her home in these days； might she not have been threatened
with a convent？ might there not be some Huguenot business
mixed in？ Here am I； far from books； if you can help me with
a suggestion； I shall say God bless you。 She has to be new
run away from a strict family； well…justified in her own wild
but honest eyes； and meeting these three men； Charles Edward；
Marischal； and Balmile； through the accident of a fire at an
inn。 She must not run from a marriage； I think； it would
bring her in the wrong frame of mind。 Once I can get her；
SOLA； on the highway； all were well with my narrative。
Perpend。 And help if you can。
Lafaele； long （I hope） familiar to you； has this day received
the visit of his SON from Tonga； and the SON proves to be a
very pretty； attractive young daughter！ I gave all the boys
kava in honour of her arrival； along with a lean； side…
whiskered Tongan； dimly supposed to be Lafaele's step…father；
and they have been having a good time； in the end of my
verandah； I hear Simi； my present incapable steward； talking
Tongan with the nondescript papa。 Simi； our out…door boy；
burst a succession of blood…vessels over our work； and I had
to make a position for the wreck of one of the noblest
figures of a man I ever saw。 I believe I may have mentioned
the other day how I had to put my horse to the trot； the
canter and （at last） the gallop to run him down。 In a
photograph I hope to send you （perhaps with this） you will
see Simi standing in the verandah in profile。 As a steward；
one of his chief points is to break crystal； he is great on
fracture … what do I say？ … explosion！ He cleans a glass；
and the shards scatter like a comet's bowels。
N。B。 … If I should by any chance be deported； the first of
the rules hung up for that occasion is to communicate with
you by telegraph。 … Mind； I do not fear it； but it IS
possible。
MONDAY 25TH。
We have had a devil of a morning of upset and bustle； the
bronze candlestick Faauma has returned to the family； in time
to take her position of stepmamma； and it is pretty to see
how the child is at once at home； and all her terrors ended。
27TH。 MAIL DAY。
And I don't know that I have much to report。 I may have to
leave for Malie as soon as these mail packets are made up。
'Tis a necessity （if it be one） I rather deplore。 I think I
should have liked to lazy； but I daresay all it means is the
delay of a day or so in harking back to David Balfour； that
respectable youth chides at being left （where he is now） in
Glasgow with the Lord Advocate； and after five years in the
British Linen； who shall blame him？ I was all forenoon
yesterday down in Apia；' dictating； and Lloyd type…writing；
the conclusion of SAMOA； and then at home correcting till the
dinner bell； and in the evening again till eleven of the
clock。 This morning I have made up most of my packets； and I
think my mail is all ready but two more； and the tag of this。
I would never deny （as D。 B might say） that I was rather
tired of it。 But I have a damned good dose of the devil in
my pipe…stem atomy； I have had my little holiday outing in my
kick at THE YOUNG CHEVALIER； and I guess I can settle to
DAVID BALFOUR to…morrow or Friday like a little man。 I
wonder if any one had ever more energy upon so little
strength？ … I know there is a frost； the Samoa book can only
increase that … I can't help it； that book is not written for
me but for Miss Manners； but I mean to break that frost
inside two years； and pull off a big success； and Vanity
whispers in my ear that I have the strength。 If I haven't；
whistle ower the lave o't！ I can do without glory and
perhaps the time is not far off when I can do without corn。
It is a time coming soon enough； anyway； and I have endured
some two and forty years without public shame； and had a good
time as I did it。 If only I could secure a violent death；
what a fine success！ I wish to die in my boots； no more Land
of Counterpane for me。 To be drowned； to be shot； to be
thrown from a horse … ay； to be hanged； rather than pass
again through that slow dissolution。
I fancy this gloomy ramble is caused by a twinge of age； I
put on an under…shirt yesterday （it was the only one I could
find） that barely came under my trousers； and just below it；
a fine healthy rheumatism has now settled like a fire in my
hip。 From such small causes do these valuable considerations
flow！
I shall now say adieu； dear Sir； having ten rugged miles
before me and the horrors of a native feast and parliament
without an interpreter； for to…day I go alone。
Yours ever；
R。 L S。
CHAPTER XIX
SUNDAY； 29TH MAY。
HOW am I to overtake events？ On Wednesday； as soon as my
mail was finished； I had a wild whirl to look forward to。
Immediately after dinner； Belle； Lloyd and I； set out on
horseback； they to the club； I to Haggard's； thence to the
hotel where I had supper ready for them。 All next day we
hung round Apia with our whole house…crowd in Sunday array；
hoping for the mail steamer with a menagerie on board。 No
such luck； the ship delayed； and at last； about three； I had
to send them home again； a failure of a day's pleasuring that
does not bear to be discussed。 Lloyd was so sickened that he
returned the same night to Vailima； Belle and I held on； sat
most of the evening on the hotel verandah stricken silly with
fatigue and disappointment； and genuine sorrow for our poor
boys and girls； and got to bed with rather dismal
appreciations of the morrow。
These were more than justified； and yet I never had a jollier
day than Friday 27th。 By 7。30 Belle and I had breakfast； we
had scarce done before my mother was at the door on
horseback； and a boy at her heels to take her not very
dashing charger home again。 By 8。10 we were a