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one girth…sore and one dead…lame in the establishment … were
due at a picnic about 10。30。 The morning was very wet； and I
set off barefoot； with my trousers over my knees； and a
macintosh。 Presently I had to take a side path in the bush；
missed it； came forth in a great oblong patch of taro
solemnly surrounded by forest … no soul； no sign； no sound …
and as I stood there at a loss； suddenly between the showers
out broke the note of a harmonium and a woman's voice singing
an air that I know very well； but have （as usual） forgot the
name of。 'Twas from a great way off； but seemed to fill the
world。 It was strongly romantic； and gave me a point which
brought me； by all sorts of forest wading； to an open space
of palms。 These were of all ages； but mostly at that age
when the branches arch from the ground level； range
themselves； with leaves exquisitely green。 The whole
interspace was overgrown with convolvulus； purple； yellow and
white； often as deep as to my waist； in which I floundered
aimlessly。 The very mountain was invisible from here。 The
rain came and went； now in sunlit April showers； now with the
proper tramp and rattle of the tropics。 All this while I met
no sight or sound of man； except the voice which was now
silent； and a damned pig…fence that headed me off at every
corner。 Do you know barbed wire？ Think of a fence of it on
rotten posts； and you barefoot。 But I crossed it at last
with my heart in my mouth and no harm done。 Thence at last
to C's。： no C。 Next place I came to was in the zone of
woods。 They offered me a buggy and set a black boy to wash
my legs and feet。 'Washum legs belong that fellow white…man'
was the command。 So at last I ran down my son of a gun in
the hotel； sober； and with no story to tell； penitent； I
think。 Home； by buggy and my poor feet； up three miles of
root； boulder； gravel and liquid mud； slipping back at every
step。
SUNDAY； SEPT。 4TH。
Hope you will be able to read a word of the last； no joke
writing by a bad lantern with a groggy hand and your glasses
mislaid。 Not that the hand is not better； as you see by the
absence of the amanuensis hitherto。 Mail came Friday； and a
communication from yourself much more decent than usual； for
which I thank you。 Glad the WRECKER should so hum； but Lord；
what fools these mortals be！
So far yesterday； the citation being wrung from me by
remembrance of many reviews。 I have now received all FALESA；
and my admiration for that tale rises； I believe it is in
some ways my best work； I am pretty sure； at least； I have
never done anything better than Wiltshire。
MONDAY； 13TH SEPTEMBER 1892。
On Wednesday the Spinsters of Apia gave a ball to a select
crowd。 Fanny； Belle； Lloyd and I rode down； met Haggard by
the way and joined company with him。 Dinner with Haggard；
and thence to the ball。 The Chief Justice appeared； it was
immediately remarked； and whispered from one to another； that
he and I had the only red sashes in the room； … and they were
both of the hue of blood； sir； blood。 He shook hands with
myself and all the members of my family。 Then the cream
came； and I found myself in the same set of a quadrille with
his honour。 We dance here in Apia a most fearful and
wonderful quadrille； I don't know where the devil they fished
it from； but it is rackety and prancing and embraceatory
beyond words； perhaps it is best defined in Haggard's
expression of a gambado。 When I and my great enemy found
ourselves involved in this gambol； and crossing hands； and
kicking up； and being embraced almost in common by large and
quite respectable females； we … or I … tried to preserve some
rags of dignity； but not for long。 The deuce of it is that；
personally； I love this man； his eye speaks to me； I am
pleased in his society。 We exchanged a glance； and then a
grin； the man took me in his confidence； and through the
remainder of that prance we pranced for each other。 Hard to
imagine any position more ridiculous； a week before he had
been trying to rake up evidence against me by brow…beating
and threatening a half…white interpreter； that very morning I
had been writing most villainous attacks upon him for the
TIMES； and we meet and smile； and … damn it！ … like each
other。 I do my best to damn the man and drive him from these
islands； but the weakness endures … I love him。 This is a
thing I would despise in anybody else； but he is so jolly
insidious and ingratiating！ No； sir； I can't dislike him；
but if I don't make hay of him； it shall not be for want of
trying。
Yesterday； we had two Germans and a young American boy to
lunch； and in the afternoon； Vailima was in a state of siege；
ten white people on the front verandah； at least as many
brown in the cook house； and countless blacks to see the
black boy Arrick。
Which reminds me； Arrick was sent Friday was a week to the
German Firm with a note； and was not home on time。 Lloyd and
I were going bedward； it was late with a bright moon … ah；
poor dog； you know no such moons as these！ … when home came
Arrick with his head in a white bandage and his eyes shining。
He had had a fight with other blacks； Malaita boys； many
against one； and one with a knife： 'I KNICKED 'EM DOWN； three
four！' he cried； and had himself to be taken to the doctor's
and bandaged。 Next day； he could not work； glory of battle
swelled too high in his threadpaper breast； he had made a
one…stringed harp for Austin； borrowed it； came to Fanny's
room； and sang war…songs and danced a war dance in honour of
his victory。 And it appears； by subsequent advices； that it
was a serious victory enough； four of his assailants went to
hospital； and one is thought in danger。 All Vailima rejoiced
at this news。
Five more chapters of David； 22 to 27； go to Baxter。 All
love affair； seems pretty good to me。 Will it do for the
young person？ I don't know： since the Beach； I know nothing；
except that men are fools and hypocrites； and I know less of
them than I was fond enough to fancy。
CHAPTER XXII
THURSDAY； 15TH SEPTEMBER。
MY DEAR COLVIN； … On Tuesday； we had our young adventurer
ready； and Fanny； Belle； he and I set out about three of a
dark； deadly hot； and deeply unwholesome afternoon。 Belle
had the lad behind her； I had a pint of champagne in either
pocket； a parcel in my hands； and as Jack had a girth sore
and I rode without a girth； I might be said to occupy a very
unstrategic position。 On the way down； a little dreary；
beastly drizzle beginning to come out of the darkness； Fanny
put up an umbrella； her horse bounded； reared； cannoned into
me； cannoned into Belle and the lad； and bolted for home。 It
really might and ought to have been an A1 catastrophe； but
nothing happened beyond Fanny's nerves being a good deal