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up her haunting； indefatigable and diminutive presence in a
blue gown。
CHAPTER XXIII
VAILIMA； OCTOBER 28TH； 1892。
MY DEAR COLVIN； … This is very late to begin the monthly
budget； but I have a good excuse this time； for I have had a
very annoying fever with symptoms of sore arm； and in the
midst of it a very annoying piece of business which suffered
no delay or idleness。 。 。 。 The consequence of all this was
that my fever got very much worse and your letter has not
been hitherto written。 But； my dear fellow； do compare these
little larky fevers with the fine； healthy； prostrating colds
of the dear old dead days at home。 Here was I； in the middle
of a pretty bad one； and I was able to put it in my pocket；
and go down day after day； and attend to and put my strength
into this beastly business。 Do you see me doing that with a
catarrh？ And if I had done so； what would have been the
result？
Last night； about four o'clock； Belle and I set off to Apia；
whither my mother had preceded us。 She was at the Mission；
we went to Haggard's。 There we had to wait the most
unconscionable time for dinner。 I do not wish to speak
lightly of the Amanuensis； who is unavoidably present； but I
may at least say for myself that I was as cross as two
sticks。 Dinner came at last； we had the tinned soup which is
usually the PIECE DE RESISTANCE in the halls of Haggard； and
we pitched into it。 Followed an excellent salad of tomatoes
and cray…fish； a good Indian curry； a tender joint of beef； a
dish of pigeons； a pudding； cheese and coffee。 I was so
over…eaten after this 'hunger and burst' that I could
scarcely move； and it was my sad fate that night in the
character of the local author to eloquute before the public …
'Mr。 Stevenson will read a selection from his own works' … a
degrading picture。 I had determined to read them the account
of the hurricane； I do not know if I told you that my book
has never turned up here； or rather only one copy has； and
that in the unfriendly hands of …。 It has therefore only
been seen by enemies； and this combination of mystery and
evil report has been greatly envenomed by some ill…judged
newspaper articles from the States。 Altogether this specimen
was listened to with a good deal of uncomfortable expectation
on the part of the Germans； and when it was over was
applauded with unmistakable relief。 The public hall where
these revels came off seems to be unlucky for me； I never go
there but to some stone…breaking job。 Last time it was the
public meeting of which I must have written you； this time it
was this uneasy but not on the whole unsuccessful experiment。
Belle； my mother； and I rode home about midnight in a fine
display of lightning and witch…fires。 My mother is absent；
so that I may dare to say that she struck me as voluble。 The
Amanuensis did not strike me the same way； she was probably
thinking； but it was really rather a weird business； and I
saw what I have never seen before； the witch…fires gathered
into little bright blue points almost as bright as a night…
light。
SATURDAY
This is the day that should bring your letter； it is gray and
cloudy and windless； thunder rolls in the mountain； it is a
quarter past six； and I am alone； sir； alone in this
workman's house； Belle and Lloyd having been down all
yesterday to meet the steamer； they were scarce gone with
most of the horses and all the saddles； than there began a
perfect picnic of the sick and maim； Iopu with a bad foot；
Faauma with a bad shoulder； Fanny with yellow spots。 It was
at first proposed to carry all these to the doctor；
particularly Faauma； whose shoulder bore an appearance of
erysipelas； that sent the amateur below。 No horses； no
saddle。 Now I had my horse and I could borrow Lafaele's
saddle； and if I went alone I could do a job that had long
been waiting； and that was to interview the doctor on another
matter。 Off I set in a hazy moonlight night； windless； like
to…day； the thunder rolling in the mountain； as to…day； in
the still groves； these little mushroom lamps glowing blue
and steady； singly or in pairs。 Well； I had my interview；
said everything as I had meant； and with just the result I
hoped for。 The doctor and I drank beer together and
discussed German literature until nine； and we parted the
best of friends。 I got home to a silent house of sleepers；
only Fanny awaiting me； we talked awhile； in whispers； on the
interview； then； I got a lantern and went across to the
workman's house； now empty and silent； myself sole occupant。
So to bed； prodigious tired but mighty content with my
night's work； and to…day； with a headache and a chill； have
written you this page； while my new novel waits。 Of this I
will tell you nothing； except the various names under
consideration。 First； it ought to be called … but of course
that is impossible …
BRAXFIELD。
Then it IS to be called either
WEIR OF HERMISTON；
THE LORD…JUSTICE CLERK；
THE TWO KIRSTIES OF THE CAULDSTANESLAP；
or
FOUR BLACK BROTHERS。
Characters：
Adam Weir； Lord…Justice Clerk； called Lord Hermiston。
Archie； his son。
Aunt Kirstie Elliott； his housekeeper at Hermiston。
Elliott of the Cauldstaneslap； her brother。
Kirstie Elliott； his daughter。
Jim； ｝
Gib； ｝
Hob ｝ his sons。
& ｝
Dandie； ｝
Patrick Innes； a young advocate。
The Lord…Justice General。
Scene； about Hermiston in the Lammermuirs and in Edinburgh。
Temp。 1812。 So you see you are to have another holiday from
copra！ The rain begins softly on the iron roof； and I will
do the reverse and … dry up。
SUNDAY。
Yours with the diplomatic private opinion received。 It is
just what I should have supposed。 CA M'EST BIEN EGAL。 … The
name is to be
THE LORD…JUSTICE CLERK。
None others are genuine。 Unless it be
LORD…JUSTICE CLERK HERMISTON。
NOV。 2ND。
On Saturday we expected Captain Morse of the Alameda to come
up to lunch； and on Friday with genuine South Sea hospitality
had a pig killed。 On the Saturday morning no pig。 Some of
the boys seemed to give a doubtful account of themselves； our
next neighbour below in the wood is a bad fellow and very
intimate with some of our boys； for whom his confounded house
is like a fly…paper for flies。 To add to all this； there was
on the Saturday a great public presentation of food to the
King and Parliament men； an occasion on which it is almost
dignified for a Samoan to steal anything； and entirely
dignified for him to steal a pig。
（The Amanuensis went to the TALOLO； as it is called； and saw
something so very pleasing she begs to interrupt the letter
to tell it。 The different villagers came in in bands … led
by the maid of the village； followed by the young warriors。
It was a ver