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three miles away below me on the barrier reef； I could see
the individual breakers curl and fall； and hear their
conjunct roaring rise； as it still rises at 1 P。M。； like the
roar of a thoroughfare close by。 I did a good morning's
work； correcting and clarifying my draft； and have now
finished for press eight chapters； ninety…one pages； of this
piece of journalism。 Four more chapters； say fifty pages；
remain to be done； I should gain my wager and finish this
volume in three months； that is to say； the end should leave
me per February mail； I cannot receive it back till the mail
of April。 Yes； it can be out in time； pray God that it be in
time to help。
How do journalists fetch up their drivel？ I aim only at
clearness and the most obvious finish； positively at no
higher degree of merit； not even at brevity … I am sure it
could have been all done； with double the time； in two…thirds
of the space。 And yet it has taken me two months to write
45；500 words； and； be damned to my wicked prowess； I am proud
of the exploit！ The real journalist must be a man not of
brass only； but bronze。 Chapter IX。 gapes for me； but I
shrink on the margin； and go on chattering to you。 This last
part will be much less offensive （strange to say） to the
Germans。 It is Becker they will never forgive me for； Knappe
I pity and do not dislike； Becker I scorn and abominate。
Here is the tableau。 I。 Elements of Discord： Native。 II。
Elements of Discord： Foreign。 III。 The Sorrows of Laupepa。
IV。 Brandeis。 V。 The Battle of Matautu。 VI。 Last Exploits
of Becker。 VII。 The Samoan Camps。 VIII。 Affairs of Lautii
and Fangalii。 IX。 'FUROR CONSULARIS。' X。 The Hurricane。
XI。 Stuebel Recluse。 XII。 The Present Government。 I
estimate the whole roughly at 70；000 words。 Should anybody
ever dream of reading it； it would be found amusing。
70000/300=233 printed pages； a respectable little five…bob
volume； to bloom unread in shop windows。 After that； I'll
have a spank at fiction。 And rest？ I shall rest in the
grave； or when I come to Italy。 If only the public will
continue to support me！ I lost my chance not dying； there
seems blooming little fear of it now。 I worked close on five
hours this morning； the day before； close on nine； and unless
I finish myself off with this letter； I'll have another hour
and a half； or AIBLINS TWA； before dinner。 Poor man； how you
must envy me； as you hear of these orgies of work； and you
scarce able for a letter。 But Lord； Colvin； how lucky the
situations are not reversed； for I have no situation； nor am
fit for any。 Life is a steigh brae。 Here； have at Knappe；
and no more clavers！
3RD。
There was never any man had so many irons in the fire； except
Jim Pinkerton。 I forgot to mention I have the most gallant
suggestion from Lang； with an offer of MS。 authorities； which
turns my brain。 It's all about the throne of Poland and
buried treasure in the Mackay country； and Alan Breck can
figure there in glory。
Yesterday； J。 and I set off to Blacklock's （American Consul）
who lives not far from that little village I have so often
mentioned as lying between us and Apia。 I had some questions
to ask him for my History； thence we must proceed to Vailele；
where I had also to cross…examine the plantation manager
about the battle there。 We went by a track I had never
before followed down the hill to Vaisigano； which flows here
in a deep valley； and was unusually full； so that the horses
trembled in the ford。 The whole bottom of the valley is full
of various streams posting between strips of forest with a
brave sound of waters。 In one place we had a glimpse of a
fall some way higher up； and then sparkling in sunlight in
the midst of the green valley。 Then up by a winding path
scarce accessible to a horse for steepness； to the other
side； and the open cocoanut glades of the plantation。 Here
we rode fast； did a mighty satisfactory afternoon's work at
the plantation house； and still faster back。 On the return
Jack fell with me； but got up again； when I felt him
recovering I gave him his head； and he shoved his foot
through the rein； I got him by the bit however； and all was
well； he had mud over all his face； but his knees were not
broken。 We were scarce home when the rain began again； that
was luck。 It is pouring now in torrents； we are in the
height of the bad season。 Lloyd leaves along with this
letter on a change to San Francisco； he had much need of it；
but I think this will brace him up。 I am； as you see； a
tower of strength。 I can remember riding not so far and not
near so fast when I first came to Samoa； and being shattered
next day with fatigue； now I could not tell I have done
anything； have re…handled my battle of Fangalii according to
yesterday's information … four pages rewritten； and written
already some half…dozen pages of letters。
I observe with disgust that while of yore； when I own I was
guilty； you never spared me abuse； but now； when I am so
virtuous； where is the praise？ Do admit that I have become
an excellent letter…writer … at least to you； and that your
ingratitude is imbecile。 … Yours ever；
R。 L。 S。
CHAPTER XV
JAN 31ST； '92。
MY DEAR COLVIN； … No letter at all from you； and this scratch
from me！ Here is a year that opens ill。 Lloyd is off to
'the coast' sick … THE COAST means California over most of
the Pacific … I have been down all month with influenza； and
am just recovering … I am overlaid with proofs； which I am
just about half fit to attend to。 One of my horses died this
morning； and another is now dying on the front lawn … Lloyd's
horse and Fanny's。 Such is my quarrel with destiny。 But I
am mending famously； come and go on the balcony； have
perfectly good nights； and though I still cough； have no
oppression and no hemorrhage and no fever。 So if I can find
time and courage to add no more； you will know my news is not
altogether of the worst； a year or two ago； and what a state
I should have been in now！ Your silence； I own； rather
alarms me。 But I tell myself you have just miscarried； had
you been too ill to write； some one would have written me。
Understand； I send this brief scratch not because I am unfit
to write more； but because I have 58 galleys of the WRECKER
and 102 of the BEACH OF FALESA to get overhauled somehow or
other in time for the mail； and for three weeks I have not
touched a pen with my finger。
FEB。 1ST。
The second horse is still alive； but I still think dying。
The first was buried this morning。 My proofs are done； it
was a rough two days of it； but done。 CONSUMMATUM EST； NA
UMA。 I believe the WRECKER ends well； if I know what a good
yarn is； the last four chapters make a good yarn … but pretty
horrible。 THE BEACH OF FALESA I still think well of； but it
seems it's immoral and there's a to…do； and financially it
may prove a heavy disappointment。 The plaintive request sent
to me； to make the young folks married properly before 'that
night；' I refused； you will see what would be left of the
yarn； had I consented。 This is a poison bad world for the
romancer； this Anglo…Saxon world； I usually get out of it by
not having any women in it at all； but when I remember I had
the TREASURE OF FRANCHARD refused as unfit for a family
magazine； I feel despair weigh upon my wrists。
As I know you are always interested in novels； I must tell
you that a new one is now entirely planned。 It is to be
called SOPHIA SCARLET； and is in two parts。 Part I。 The
Vanilla Planter。 Part II。 The Overseers。 No chapters； I
think； just two dense blocks of narrative； the first of which
is purely sentimental； but the second has some rows and
quarrels； and winds up with an explosion； if you please！ I
am just burning to get at Sophia； but I MUST do this Samoan
journalism … that's a cursed duty。 The first part of Sophia；
bar the first twenty or thirty pages； writes itself； the
second is more difficult； involving a good many characters …
about ten； I think … who have to be kept all moving； and give
the effect of a society。 I have three women to handle； out
and well…away！ but only Sophia is in full tone。 Sophia and
two men； Windermere； the Vanilla Planter； who dies at the end
of Part I。； and Rainsforth； who only appears in the beginning
of Part II。 The fact is； I blush to own it； but Sophia is a
REGULAR NOVEL； heroine and hero； and false accusation； and
love； and marriage； and all the rest of it … all planted in a
big South Sea plantation run by ex…English officers … A LA
Stewart's plantation in Tahiti。 There is a strong
undercurrent of labour trade； which gives it a kind of Uncle
Tom flavour； ABSIT OMEN！ The first start is hard； it is hard