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comes a break in the middle； and the tale is practically in
two divisions。 In the first James More and the M'Gregors；
and Catriona； only show； in the second； the Appin case being
disposed of； and James Stewart hung； they rule the roast and
usurp the interest … should there be any left。 Why did I
take up DAVID BALFOUR？ I don't know。 A sudden passion。
Monday； I went down in the rain with a colic to take the
chair at a public meeting； dined with Haggard； sailed off to
my meeting； and fought with wild beasts for three anxious
hours。 All was lost that any sensible man cared for； but the
meeting did not break up … thanks a good deal to R。 L。 S。 …
and the man who opposed my election； and with whom I was all
the time wrangling； proposed the vote of thanks to me with a
certain handsomeness； I assure you I had earned it 。 。 。
Haggard and the great Abdul； his high…caste Indian servant；
imported by my wife； were sitting up for me with supper； and
I suppose it was twelve before I got to bed。 Tuesday
raining； my mother rode down； and we went to the Consulate to
sign a Factory and Commission。 Thence； I to the lawyers； to
the printing office； and to the Mission。 It was dinner time
when I returned home。
This morning； our cook…boy having suddenly left … injured
feelings … the archangel was to cook breakfast。 I found him
lighting the fire before dawn； his eyes blazed； he had no
word of any language left to use； and I saw in him （to my
wonder） the strongest workings of gratified ambition。
Napoleon was no more pleased to sign his first treaty with
Austria than was Lafaele to cook that breakfast。 All
morning； when I had hoped to be at this letter； I slept like
one drugged and you must take this （which is all I can give
you） for what it is worth …
D。B。
MEMOIRS OF HIS ADVENTURES AT HOME AND ABROAD。 THE SECOND
PART； WHEREIN ARE SET FORTH THE MISFORTUNES IN WHICH HE WAS
INVOLVED UPON THE APPIN MURDER； HIS TROUBLES WITH LORD
ADVOCATE PRESTONGRANGE； CAPTIVITY ON THE BASS ROCK； JOURNEY
INTO FRANCE AND HOLLAND； AND SINGULAR RELATIONS WITH JAMES
MORE DRUMMOND OR MACGREGOR； A SON OF THE NOTORIOUS ROB ROY。
Chapters。 … I。 A Beggar on Horseback。 II。 The Highland
Writer。 III。 I go to Pilrig。 IV。 Lord Advocate
Prestongrange。 V。 Butter and Thunder。 VI。 I make a fault in
honour。 VII。 The Bravo。 VIII。 The Heather on Fire。 IX。 I
begin to be haunted with a red…headed man。 X。 The Wood by
Silvermills。 XI。 On the march again with Alan。 XII。 Gillane
Sands。 XIII。 The Bass Rock。 XIV。 Black Andie's Tale of Tod
Lapraik。 XV。 I go to Inveraray。
That is it； as far as drafted。 Chapters IV。 V。 VII。 IX。 and
XIV。 I am specially pleased with； the last being an
episodical bogie story about the Bass Rock told there by the
Keeper。
CHAPTER XVII
MARCH 9TH。
MY DEAR S。 C。； … Take it not amiss if this is a wretched
letter。 I am eaten up with business。 Every day this week I
have had some business impediment … I am even now waiting a
deputation of chiefs about the road … and my precious morning
was shattered by a polite old scourge of a FAIPULE …
parliament man … come begging。 All the time DAVID BALFOUR is
skelping along。 I began it the 13th of last month； I have
now 12 chapters； 79 pages ready for press； or within an ace；
and； by the time the month is out； one…half should be
completed； and I'll be back at drafting the second half。
What makes me sick is to think of Scott turning out GUY
MANNERING in three weeks！ What a pull of work： heavens； what
thews and sinews！ And here am I； my head spinning from
having only re…written seven not very difficult pages … and
not very good when done。 Weakling generation。 It makes me
sick of myself； to make such a fash and bobbery over a rotten
end of an old nursery yarn； not worth spitting on when done。
Still； there is no doubt I turn out my work more easily than
of yore； and I suppose I should be singly glad of that。 And
if I got my book done in six weeks； seeing it will be about
half as long as a Scott； and I have to write everything
twice； it would be about the same rate of industry。 It is my
fair intention to be done with it in three months； which
would make me about one…half the man Sir Walter was for
application and driving the dull pen。 Of the merit we shall
not talk； but I don't think Davie is WITHOUT merit。
MARCH 12TH。
And I have this day triumphantly finished 15 chapters； 100
pages … being exactly one…half （as near as anybody can guess）
of DAVID BALFOUR； the book to be about a fifth as long again
（altogether） as TREASURE ISLAND： could I but do the second
half in another month！ But I can't； I fear； I shall have
some belated material arriving by next mail； and must go
again at the History。 Is it not characteristic of my broken
tenacity of mind； that I should have left Davie Balfour some
five years in the British Linen Company's Office； and then
follow him at last with such vivacity？ But I leave you
again； the last （15th） chapter ought to be re…wrote； or part
of it； and I want the half completed in the month； and the
month is out by midnight； though； to be sure； last month was
February； and I might take grace。 These notes are only to
show I hold you in mind； though I know they can have no
interest for man or God or animal。
I should have told you about the Club。 We have been asked to
try and start a sort of weekly ball for the half…castes and
natives； ourselves to be the only whites； and we consented；
from a very heavy sense of duty； and with not much hope。 Two
nights ago we had twenty people up； received them in the
front verandah； entertained them on cake and lemonade； and I
made a speech … embodying our proposals； or conditions； if
you like … for I suppose thirty minutes。 No joke to speak to
such an audience； but it is believed I was thoroughly
intelligible。 I took the plan of saying everything at least
twice in a different form of words； so that if the one
escaped my hearers； the other might be seized。 One white man
came with his wife； and was kept rigorously on the front
verandah below！ You see what a sea of troubles this is like
to prove； but it is the only chance … and when it blows up；
it must blow up！ I have no more hope in anything than a dead
frog； I go into everything with a composed despair； and don't
mind … just as I always go to sea with the conviction I am to
be drowned； and like it before all other pleasures。 But you
should have seen the return voyage； when nineteen horses had
to be found in the dark； and nineteen bridles； all in a
drench of rain； and the club； just constituted as such；
sailed away in the wet； under a cloudy moon like a bad
shilling； and to descend a road through the forest that was
at that moment the image of a respectable mountain brook。 My
wife； who is president WITH POWER TO EXPEL； had to begin her
functions。 。 。 。
25TH MARCH。
Heaven knows what day it is； but I am ashamed； all the more
as your letter from Bournemouth of all places … poor old
Bournemouth！ … is to hand； and contains a statement of
pleasure in my letters which I wish I could have rewarded
with a long one。 What has gone on？ A vast of affairs； of a
mingled； strenuous； inconclusive； desultory character； much
waste of time； much riding to and fro； and little transacted
or at least peracted。
Let me give you a review of the present state of our live
stock。 … Six boys in the bush； six souls about the house。
Talolo； the cook； returns again to…day； after an absence
which has cost me about twelve hours of riding； and I suppose
eight hours' solemn sitting in council。 'I am sorry indeed
for the Chief Justice of Samoa；' I said； 'it is more than I
am fit for to be Chief Justice of Vailima。' … Lauilo is
steward。 Both these are excellent servants； we gave a
luncheon party when we buried the Samoan bones； and I assure
you all was in good style； yet we never interfered。 The food
was good； the wine and dishes went round as by mechanism。 …
Steward's assistant and washman Arrick； a New Hebridee black
boy； hired from the German firm； not so ugly as most； but not
pretty neither； not so dull as his sort are； but not quite a
Crichton。 When he came first； he ate so much of our good
food that he got a prominent belly。 Kitchen assistant； Tomas
（Thomas in English）； a Fiji man； very tall and handsome；
moving like a marionette with sudden bounds； and rolling his
eyes with sudden effort。 … Washerwoman and precentor； Helen；
Tomas's wife。 This is our weak point； we are ashamed of
Helen； the cook…house blushes for her； they murmur there at
her presence。 She seems all right； she is not a bad…looking；
strapping wench； seems chaste； is industriou