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… I am sure it was beautiful though I remember nothing about
it … and I must say I think it serves you properly well。
That I should continue writing to you at such length is
simply a vicious habit for which I blush。 At the same time；
please communicate at once with Charles Baxter whether you
have or have not received a letter posted here Oct 12th； as
he is going to cable me the fate of my mail。
Now to conclude my news。 The German Firm have taken my book
like angels； and the result is that Lloyd and I were down
there at dinner on Saturday； where we partook of fifteen
several dishes and eight distinct forms of intoxicating
drink。 To the credit of Germany； I must say there was not a
shadow of a headache the next morning。 I seem to have done
as well as my neighbours； for I hear one of the clerks
expressed the next morning a gratified surprise that Mr。
Stevenson stood his drink so well。 It is a strange thing
that any race can still find joy in such athletic exercises。
I may remark in passing that the mail is due and you have had
far more than you deserve。
R。 L。 S。
CHAPTER XXV
JANUARY 1893。
MY DEAR COLVIN； … You are properly paid at last； and it is
like you will have but a shadow of a letter。 I have been
pretty thoroughly out of kilter； first a fever that would
neither come on nor go off； then acute dyspepsia； in the
weakening grasp of which I get wandering between the waking
state and one of nightmare。 Why the devil does no one send
me ATALANTA？ And why are there no proofs of D。 Balfour？
Sure I should have had the whole； at least the half； of them
by now； and it would be all for the advantage of the
Atalantans。 I have written to Cassell & Co。 （matter of
FALESA） 'you will please arrange with him' （meaning you）。
'What he may decide I shall abide。' So consider your hand
free； and act for me without fear or favour。 I am greatly
pleased with the illustrations。 It is very strange to a
South…Seayer to see Hawaiian women dressed like Samoans； but
I guess that's all one to you in Middlesex。 It's about the
same as if London city men were shown going to the Stock
Exchange as PIFFERARI； but no matter； none will sleep worse
for it。 I have accepted Cassell's proposal as an amendment
to one of mine； that D。 B。 is to be brought out first under
the title CATRIONA without pictures； and； when the hour
strikes； KIDNAPPED and CATRIONA are to form vols。 I。 and II。
of the heavily illustrated 'Adventures of David Balfour' at
7s。 6d。 each； sold separately。
…'s letter was vastly sly and dry and shy。 I am not afraid
now。 Two attempts have been made； both have failed； and I
imagine these failures strengthen me。 Above all this is true
of the last； where my weak point was attempted。 On every
other； I am strong。 Only force can dislodge me； for public
opinion is wholly on my side。 All races and degrees are
united in heartfelt opposition to the Men of Mulinuu。 The
news of the fighting was of no concern to mortal man； it was
made much of because men love talk of battles； and because
the Government pray God daily for some scandal not their own；
but it was only a brisk episode in a clan fight which has
grown apparently endemic in the west of Tutuila。 At the best
it was a twopenny affair； and never occupied my mind five
minutes。
I am so weary of reports that are without foundation and
threats that go without fulfilment； and so much occupied
besides by the raging troubles of my own wame； that I have
been very slack on politics； as I have been in literature。
With incredible labour； I have rewritten the First Chapter of
the Justice Clerk； it took me about ten days； and requires
another athletic dressing after all。 And that is my story
for the month。 The rest is grunting and grutching。
Consideranda for THE BEACH：…
I。 Whether to add one or both the tales I sent you？
II。 Whether to call the whole volume 'Island Nights
Entertainments'？
III Whether； having waited so long； it would not be better to
give me another mail； in case I could add another member to
the volume and a little better justify the name？
If I possibly can draw up another story； I will。 What
annoyed me about the use of THE BOTTLE IMP was that I had
always meant it for the centre…piece of a volume of MARCHEN
which I was slowly to elaborate。 You always had an idea that
I depreciated the B。 I； I can't think wherefore； I always
particularly liked it … one of my best works； and ill to
equal； and that was why I loved to keep it in portfolio till
I had time to grow up to some other fruit of the same VENUE。
However； that is disposed of now； and we must just do the
best we can。
I am not aware that there is anything to add； the weather is
hellish； waterspouts； mists； chills； the foul fiend's own
weather； following on a week of expurgated heaven； so it goes
at this bewildering season。 I write in the upper floor of my
new house； of which I will send you some day a plan to
measure。 'Tis an elegant structure； surely； and the proid of
me oi。 Was asked to pay for it just now； and genteelly
refused； and then agreed； in view of general good…will； to
pay a half of what is still due。
24TH JANUARY 1893。
This ought to have gone last mail and was forgotten。 My best
excuse is that I was engaged in starting an influenza； to
which class of exploit our household has been since then
entirely dedicated。 We had eight cases； one of them very
bad； and one … mine … complicated with my old friend Bluidy
Jack。 Luckily neither Fanny； Lloyd or Belle took the
confounded thing； and they were able to run the household and
nurse the sick to admiration。
Some of our boys behaved like real trumps。 Perhaps the
prettiest performance was that of our excellent Henry Simele；
or； as we sometimes call him； Davy Balfour。 Henry； I maun
premeese； is a chief； the humblest Samoan recoils from
emptying slops as you would from cheating at cards； now the
last nights of our bad time when we had seven down together；
it was enough to have made anybody laugh or cry to see Henry
going the rounds with a slop…bucket and going inside the
mosquito net of each of the sick； Protestant and Catholic
alike； to pray with them。
I must tell you that in my sickness I had a huge alleviation
and began a new story。 This I am writing by dictation； and
really think it is an art I can manage to acquire。 The
relief is beyond description； it is just like a school…treat
to me and the amanuensis bears up extraordinar'。 The story
is to be called ST。 IVES； I give you your choice whether or
not it should bear the subtitle； 'Experiences of a French
prisoner in England。' We were just getting on splendidly
with it； when this cursed mail arrived and requires to be
attended to。 It looks to me very like as if St。 Ives would
be ready before any of the others； but you know me and how
impossible it is I should predict。 The Amanuensis has her
head quite turned and believes herself to be the author of
this novel （and IS to some extent） … and as the creature （！）
has not been wholly useless in the matter （I told you so！
A。M。） I propose to foster her vanity by a little
commemoration gift！ The name of the hero is Anne de St。 Yves
… he Englishes his name to St。 Ives during his escape。 It is
my idea to get a ring made which shall either represent ANNE
or A。 S。 Y。 A。； of course； would be Amethyst and S。 Sapphire；
which is my favourite stone anyway and was my father's before
me。 But what would the ex…Slade professor do about the
letter Y？ Or suppose he took the other version； how would he
meet the case； the two N。's？ These things are beyond my
knowledge； which it would perhaps be more descriptive to call
ignorance。 But I place the matter in the meanwhile under
your consideration and beg to hear your views。 I shall tell
you on some other occasion and when the A。M。 is out of
hearing how VERY much I propose to invest in this
testimonial； but I may as well inform you at once that I
intend it to be cheap； sir； damned cheap！ My idea of running
amanuenses is by praise； not pudding； flattery and not coins！
I shall send you when the time is ripe a ring to measure by。
To resume our sad tale。 After the other seven were almost
wholly recovered Henry lay down to influenza on his own
account。 He is but just better and it looks as though Fanny
were about to bring up the rear。 As for me； I am all right；
though I WAS reduced to dictating ANNE in the deaf and dumb
alphabet； which I think you will admit is a COMBLE。
Politics leave me extraordinary cold。 It seems that so much
of my purpose has come off； and Cedarcrantz and Pilsach are
sacked。 The rest of it has all gone to water。 The triple…
headed ass at h