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it is a love story。 Speed his wings！
SUNDAY NIGHT。
DE COEUR UN PEU PLUS DISPOS； MONSIEUR ET CHER CONFRERE； JE ME
REMETS A VOUS ECRIRE。 ST。 IVES is now in the 5th chapter
copying； in the 14th chapter of the dictated draft。 I do not
believe I shall end by disliking it。
MONDAY。
Well； here goes again for the news。 Fanny is VERY WELL
indeed； and in good spirits； I am in good spirits but not
VERY well； Lloyd is in good spirits and very well； Belle has
a real good fever which has put her pipe out wholly。 Graham
goes back this mail。 He takes with him three chapters of THE
FAMILY； and is to go to you as soon as he can。 He cannot be
much the master of his movements； but you grip him when you
can and get all you can from him； as he has lived about six
months with us and he can tell you just what is true and what
is not … and not the dreams of dear old Ross。 He is a good
fellow； is he not？
Since you rather revise your views of THE EBB TIDE； I think
Lloyd's name might stick； but I'll leave it to you。 I'll
tell you just how it stands。 Up to the discovery of the
champagne； the tale was all planned between us and drafted by
Lloyd； from that moment he has had nothing to do with it
except talking it over。 For we changed our plan； gave up the
projected Monte Cristo； and cut it down for a short story。
My jmpression … （I beg your pardon … this is a local joke … a
firm here had on its beer labels； 'sole jmporters'） … is that
it will never be popular； but might make a little SUCCES DE
SCANDALE。 However； I'm done with it now； and not sorry； and
the crowd may rave and mumble its bones for what I care。
Hole essential。 I am sorry about the maps； but I want 'em
for next edition； so see and have proofs sent。 You are quite
right about the bottle and the great Huish； I must try to
make it clear。 No； I will not write a play for Irving nor
for the devil。 Can you not see that the work of
FALSIFICATION which a play demands is of all tasks the most
ungrateful？ And I have done it a long while … and nothing
ever came of it。
Consider my new proposal； I mean Honolulu。 You would get the
Atlantic and the Rocky Mountains； would you not？ for bracing。
And so much less sea！ And then you could actually see
Vailima； which I WOULD like you to； for it's beautiful and my
home and tomb that is to be； though it's a wrench not to be
planted in Scotland … that I can never deny … if I could only
be buried in the hills； under the heather and a table
tombstone like the martyrs； where the whaups and plovers are
crying！ Did you see a man who wrote the STICKIT MINISTER；
and dedicated it to me； in words that brought the tears to my
eyes every time I looked at them； 'Where about the graves of
the martyrs the whaups are crying。 HIS heart remembers how。'
Ah； by God； it does！ Singular that I should fulfil the Scots
destiny throughout； and live a voluntary exile； and have my
head filled with the blessed； beastly place all the time！
And now a word as regards the delusions of the dear Ross； who
remembers； I believe； my letters and Fanny's when we were
first installed； and were really hoeing a hard row。 We have
salad； beans； cabbages； tomatoes； asparagus； kohl…rabi；
oranges； limes； barbadines； pine…apples； Cape gooseberries …
galore； pints of milk and cream； fresh meat five days a week。
It is the rarest thing for any of us to touch a tin； and the
gnashing of teeth when it has to be done is dreadful … for no
one who has not lived on them for six months knows what the
Hatred of the Tin is。 As for exposure； my weakness is
certainly the reverse； I am sometimes a month without leaving
the verandah … for my sins； be it said！ Doubtless； when I go
about and； as the Doctor says； 'expose myself to malaria；' I
am in far better health； and I would do so more too … for I
do not mean to be silly … but the difficulties are great。
However； you see how much the dear Doctor knows of my diet
and habits！ Malaria practically does not exist in these
islands； it is a negligeable quantity。 What really bothers
us a little is the mosquito affair … the so…called
elephantiasis … ask Ross about it。 A real romance of natural
history； QUOI！
Hi！ stop！ you say THE EBB TIDE is the 'working out of an
artistic problem of a kind。' Well； I should just bet it was！
You don't like Attwater。 But look at my three rogues；
they're all there； I'll go bail。 Three types of the bad man；
the weak man； and the strong man with a weakness； that are
gone through and lived out。
Yes； of course I was sorry for Mataafa； but a good deal
sorrier and angrier about the mismanagement of all the white
officials。 I cannot bear to write about that。 Manono all
destroyed； one house standing in Apolima； the women stripped；
the prisoners beaten with whips … and the women's heads taken
… all under white auspices。 And for upshot and result of so
much shame to the white powers … Tamasese already conspiring！
as I knew and preached in vain must be the case！ Well； well；
it is no fun to meddle in politics！
I suppose you're right about Simon。 But it is Symon
throughout in that blessed little volume my father bought for
me in Inverness in the year of grace '81； I believe … the
trial of James Stewart； with the Jacobite pamphlet and the
dying speech appended … out of which the whole of Davie has
already been begotten； and which I felt it a kind of loyalty
to follow。 I really ought to have it bound in velvet and
gold； if I had any gratitude！ and the best of the lark is；
that the name of David Balfour is not anywhere within the
bounds of it。
A pretty curious instance of the genesis of a book。 I am
delighted at your good word for DAVID； I believe the two
together make up much the best of my work and perhaps of what
is in me。 I am not ashamed of them； at least。 There is one
hitch； instead of three hours between the two parts； I fear
there have passed three years over Davie's character； but do
not tell anybody； see if they can find it out for themselves；
and no doubt his experiences in KIDNAPPED would go far to
form him。 I would like a copy to go to G。 Meredith。
WEDNESDAY。
Well； here is a new move。 It is likely I may start with
Graham next week and go to Honolulu to meet the other steamer
and return： I do believe a fortnight at sea would do me good；
yet I am not yet certain。 The crowded UP…steamer sticks in
my throat。
TUESDAY； 12TH SEPT。
Yesterday was perhaps the brightest in the annals of Vailima。
I got leave from Captain Bickford to have the band of the
KATOOMBA come up； and they came； fourteen of 'em； with drum；
fife； cymbals and bugles； blue jackets； white caps； and
smiling faces。 The house was all decorated with scented
greenery above and below。 We had not only our own nine out…
door workers； but a contract party that we took on in charity
to pay their war…fine； the band besides； as it came up the
mountain； had collected a following of children by the way；
and we had a picking of Samoan ladies to receive them。
Chicken； ham； cake； and fruits were served out with coffee
and lemonade； and all the afternoon we had rounds of claret
negus flavoured with rum and limes。 They played to us； they
danced； they sang； they tumbled。 Our boys came in the end of
the verandah and gave THEM a dance for a while。 It was
anxious work getting this stopped once it had begun； but I
knew the band was going on a programme。 Finally they gave
three cheers for Mr。 and Mrs。 Stevens； shook hands； formed up
and marched off playing … till a kicking horse in the paddock
put their pipes out something of the suddenest … we thought
the big drum was gone； but Simele flew to the rescue。 And so
they wound away down the hill with ever another call of the
bugle； leaving us extinct with fatigue； but perhaps the most
contented hosts that ever watched the departure of successful
guests。 Simply impossible to tell how well these blue…
jackets behaved； a most interesting lot of men； this
education of boys for the navy is making a class； wholly
apart … how shall I call them？ … a kind of lower…class public
school boy； well…mannered； fairly intelligent； sentimental as
a sailor。 What is more shall be writ on board ship if
anywhere。
Please send CATRIONA to G。 Meredith。
S。 S。 MARIPOSA。
To…morrow I reach Honolulu。 Good…morning to your honour。 R。
L。 S。
CHAPTER XXXIV
WAIKIKI； HONOLULU； H。 1。
OCT。 23rd； 1893。
DEAR COLVIN； … My wife came up on the steamer and we go home
together in 2 days。 I am practically all right； only sleepy
and tired easily； slept yesterday from 11 to 11。45； from 1 to
2。50； went to bed at 8 P。M。； and with an hour's interval