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drawing。 Here and there； I think； it is well written； and
here and there it's not。 Some of the episodic characters are
amusing； I do believe； others not； I suppose。 However； they
are the best of the thing such as it is。 If it has a merit
to it； I should say it was a sort of deliberation and swing
to the style； which seems to me to suit the mail…coaches and
post…chaises with which it sounds all through。 'Tis my most
prosaic book。
I called on the two German ships now in port； and we are
quite friendly with them； and intensely friendly of course
with our own CURACOAS。 But it is other guess work on the
beach。 Some one has employed； or subsidised； one of the
local editors to attack me once a week。 He is pretty
scurrilous and pretty false。 The first effect of the perusal
of the weekly Beast is to make me angry； the second is a kind
of deep； golden content and glory； when I seem to say to
people： 'See！ this is my position … I am a plain man dwelling
in the bush in a house； and behold they have to get up this
kind of truck against me … and I have so much influence that
they are obliged to write a weekly article to say I have
none。'
By this time you must have seen Lysaght and forgiven me the
letter that came not at all。 He was really so nice a fellow
… he had so much to tell me of Meredith … and the time was so
short … that I gave up the intervening days between mails
entirely to entertain him。
We go on pretty nicely。 Fanny； Belle； and I have had two
months alone； and it has been very pleasant。 But by to…
morrow or next day noon； we shall see the whole clan
assembled again about Vailima table； which will be pleasant
too； seven persons in all； and the Babel of voices will be
heard again in the big hall so long empty and silent。 Good…
bye。 Love to all。 Time to close。 … Yours ever；
R。 L。 S。
CHAPTER XLI
JULY； 1894。
MY DEAR COLVIN； … I have to thank you this time for a very
good letter； and will announce for the future； though I
cannot now begin to put in practice； good intentions for our
correspondence。 I will try to return to the old system and
write from time to time during the month； but truly you did
not much encourage me to continue！ However； that is all by…
past。 I do not know that there is much in your letter that
calls for answer。 Your questions about ST。 IVES were
practically answered in my last； so were your wails about the
edition； AMATEUR EMIGRANT； etc。 By the end of the year ST。
I。 will be practically finished； whatever it be worth； and
that I know not。 When shall I receive proofs of the MAGNUM
OPUS？ or shall I receive them at all？
The return of the Amanuensis feebly lightens my heart。 You
can see the heavy weather I was making of it with my unaided
pen。 The last month has been particularly cheery largely
owing to the presence of our good friends the CURACOAS。 She
is really a model ship； charming officers and charming
seamen。 They gave a ball last month； which was very rackety
and joyous and naval。 。 。 。
On the following day； about one o'clock； three horsemen might
have been observed approaching Vailima； who gradually
resolved themselves into two petty officers and a native
guide。 Drawing himself up and saluting； the spokesman （a
corporal of Marines） addressed me thus。 'Me and my shipmates
inwites Mr。 and Mrs。 Stevens； Mrs。 Strong； Mr。 Austin； and
Mr。 Balfour to a ball to be given to…night in the self…same
'all。' It was of course impossible to refuse； though I
contented myself with putting in a very brief appearance。
One glance was sufficient； the ball went off like a rocket
from the start。 I had only time to watch Belle careering
around with a gallant bluejacket of exactly her own height …
the standard of the British navy … an excellent dancer and
conspicuously full of small…talk … and to hear a remark from
a beach…comber； 'It's a nice sight this some way； to see the
officers dancing like this with the men； but I tell you； sir；
these are the men that'll fight together！'
I tell you； Colvin； the acquaintance of the men … and boys …
makes me feel patriotic。 Eeles in particular is a man whom I
respect。 I am half in a mind to give him a letter of
introduction to you when he goes home。 In case you feel
inclined to make a little of him； give him a dinner； ask
Henry James to come to meet him； etc。 … you might let me
know。 I don't know that he would show his best； but he is a
remarkably fine fellow； in every department of life。
We have other visitors in port。 A Count Festetics de Solna；
an Austrian officer； a very pleasant； simple； boyish
creature； with his young wife； daughter of an American
millionaire； he is a friend of our own Captain Wurmbrand； and
it is a great pity Wurmbrand is away。
Glad you saw and liked Lysaght。 He has left in our house a
most cheerful and pleasing memory； as a good； pleasant； brisk
fellow with good health and brains； and who enjoys himself
and makes other people happy。 I am glad he gave you a good
report of our surroundings and way of life； but I knew he
would； for I believe he had a glorious time … and gave one。
I am on fair terms with the two Treaty officials； though all
such intimacies are precarious； with the consuls； I need not
say； my position is deplorable。 The President （Herr Emil
Schmidt） is a rather dreamy man； whom I like。 Lloyd； Graham
and I go to breakfast with him to…morrow； the next day the
whole party of us lunch on the CURACOA and go in the evening
to a BIERABEND at Dr。 Funk's。 We are getting up a paper…
chase for the following week with some of the young German
clerks； and have in view a sort of child's party for grown…up
persons with kissing games； etc。； here at Vailima。 Such is
the gay scene in which we move。 Now I have done something；
though not as much as I wanted； to give you an idea of how we
are getting on； and I am keenly conscious that there are
other letters to do before the mail goes。 … Yours ever；
R。 L。 STEVENSON。
CHAPTER XLII
AUG。 7TH
MY DEAR COLVIN； … This is to inform you； sir； that on Sunday
last （and this is Tuesday） I attained my ideal here； and we
had a paper chase in Vailele Plantation； about 15 miles； I
take it； from us； and it was all that could be wished。 It is
really better fun than following the hounds； since you have
to be your own hound； and a precious bad hound I was；
following every false scent on the whole course to the bitter
end； but I came in 3rd at the last on my little Jack； who
stuck to it gallantly； and awoke the praises of some
discriminating persons。 （5 ＋ 7 ＋ 2。5 = 14。5 miles； yes； that
is the count。） We had quite the old sensations of
exhilaration； discovery； an appeal to a savage instinct； and
I felt myself about 17 again； a pleasant experience。
However； it was on the Sabbath Day； and I am now a pariah
among the English； as if I needed any increment of
unpopularity。 I must not go again； it gives so much
unnecessary tribulation to poor people； and； sure； we don't
want to make tribulation。 I have been forbidden to work； and
have been instead doing my two or three hours in the
plantation every morning。 I only wish somebody would pay me
10 pounds a day for taking care of cacao； and I could leave
literature to others。 Certainly； if I have plenty of
exercise； and no work； I feel much better； but there is Biles
the butcher！ him we have always with us。
I do not much like novels； I begin to think； but I am
enjoying exceedingly Orme's HISTORY OF HINDOSTAN； a lovely
book in its way； in large quarto； with a quantity of maps；
and written in a very lively and solid eighteenth century
way； never picturesque except by accident and from a kind of
conviction； and a fine sense of order。 No historian I have
ever read is so minute； yet he never gives you a word about
the people； his interest is entirely limited in the
concatenation of events； into which he goes with a lucid；
almost superhuman； and wholly ghostly gusto。 'By the ghost
of a mathematician' the book might be announced。 A very
brave； honest book。
Your letter to hand。
Fact is； I don't like the picter。 O； it's a good picture；
but if you ASK me； you know； I believe； stoutly believe； that
mankind； including you； are going mad； I am not in the midst
with the other frenzy dancers； so I don't catch it wholly；
and when you show me a thing … and ask me； don't you know …
Well； well！ Glad to get so good an account of the AMATEUR
EMIGRANT。 Talking of which； I am strong for making a volume
out of selections from the South Sea letters； I read over
again the King of Apemama； and it is good in spite of your
teeth； and a real curiosity； a thing that can never be seen
again；