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to； as soon as … but not before … I have done DAVID BALFOUR
and THE YOUNG CHEVALIER。 So you see you are like to hear no
more of the Pacific or the nineteenth century for a while。
THE YOUNG CHEVALIER is a story of sentiment and passion；
which I mean to write a little differently from what I have
been doing … if I can hit the key； rather more of a
sentimental tremolo to it。 It may thus help to prepare me
for SOPHIA； which is to contain three ladies； and a kind of a
love affair between the heroine and a dying planter who is a
poet！ large orders for R。 L。 S。
O the German taboo is quite over； no soul attempts to support
the C。 J。 or the President； they are past hope； the whites
have just refused their taxes … I mean the council has
refused to call for them； and if the council consented；
nobody would pay； 'tis a farce； and the curtain is going to
fall briefly。 Consequently in my History； I say as little as
may be of the two dwindling stars。 Poor devils！ I liked the
one； and the other has a little wife； now lying in！ There
was no man born with so little animosity as I。 When I heard
the C。 J。 was in low spirits and never left his house； I
could scarce refrain from going to him。
It was a fine feeling to have finished the History； there
ought to be a future state to reward that grind！ It's not
literature； you know； only journalism； and pedantic
journalism。 I had but the one desire； to get the thing as
right as might be； and avoid false concords … even if that！
And it was more than there was time for。 However； there it
is： done。 And if Samoa turns up again my book has to be
counted with； being the only narrative extant。 Milton and I
… if you kindly excuse the juxtaposition … harnessed
ourselves to strange waggons； and I at least will be found to
have plodded very soberly with my load。 There is not even a
good sentence in it； but perhaps … I don't know … it may be
found an honest； clear volume。
WEDNESDAY。
Never got a word set down； and continues on Thursday 19th
May； his own marriage day as ever was。 News； yes。 The C。 J。
came up to call on us！ After five months' cessation on my
side； and a decidedly painful interchange of letters； I could
not go down … could not … to see him。 My three ladies
received him； however； he was very agreeable as usual； but
refused wine； beer； water； lemonade； chocolate and at last a
cigarette。 Then my wife asked him； 'So you refuse to break
bread？' and he waved his hands amiably in answer。 All my
three ladies received the same impression that he had serious
matters in his mind： now we hear he is quite cock…a…hoop
since the mail came； and going about as before his troubles
darkened。 But what did he want with me？ 'Tis thought he had
received a despatch … and that he misreads it （so we fully
believe） to the effect that they are to have war ships at
command and can make their little war after all。 If it be
so； and they do it； it will be the meanest wanton slaughter
of poor men for the salaries of two white failures。 But what
was his errand with me？ Perhaps to warn me that unless I
behave he now hopes to be able to pack me off in the CURACOA
when she comes。
I have celebrated my holiday from SAMOA by a plunge at the
beginning of THE YOUNG CHEVALIER。 I am afraid my touch is a
little broad in a love story； I can't mean one thing and
write another。 As for women； I am no more in any fear of
them； I can do a sort all right； age makes me less afraid of
a petticoat； but I am a little in fear of grossness。
However； this David Balfour's love affair； that's all right …
might be read out to a mothers' meeting … or a daughters'
meeting。 The difficulty in a love yarn； which dwells at all
on love； is the dwelling on one string； it is manifold； I
grant； but the root fact is there unchanged； and the
sentiment being very intense； and already very much handled
in letters； positively calls for a little pawing and gracing。
With a writer of my prosaic literalness and pertinency of
point of view； this all shoves toward grossness … positively
even towards the far more damnable CLOSENESS。 This has kept
me off the sentiment hitherto； and now I am to try： Lord！ Of
course Meredith can do it； and so could Shakespeare； but with
all my romance； I am a realist and a prosaist； and a most
fanatical lover of plain physical sensations plainly and
expressly rendered； hence my perils。 To do love in the same
spirit as I did （for instance） D。 Balfour's fatigue in the
heather； my dear sir； there were grossness … ready made！ And
hence； how to sugar？ However； I have nearly done with Marie…
Madeleine； and am in good hopes of Marie…Salome； the real
heroine； the other is only a prologuial heroine to introduce
the hero。
FRIDAY。
Anyway； the first prologuial episode is done； and Fanny likes
it。 There are only four characters； Francis Blair of Balmile
（Jacobite Lord Gladsmuir） my hero； the Master of Ballantrae；
Paradon； a wine…seller of Avignon； Marie…Madeleine his wife。
These two last I am now done with； and I think they are
successful； and I hope I have Balmile on his feet； and the
style seems to be found。 It is a little charged and violent；
sins on the side of violence； but I think will carry the
tale。 I think it is a good idea so to introduce my hero；
being made love to by an episodic woman。 This queer tale … I
mean queer for me … has taken a great hold upon me。 Where
the devil shall I go next？ This is simply the tale of a COUP
DE TETE of a young man and a young woman； with a nearly；
perhaps a wholly； tragic sequel； which I desire to make
thinkable right through； and sensible； to make the reader； as
far as I shall be able； eat and drink and breathe it。 Marie…
Salome des Saintes…Maries is； I think； the heroine's name；
she has got to BE yet： SURSUM CORDA！ So has the young
Chevalier； whom I have not yet touched； and who comes next in
order。 Characters： Balmile； or Lord Gladsmuir； COMME VOUS
VOULEZ； Prince Charlie； Earl Marischal； Master of Ballantrae；
and a spy； and Dr。 Archie Campbell； and a few nondescripts；
then； of women； Marie…Salome and Flora Blair； seven at the
outside； really four full lengths； and I suppose a half…dozen
episodic profiles。 How I must bore you with these
ineptitudes！ Have patience。 I am going to bed； it is （of
all hours） eleven。 I have been forced in （since I began to
write to you） to blatter to Fanny on the subject of my
heroine； there being two CRUCES as to her life and history：
how came she alone？ and how far did she go with the
Chevalier？ The second must answer itself when I get near
enough to see。 The first is a back…breaker。 Yet I know
there are many reasons why a FILLE DE FAMINE； romantic；
adventurous； ambitious； innocent of the world； might run from
her home in these days； might she not have been threatened
with a convent？ might there not be some Huguenot business
mixed in？ Here am I； far from books； if you can help me with
a suggestion； I shall say God bless you。 She has to be new
run away from a strict family； well…justified in her own wild
but honest eyes； and meeting these three men； Charles Edward；
Marischal； and Balmile； through the accident of a fire at an
inn。 She must not run from a marriage； I think； it would
bring her in the wrong frame of mind。 Once I can get her；
SOLA； on the highway； all were well with my narrative。
Perpend。 And help if you can。
Lafaele； long （I hope） familiar to you； has this day received
the visit of his SON from Tonga； and the SON proves to be a
very pretty； attractive young daughter！ I gave all the boys
kava in honour of her arrival； along with a lean； side…
whiskered Tongan； dimly supposed to be Lafaele's step…father；
and they have been having a good time； in the end of my
verandah； I hear Simi； my present incapable steward； talking
Tongan with the nondescript papa。 Simi； our out…door boy；
burst a succession of blood…vessels over our work； and I had
to make a position for the wreck of one of the noblest
figures of a man I ever saw。 I believe I may have mentioned
the other day how I had to put my horse to the trot； the
canter and （at last） the gallop to run him down。 In a
photograph I hope to send you （perhaps with this） you will
see Simi standing in the verandah in profile。 As a steward；
one of his chief points is to break crystal； he is great on
fracture … what do I say？ … explosion！ He cleans a glass；
and the shards scatter like a comet's bowels。
N。B。 … If I should by any chance be deported； the first of
the rules hung up for that occasion is to communicate with
you by telegraph。 … Mind； I do not fear it； but it IS
possible。
MONDAY 25TH。
We have had a devil of a morning of upset and bustle； the