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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 home； in his plenitude of ignorance； prefers to
collect the taxes and scatter the Mataafas by force or the
threat of force。 It may succeed； and I suppose it will。 It
is none the less for that expensive； harsh； unpopular and
unsettling。 I am young enough to have been annoyed； and
altogether eject and renegate the whole idea of political
affairs。 Success in that field appears to be the
organisation of failure enlivened with defamation of
character； and； much as I love pickles and hot water （in your
true phrase） I shall take my pickles in future from Crosse
and Blackwell and my hot water with a dose of good Glenlivat。
Do not bother at all about the wall…papers。 We have had the
whole of our new house varnished； and it looks beautiful。 I
wish you could see the hall； poor room； it had to begin life
as an infirmary during our recent visitation； but it is
really a handsome comely place； and when we get the
furniture； and the pictures； and what is so very much more
decorative； the picture frames； will look sublime。
JAN。 30TH。
I have written to Charles asking for Rowlandson's Syntax and
Dance of Death out of our house； and begging for anything
about fashions and manners （fashions particularly） for 1814。
Can you help？ Both the Justice Clerk and St。 Ives fall in
that fated year。 Indeed I got into St。 Ives while going over
the Annual Register for the other。 There is a kind of fancy
list of Chaps。 of St。 Ives。 （It begins in Edinburgh Castle。）
I。 Story of a lion rampant （that was a toy he had made； and
given to a girl visitor）。 II。 Story of a pair of scissors。
III。 St。 Ives receives a bundle of money。 IV。 St。 Ives is
shown a house。 V。 The Escape。 VI。 The Cottage （Swanston
College）。 VII。 The Hen…house。 VIII。 Three is company and
four none。 IX。 The Drovers。 X。 The Great North Road。 XI。
Burchell Fenn。 XII。 The covered cart。 XIII。 The doctor。
XIV。 The Luddites。 V。 Set a thief to catch a thief。 XXVI。
M。 le Comte de Keroualle （his uncle； the rich EMIGRE； whom he
finds murdered）。 XVII。 The cousins。 XVIII。 Mr。 Sergeant
Garrow。 XIX。 A meeting at the Ship； Dover。 XX。 Diane。 XXI。
The Duke's Prejudices。 XXII。 The False Messenger。 XXIII。
The gardener's ladder。 XXIV。 The officers。 XXV。 Trouble
with the Duke。 XXVI。 Fouquet again。 XXVII。 The Aeronaut。
XXVIII。 The True…Blooded Yankee。 XXIX。 In France。 I don't
know where to stop。 Apropos； I want a book about Paris； and
the FIRST RETURN of the EMIGRES and all up to the CENT JOURS：
d'ye ken anything in my way？ I want in particular to know
about them and the Napoleonic functionaries and officers； and
to get the colour and some vital details of the business of
exchange of departments from one side to the other。 Ten
chapters are drafted； and VIII。 re…copied by me； but will
want another dressing for luck。 It is merely a story of
adventure； rambling along； but that is perhaps the guard that
'sets my genius best；' as Alan might have said。 I wish I
could feel as easy about the other！ But there； all novels
are a heavy burthen while they are doing； and a sensible
disappointment when they are done。
For God's sake； let me have a copy of the new German Samoa
White book。 R。 L。 S。
CHAPTER XXVI
AT SEA； S。S。 & MARIPOSA；
FEB。 19th； '93。
MY DEAR COLVIN； … You will see from this heading that I am
not dead yet nor likely to be。 I was pretty considerably out
of sorts； and that is indeed one reason why Fanny； Belle； and
I have started out for a month's lark。 To be quite exact； I
think it will be about five weeks before we get home。 We
shall stay between two and three in Sydney。 Already； though
we only sailed yesterday； I am feeling as fit as a fiddle。
Fanny ate a whole fowl for breakfast； to say nothing of a
tower of hot cakes。 Belle and I floored another hen betwixt
the pair of us； and I shall be no sooner done with the
present amanuensing racket than I shall put myself outside a
pint of Guinness。 If you think this looks like dying of
consumption in Apia I can only say I differ from you。 In the
matter of David； I have never yet received my proofs at all；
but shall certainly wait for your suggestions。 Certainly；
Chaps。 17 to 20 are the hitch； and I confess I hurried over
them with both wings spread。 This is doubtless what you
complain of。 Indeed； I placed my single reliance on Miss
Grant。 If she couldn't ferry me over； I felt I had to stay
there。
About ISLAND NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS all you say is highly
satisfactory。 Go in and win。
The extracts from the TIMES I really cannot trust myself to
comment upon。 They were infernally satisfactory； so； and
perhaps still more so； was a letter I had at the same time
from Lord Pembroke。 If I have time as I go through Auckland；
I am going to see Sir George Grey。
Now I really think that's all the business。 I have been
rather sick and have had two small hemorrhages； but the
second I believe to have been accidental。 No good denying
that this annoys； because it do。 However； you must expect
influenza to leave some harm； and my spirits； appetite； peace
on earth and goodwill to men are all on a rising market。
During the last week the amanuensis was otherwise engaged；
whereupon I took up； pitched into； and about one half
demolished another tale； once intended to be called THE PEARL
FISHER； but now razeed and called THE SCHOONER FARRALONE。 We
had a capital start； the steamer coming in at sunrise； and
just giving us time to get our letters ere she sailed again。
The manager of the German firm （O strange； changed days！）
danced attendance upon us all morning； his boat conveyed us
to and from the steamer。
FEB。 21ST。
All continues well。 Amanuensis bowled over for a day； but
afoot again and jolly； Fanny enormously bettered by the
voyage； I have been as jolly as a sand…boy as usual at sea。
The Amanuensis sits opposite to me writing to her offspring。
Fanny is on deck。 I have just supplied her with the Canadian
Pacific Agent； and so left her in good hands。 You should
hear me at table with the Ulster purser and a little punning
microscopist called Davis。 Belle does some kind of abstruse
Boswellising； after the first meal； having gauged the kind of
jests that would pay here； I observed； 'Boswell is Barred
during this cruise。'
23RD
We approach Auckland and I must close my mail。 All goes well
with the trio。 Both the ladies are hanging round a beau …
the same … that I unearthed for them： I am general provider；
and especially great in the beaux business。 I corrected some
proofs for Fanny yesterday afternoon； fell asleep over them
in the saloon … and the whole ship seems to have been down
beholding me。 After I woke up； had a hot bath； a whiskey
punch and a cigarette； and went to bed； and to sleep too； at
8。30； a recrudescence of Vailima hours。 Awoke to…day； and
had to go to the saloon clock for the hour … no sign of dawn
… all heaven grey rainy fog。 Have just had breakfast；
written up one letter； register and close this。
CHAPTER XXVII
Bad pen； bad ink；
bad light； bad
blotting…paper。
S。 S。 MARIPOSA； AT SEA。
APIA DUE BY DAYBREAK TO…MORROW 9 P。M。
MY DEAR COLVIN； … Have had an amusing but tragic holiday；
from which we return in disarray。 Fanny quite sick； but I
think slowly and steadily mending； Belle in a terrific state
of dentistry troubles which now seem calmed； and myself with
a succession of gentle colds out of which I at last succeeded
in cooking up a fine pleurisy。 By stopping and stewing in a
perfectly airless state…room I seem to have got rid of the
pleurisy。 Poor Fanny had very little fun of her visit；
having been most of the time on a diet of maltine and slops …
and this while the rest of us were rioting on oysters and
mushrooms。 Belle's only devil in the hedge was the dentist。
As for me； I was entertained at the General Assembly of the
Presbyterian Church； likewise at a sort of artistic club；
made speeches at both； and may therefore be said to have
been； like Saint Paul； all things to all men。 I have an
account of the latter racket which I meant to have enclosed
in this。 。 。 。 Had some splendid photos taken； likewise a
medallion by a French sculptor； met Graham； who returned with
us as far as Auckland。 Have seen a good deal too of Sir
George Grey； what a wonderful old historic figure to be
walking on your arm and recalling ancient events and
instances！ It makes a man small； and yet the extent to which
he approved what I had done … or rather have tried to do …
encouraged me。 Sir G