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第46部分（第1页）

I　find　letters　from　Lang　imploring　me　not　to　kill　Allan　Quatermain。　But　when　he　wrote　Allan　had　already　been　killed；　and　how　could　the　end　of　the　story　be　altered？　Besides　his　day　was　done　and　his　tale　told。　But　he　left　others　behind　him。

Before　finally　leaving　the　subject　of　“Cleopatra”　I　will　quote　a　couple　of　letters　that　I　received　from　W。　E。　Henley。　I　should　here　mention　that　I　was　well　acquainted　with　this　able　and　interesting　man；　some　of　whose　poems　will；　I　think；　survive　in　our　literature。

I　remember　once　driving　to　the　British　Museum　with　him　and　Lang；　or　it　may　have　been　Gosse；　or　both　of　them；　in　a　four…wheeled　cab；　to　see　some　Japanese　prints　that　were　on　show。　On　the　way　I　told　him　that　personally　I　admired　statuary；　and　especially　Greek　statuary；　much　more　than　I　did　pictorial　art。　He　was　greatly　astonished。

“I　think　it　wonderful；”　he　said；　“that　you　being　what　you　are；　and　your　work　what　it　is；　you　should　prefer　form　to　colour。”

It　seemed　curious　to　him　that　a　man　who　wrote　romances　should　have　other　sides　to　his　nature。　He　was　extremely　fond　of　war　and　fighting；　witness　his　Ode　to　the　Sword；　and　at　the　club　would　insist　upon　my　telling　him　stories　by　the　yard　about　the　Zulus　and　their　blood…thirsty　battles　and　customs。　With　it　all　he　was　very　domestic；　and　much　attached　to　his　“placens　uxor”　and　the　little　girl　whom；　most　unhappily；　he　lost。　The　last　note　I　ever　received　from　him；　written　some　years　after　our　acquaintance　had　practically　ceased；　was　on　this　sad　subject。

The　first　of　the　three　letters　which　I　am　going　to　quote　is　not　on　the　subject　of　“Cleopatra”　but　in　answer　to　one　of　mine　expressing　my　admiration　of　his　volume　of　verses。　As　it　is；　however；　the　earliest　in　date　it　shall　have　preference。

June　9；　1888。

My　dear　Haggard；　—　I　found　yours　at　the　Club　last　night。　I　do　care　for　your　approbation　very　much；　for　I　do　not　think　I　should　have　it　if　my　verses　hadn’t　a　kind　of　basis　of　life。

Lang　hates　’em；　I　believe；　and　I　shall　tell　him　of　your　note　with　pride　and　glee。

For　myself　I　prefer　the　“Life　and　Death”　lot。　But　the　In　Hospital　sets　forth　a　special　experience　and　is；　of　course；　of　particular　interest。

Always　yours　sincerely；

W。　E。　H。

The　next　letter　is　written　from　11　Howard　Place；　Edinburgh；　July　20；　1889。

My　dear　Haggard；　—　I　got　a　week　at　Windermere　and　took　“Cleopatra”　with　me。　I　was　alone；　and　I　found　her　very　good　pany。

You　were　terribly　handicapped　by　the　inevitable　parison；　but　you　came　off　better　（to　be　frank）　than　I’d　expected　you　would。　The　invention　throughout　is　admirable　—　is　good　enough；　indeed；　to　carry　off　the　archaeology　and　the　archaical　style；　though　they　are　both　large　orders。

And　in　Charmion　you　have　given　us；　I　think；　your　best　creation；　or　if　not　that；　a　creation　fit　to　rank　with　Umslopogaas　and　the　King　in　“Solomon’s　Mines。”　And　you　know　that　I　mean　a　good　deal　when　I　say　that。

I　am　glad　to　have　read　the　book；　and　glad　to　have　it　by　me　to　read　again。　It　has　plenty　of　faults；　but　it　has　an　abundance　of　promise　and　some　excellent　—　some　really　excellent　—　achievement。　There　is　never　a　sign　of　exhaustion；　but　on　the　contrary　no　end　of　proof　that　you　have　scarce　got　into　your　stride。

Always　yours；

W。　E。　H。

The　third　letter　is　evidently　in　answer　to　one　of　mine。　It　is　headed：　The　Scots　Observer：　A　Record　and　Review；　2　Thistle　Street；　Edinburgh；　July　26；　1889：

My　dear　Haggard；　—　It　is　pleasant　to　know　that　I　have　paid　a　very　little　of　my　debt。　I　think　the　Romance　and　Fame　in　the　current　S。O。　will　not　displease　you。　The　writer　is　a　strange；　old；　brilliant　creature　whom　I　have　found　here；　and　whose　opinion　is　worth　having。　Meanwhile；　you　may　put　down　the　attacks　partly　to　envy　（for　you　can’t　deny　that　you’ve　had　a　dam　good　innings）　and　partly　to　the　inevitable　reaction　—　for　I　don’t　know　that　your　admirers　have　praised　you　in　quite　the　right　way。　And　you　need　bother　yourself　no　more　about　them。　Why　should　you？　You　are　bound　to　win；　and　you　need　not　care　three　straws　for　anything　they　say。　You　need　only　do　your　best；　and　leave　the　rest　to　time。

That　I　believe　to　be　the　right　philosophy　of　things。　And　so　farewell。

Ever　yours；

W。　E。　H。

Archer　has　just　writ　the　loveliest　review　of　my　second　edition；　and　the　P。M。G。；　after　accepting　and　printing；　declines　to　publish！　So　you　see　——！