第68部分(第3/7 頁)

not　think　that　he　is　dead；　as　such　news　would　probably　have　reached　me　one　way　or　another；　or　Hays　Hammond　would　have　mentioned　it　when　I　had　a　hurried　interview　with　him　at　the　time　of　the　King’s　Coronation；　which　he　attended　as　Special　Ambassador　from　the　United　States。　I　conclude；　therefore；　that　Burnham　is　probably　now　engaged　in　all　the　Mexican　fighting　that　has　ensued　upon　the　deposition　of　President　Diaz；　which　leaves　him　no　time　for　correspondence；　or　perhaps　he　is　disinterring　the　treasure　from　the　hidden　city！　One　day　I　hope　that　he　will　appear　again　and　greet　me　in　his　quiet　fashion　as　though　we　had　parted　but　yesterday　—　I　mean；　of　course；　on　this　bank　of　the　great　“Divide。”

Chapter　18　RURAL　ENGLAND

H。　R。　H。　returns　to　the　country　—　Devotes　himself　to　agriculture　—　“Farmer’s　Year”　—　Arthur　Young　—　Bradfield　bust　—　Bobbin　—　Determines　to　follow　Arthur　Young’s　example　—　Agreed　with　Daily　Express　for　series　of　articles　on　Rural　England　—　Visit　to　Cyprus　and　Holy　Land　—　A　Winter　Pilgrimage　—　Rural　England　journeys　—　Heaviest　labour　of　H。　R。　H。‘s　life　—　Arthur　Cochrane’s　help　—　Hundreds　of　interviews　—　Practical　results　disappointing　—　Mr。　R。　W。　Hanbury　—　Agricultural　Post　—　Lord　Onslow　—　Mrs。　Asquith。

My　town　excitement　over　I　returned　to　the　country　and　the　writing　of　books。　Oddly　enough；　I　found　that　the　thorough　change　of　thought　seemed　to　have　rested　my　mind；　with　the　result　that　my　imagination　was　fresher　than　it　had　been　for　some　years　before。　Also　the　work　itself　was　and　has　remained　less　irksome　to　me　than　during　the　years　1891　to　1895。　Still　the　desire　haunted　me　to　do　something　in　my　day　more　practical　than　the　mere　invention　of　romance　upon　romance。　By　degrees　it　came　home　to　me　that　a　great　subject　lay　to　my　hand；　that　of　the　sta