第70部分(第1/7 頁)

he　cost　of　reproducing　them。

But　making　the　investigations　was　not　all。　After　these　came　the　writing　of　the　work　itself；　whereof　the　articles　only　formed　the　foundation。　This　occupied　the　best　part　of　another　year　of　most　incessant　and　careful　application；　for　here　every　fact　must　be　checked。　It　was　the　very　antithesis　to　that　involved　in　the　position　of　novels；　where　the　imagination　has　free　play。　Here　I　may　add　that　of　the　recorded　results　of　these　hundreds　of　interviews　and　statements　made　upon　the　individual　authority　of　the　persons　seen；　or　from　observation　of　the　matters　investigated；　not　one wrong。　The　manager　of　the　Great　Eastern　Railway　took　exception　to　some　of　the　carriage　rates　quoted　by　an　informant；　for　which　I　was　not　responsible。　Also　one　gentleman　who　had　invited　me　to　inspect　his　farm　spoke　of　“minor　inaccuracies　and　blemishes”　in　the　account　I　gave　thereof。　In　nearly　twelve　hundred　closely　printed　pages　that；　I　am　proud　to　say；　is　all。

The　work　was　well　received；　although　of　course　there　were　those　who　found　fault。　Everyone　has　his　own　ideas　as　to　how　such　a　thing　should　be　done；　though　those　who　try　to　do　it　are　few　indeed。　I　too　had　my　idea；　which　was　to　arrive　at　the　truth　out　of　the　mouths　of　many　witnesses。　I　desired　to　set　down　the　facts　as　they　were　at　the　beginning　of　the　twentieth　century；　not　as　they　had　been　in　the　past　or　would　possibly　be　in　the　future；　or　as　people　with　various　theories　and　political　views　would　like　to　see　them。　I　wished　to　preserve　a　large　body　of　incontestable　evidence　for　the　benefit　of　future　generations。　Since　that　day　things；　I　am　glad　to　say；　have　changed　a　little　—　not　very　much　—　for　the　better；　and　if　I　were　to　undertake　such　a　task　afresh　—　which　Heaven　forbid！　—　I　might　write　otherwise　on