第46部分(第1/7 頁)

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。

Jun