第44部分(第4/7 頁)

　arrival　in　England　what　between　success　and　attacks　I　found　myself　quite　a　celebrity；　one　whose　name　was　in　everybody’s　mouth。　I　made　money；　for　instance　I　sold　“Cleopatra”　for　a　large　sum　in　cash；　and　also　“Colonel　Quaritch；　V。C。；”　a　tale　of　English　country　life　which　Longman　liked　—　it　was　dedicated　to　him　—　and　Lang　hated　it　so　much　that　I　think　he　called　it　the　worst　book　that　ever　was　written。　Or　perhaps　it　was　someone　else　who　favoured　it　with　that　description。　Some　of　this　money　I　lost；　for　really　I　had　not　time　to　look　after　it；　and　the　investments　suggested　by　kind　friends　connected　with　the　City　were　apt　to　prove　disappointing。　Some　of　it　I　spent　in　paying　off　back　debts　and　mortgages　on　our　property；　and　in　doing　up　this　house　which　it　sadly　needed；　as　well　as　countless　farm　buildings；　and　a　proportion　was　absorbed　by　our　personal　expenditure。　For　instance　we　moved　into　a　larger　house　in　Radcliffe　Square　and　there　entertained　a　little；　though　not　to　any　great　extent；　for　we　never　were　extravagant。　Also　I　became　what　is　called　famous；　which　in　practice　means　that　people　are　glad　to　ask　you　out　to　dinner；　and　when　you　enter　a　room　everyone　turns　to　look　at　you。　Also　it　means　that　bores　of　the　most　appalling　description　write　to　you　from　all　over　the　earth；　and　expect　answers。

Therefore；　although　I　had　the　affection　of　my　old　friends　and　made　one　or　two　new　ones；　such　as　Charles　Longman；　with　whom；　to　my　great　good　fortune；　I　began　to　grow　intimate　about　this　time；　it　came　about　that　I　was　much　envied　and　not　a　little　hated　by　many　who　made　my　life　bitter　with　constant　attacks　in　the　Press；　which；　being　somewhat　sensitive　by　nature；　I　was　foolish　enough　to　feel。　Indeed　there　came　a　time　when　for　a　good　many　years　I　would　read　no　reviews　of　my　books；　unle