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ss chance thrust them under my eyes。 Therefore of those years there are few literary records。
In addition to much worry; my work at this time was truly overwhelming。 The unfortunate agreement to which I have already alluded; entered into with the firm in which I believe Mr。 Maxwell; the late husband of Miss Braddon; was a partner; had been abrogated without a lawsuit; through the admirable efforts of my friend and agent; Mr。 A。 P。 Watt。 But this was done at a price; and that price was that I should write them two stories; which in addition to my other and more serious work of course cost me time and labour。 The tales that I wrote for them were called respectively “Mr。 Meeson’s Will” and “Allan’s Wife。” Ultimately; after various “business plications;” in the course of which I lost some money that was due for royalties; together with “Dawn” and “The Witch’s Head;” they passed into the hands of Messrs。 Longmans。
Then I began “Cleopatra” on May 27; 1887; and; as the MS。 records; finished it on August 2nd of the same year。 In order to do this I fled from London to Ditchingham; because in town there were so many distractions and calls upon my time that I could not get on with my work。 I remember my disgust when on arrival there an invitation to be present in Westminster Abbey on the occasion of the Jubilee of Queen Victoria was forwarded too late for me to be able to avail myself of it。 Although I do not greatly care for such pomp and circumstance; that was a ceremony which I should have liked to see。
Charles Longman thought very highly indeed of “Cleopatra。” Also; he backed his opinion by buying the copyright of the book for a large sum of money。
By the way; unluckily for myself; I also sold “Jess” outright and not for a large sum。 Messrs。 Smith;
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