第44部分(第6/7 頁)

Elder；　however；　behaved　extremely　well　to　me；　for　when　the　novel　proved　such　a　great　success　they　sent　me　a　second　cheque　of　a　like　amount　as　that　they　had　given　for　the　copyright；　a　thing　which　perhaps　few　publishers　would　have　done。　Moreover；　a　dozen　years　or　so　later；　they　offered　to　give　me　back　a　half　interest　in　the　book　if　I　would　write　them　another　work。　This　I　was　very　anxious　to　do；　as　both　for　sentimental　and　business　reasons　I　should　much　have　liked　to　regain　a　part　proprietorship　in　“Jess。”　But　when　I　wrote　to　Charles　Longman　on　the　subject　he　begged　me　to　abandon　the　idea；　and　as　I　could　not　hurt　the　feelings　of　such　an　old　and　valued　friend；　I　did　so；　with　many　sighs。

I　should　explain　that　at　the　time　I　published　only　with　the　Longmans。　Afterwards　to　my　great　sorrow　I　was　obliged　to　abandon　this　arrangement；　for　the　reason　that　I　found　it　impossible　to　place　works　serially　unless　I　could　give　the　book　rights　as　well。　For　a　while　I　got　over　this　difficulty；　or　rather　Messrs。　Watt；　my　agents；　did；　by　selling　serial　rights　to　the　two　great　illustrated　papers。　But　in　course　of　time；　I　suppose　as　they　began　to　feel　the　pressure　of　the　petition　of　the　new　sixpenny　magazines；　they　gave　up　publishing　serials；　or　at　any　rate　paying　much　for　them。　So　I　had　to　go　to　those　who　would　run　the　serial　if；　and　only　if；　they　were　given　the　book　rights　also。

Lang　did　not　think　quite　so　highly　of　“Cleopatra”　as　Longman；　at　any　rate　at　first；　as　the　following　letter　shows：

You　will　loathe　me　for　the　advice；　but　if　I　were　you　I’d　put　“Cleopatra”　away　for　as　long　as　possible；　and　then　read　it　as　a　member　of　the　public。　You　will　find；　I　think；　that　between　chapters　3　and　8　it　is　too　long；　too　full　of　antiquarian　detail；　and　too　slow　in　movement　to　carry　the