第45部分(第3/7 頁)

f　Religion　and　Civilisation；　ancient　Egypt；　it　is；　however；　respectfully　suggested　that　they　should　exercise　the　art　of　skipping　and　open　this　tale　at　its　second　book。

I　dedicated　“Cleopatra”　to　my　mother；　because　I　thought　it　the　best　book　I　had　written　or　was　likely　to　write；　although　since　then　I　have　modified　that　opinion　in　favour　or　one　or　two　that　came　after　it。　The　following　letter　from　her　was　written　not　long　before　her　death；　and　was；　I　think；　the　last　I　ever　received　from　her。

Bradenham：　June　29；　1889。

My　dearest　Rider；　—　I　have　only　a　few　minutes　to　write　and　thank　you　for　your　charming　gift；　but　I　must　not　let　the　week　pass　over　without　my　doing　so。　I　think　it　is　got　up　as　well　as　possible；　and　the　Dedication　is　most　successfully　acplished；　which　must　be　as　gratifying　to　you　as　to　me。　I　have　not　thoroughly　looked　at　the　illustrations；　but　see　that　they　are　very　much　more　to　be　liked　than　those　of　the　Illustrated　News。　Thank　you　greatly　for　your　excellent　work；　my　dear　son。　It　certainly　redounds　greatly　to　you；　dearest　Rider；　whatever　the　critics　may　say；　and　I　have　no　doubt　they　will　do　their　worst。　But　I　think　posterity　will　do　justice　to　your　production。　I　will　write　no　more　as　I　cannot　easily　add　to　this。

Your　ever　most　affectionate　Mother；

Ella　Haggard。

There　is　also　a　letter　from　my　father　in　which　he　says　that　my　mother　opened　and　looked　at　the　book　“not　without　tears。”　Whether　she　ever　read　it　herself　I　do　not　know；　for　by　this　time　her　sight　was　failing　much。

A　few　months　later　I　stood　at　her　death…bed　and　received　her　last　blessing。　But　of　that　long…drawn　out　and　very　sad　scene；　even　after　the　lapse　of　two…and…twenty　years；　I　cannot　bear　to　write。

“Cleopatra”　ran　serially　through　the　Illustra