第40部分(第2/7 頁)

shows　that　it　must　have　been　written　about　twenty　years　ago；　at　the　beginning　of　1892。

Valima　Plantation；　Samoan　Islands。

Rider　Haggard；　Esq。

Dear　Haggard；　—　In　cleaning　up　the　hideous　mess　which　accumulates　about　the　man　of　letters　I　came　on　the　enclosed　sheet。　Its　filthiness　will　indicate　its　age。　But　there　is　internal　evidence　which　to　me　dates　it　still　further　back；　and　that　is　the　reference　to　your　brother　Bazett。　I　now　know　him　well　and　regard　him　with　the　most　sincere　and　lively　affection　and　respect。　Indeed　we　are　panions　in　arms　and　have　helped　each　other　back　and　forth　in　some　very　difficult　and　some　very　annoying　affairs。　This　has　given　a　wonderful　jog　to　my　sense　of　intimacy　with　yourself　until　I　have　a　difficulty　in　remembering　that　I　have　never　seen　you。　Two　remarks　and　I　leave　my　filthy　enclosure　to　speak　for　itself。　First；　the　equations　on　the　fly…leaf　were　not　in　the　least　intended　for　you　—　they’re　pieces　of　a　lesson　in　the　Samoan　language　—　and　you　must　kindly　regard　them　as　non…existent。　Second；　“Nada　the　Lily”　is　A1。

Sincerely　yours；

Robert　Louis　Stevenson。

I　only　wish　I　could　find　the　“filthy　enclosure；”　or　at　least　remember　with　what　it　had　to　do。

I　have　one　more　allusion　to　my　brother　besides　the　letter　which　came　to　me　with　“The　Man　Haggard。”　It　is　written　on　a　little　triangular　bit　of　foolscap　pinned　into　the　manuscript　of　“Nada　the　Lily。”　I　suppose　that　Lang　must　have　sent　it　to　me。

“If　you　see　Haggard；　tell　him　we　have　a　great　affection　for　his　brother。　Our　home　rejoices　when　we　see　him　ing；　and　that　Chaka　mourning　for　his　mother　is　great。”

Here　is　this　last　letter　pinned　into　the　first　of　the　two　acpanying；　parchment…bound　volumes；　that　which　is　entitled　“An　Object　of　Pity；　or；　T