第53部分(第2/7 頁)

；　and　told　me　that　one　of　his　plans　to　induce　slumber　was　to　count　thousands　of　imaginary　sheep　running　through　a　phantom　gate。　Also　he　would　rise　and　walk　about　the　streets　to　cause　weariness。

A　very　interesting　gentlemen　whom　I　knew　was　the　late　Mr。　Meredith　Townsend。　He　was　one　of　the　editors　and　part　owner　of　the　Spectator；　out　of　which　journal　he　told　me　he　drew　a　fortable　5000　pounds　a　year。　His　conversation　was　particularly　delightful　and　informing；　especially　when　he　spoke　of　India。

I　have　before　me　a　letter　that　he　wrote　to　me　before　I　visited　Iceland；　in　which　he　says：

It　would　be　worth　living　to　read　your　account　of　a　Berserk；　a　white　Umslopogaas；　with　a　vein　of　pity　in　him　for　women　only。　。　。　。　You　are　aware　that　the　Berserks　when　they　left　their　Aryan　home　on　the　northern　slope　of　the　Hindoo　Koosh　took　with　them　hemp　and　the　dangerous　knowledge　of　its　quality　of　producing　the　temporary　fury　of　battle。　The　secret　still　remains　in　India；　and　natives　who　mean　killing　swallow　bhang。

I　think　that　this　hint　gave　me　the　idea　of　my　Norse　character；　Skallagrim。　Mr。　Townsend　told　me　that　he　would　live　to　be　eighty；　which　he　did。　I；　he　said；　should　die　at　sixty；　as　by　then　my　highly　strung　temperament　would　have　exicans　say。

Another　person　whom　I　knew　very　well　was　Miss　Marjorie　Barber；　who　has　since　bee　famous　on　the　strength　of　her　delicately　written　and　arresting　booklet；　“The　Roadmender；”　which　was　published　after　her　death。

My　intimacy　with　Marjorie　was　brought　about　by　the　fact　that　her　sister　Agnes　—　a　woman　with　as　fine　a　literary　sense　and　more　all…round　ability；　although　circumstances　and　a　family　have　allowed　her　but　little　time　to　make　use　of　them　—　became　my　sister…inlaw　as　I　have　said；　and；　before　that　event；　for