第49部分(第3/7 頁)

aggard　no　doubt　has　heard　of　the　sad　circumstances　which　caused　so　hurried　a　departure　from　Rome。　Since　arriving　here　many　unavoidable　duties　have　pletely　taken　up　the　Empress’s　time。

Mr。　R。　Haggard　will　understand　this　all　the　better　as　he　and　his　family　have　so　recently　sustained　a　sad　loss　of　the　same　kind　—　for　which　the　Empress　takes　this　opportunity　of　offering　her　sincere　condolences。　The　Empress　encloses　the　printed　draft　of　the　dedication　with　a　suggestion　for　a　slight　alteration；　and　begs　Mr。　R。　Haggard　to　accept　her　best　thanks　for　the　copy　of　“Jess”　and　the　collection　of　stories　just　published；　which　she　is　looking　forward　to　reading　when　she　has　a　little　leisure。

With　this　letter　are　two　copies　of　the　dedication；　annotated　in　the　hand　of　the　Empress；　for　it　seems　that　it　was　sent　to　her　twice　before　it　was　finally　settled　as　it　appears　in　the　book。　A　few　years　later；　when　I　was　at　Homburg　for　my　health；　the　Empress　Frederick　asked　me　to　lunch；　and　I　had　a　long　and　interesting　conversation　with　her。　As　I　kept　no　notes；　however；　I　forget　its　details。　She　impressed　me　as　a　singularly　charming　and　able　lady。

“Eric”　mended　itself　very　much　to　Lang。　Here　is　the　first　thing　I　can　find　about　it　in　his　letters。

“Eric”　begins　A1。　I　don’t　know　what　about　the　public；　but　I　love　a　saga　but　even　too　well；　especially　if　it　be　a　bloody　one　delicately　narrated；　or　a　very　affectionate　thing　indeed　but　brutally　set　down；　as　Shakespeare　says。　I　have　only　read　Chapter　I；　but　it’s　the　jockey　for　me。

P。S。　—　I　have　read　four　chapters；　including　Golden　Falls。　I　think　it　is　the　best　thing　you　have　done；　but　of　course　I　am　saga…fain！　I　didn’t　think　anyone　could　do　it。

Next　letter；　dated　Saturday。

I　have　got　Eric　into　Swanhild’s　toils；