第38部分(第2/7 頁)

er　close　borough；　I　must　do　so　through　a　regular　gate；　and　I　entered　into　an　arrangement　with　Bargrave　（now　Sir　Henry　Bargrave）　Deane　to　work　in　his　chambers。　He　was　a　connection　of　mine；　my　cousin　Major　George　Haggard　having　married　his　sister。　She　died　young。　At　that　time　her　father；　the　well…known　lawyer　old　Sir　James　Deane；　was　still　alive；　and　I　remember　acting　as　his　junior　in　some　Divorce　Court　case。　Bargrave　Deane　is　now　one　of　the　judges　of　the　Probate　and　Divorce　Division。

Chapter　10　“KING　SOLOMON’S　MINES”　AND　“SHE”

“King　Solomon’s　Mines”　—　Andrew　Lang　—　Estimate　of　Lang’s　character　—　Anecdotes　of　Lang　—　Cassells　and　“King　Solomon’s　Mines”　—　Instant　success　—　Letters　from　R。　L。　S。　—　Bazett　Haggard　and　R。　L。　S。　in　Samoa。　—　The　writing　of　“Jess”　and　“She”　—　What　I　shall　be　remembered　by　—　Fifteen　months’　work　—　“She”　dedicated　to　Lang　—　Published　by　Longmans　—　Letters　about　it　—　The　Sherd　of　Amenartas。

Whether　I　wrote　“King　Solomon’s　Mines”　before　or　after　I　entered　Bargrave　Deane’s　chambers　I　cannot　now　remember；　but　I　think　it　must　have　been　before。　At　any　rate　I　recollect　that　we　brought　up　from　Ditchingham　a　certain　pedestal　writing…desk；　which　had　always　been　in　the　house　and　has　returned　thither；　for　it　now　stands　in　my　wife’s　bedroom；　and　added　it　to　the　somewhat　exiguous　furniture　of　our　hired　abode。　It　stood　in　the　dining…room；　and　on　it　in　the　evenings　—　for　my　days　were　spent　in　the　Temple　—　I　wrote　“King　Solomon’s　Mines。”　I　think　the　task　occupied　me　about　six　weeks。　When　the　tale　was　finished　I　hawked　it　round　to　sundry　publishers；　Hurst　and　Blackett　among　them；　none　of　whom　if　I　remember　rightly；　thought　it　worth　bringing　out。

At　length；　I　know　not　how；　the　manuscript；　which　today　presents　a　somewhat　battered　appearance；