第39部分(第3/7 頁)

ote　to　me　that　they　had　already　sold　5000　copies　more　or　less；　a　large　sale　for　a　boys’　book　by　a　practically　unknown　man。　I　wonder　how　many　copies　they　have　sold　up　to　Christmas　1911！　In　one　form　and　another　the　total　must　run　to　hundreds　of　thousands。

Before　the　book　appeared　we　had　gone　down　to　Norfolk　for　part　of　the　long　vacation；　not　to　Ditchingham；　which　was　let；　but　to　a　farmhouse　at　Denton　adjoining　a　farm　of　our　own；　where　I　employed　my　holiday　in　ain；”　the　continuation　of　“King　Solomon’s　Mines。”　One　day　I　chanced　to　visit　the　little　town　of　Bungay　and　there　to　see　a　copy　of　the　Saturday　Review　which　contained　a　two…column　notice　of　the　latter　work。　It　was　written　by　Lang；　although　this　I　did　not　know　at　the　time。　With　delight　my　eye　fell　upon　such　sentences　as　“All　through　the　battle　piece；　‘The　Last　Stand　of　the　Greys；’　Mr。　Haggard；　like　Scott　at　Flodden；　‘never　stoops　his　wing’”；　and　“to　tell　the　truth　we　would　give　many　novels；　say　eight　hundred　（that　is　about　the　yearly　harvest）；　for　such　a　book　as　‘King　Solomon’s　Mines。’”

By　the　way；　things　in　this　respect　have　changed　since　1885。　I　believe　that　the　“yearly　harvest”　of　British　novels　now　numbers　nearly　three　thousand。

I　went　back　to　the　farm　that　night　feeling　sure　that　my　book　was　going　to　succeed。　A　week　or　so　later　I　received　a　note　from　Lang　in　which　he　says：　“The　Spectator　in　a　‘middle’　gives　you　more　praise　than　I　did；　and　is　neither　known　personally　to　you；　I　fancy；　nor　an　amateur　of　savages；　like　me。　I　hope　they　will　give　a　review　also。　。　。　。　I　never　read　anything　in　the　Spectator　before　with　such　pleasure。”

One　day　I　took　the　manuscript　of　“King　Solomon’s　Mines”　to　be　bound　by　Mr。　H。　Glaisher　the　bookseller。　In　the　carriage　of　the　Underground　Railway　I　perceived　an　ol