第39部分(第4/7 頁)

d　lady　engaged　in　a　close；　indeed　an　almost　ferocious　study　of　the　map　printed　at　the　beginning　of　the　printed　volume　which　rested　on　her　knees。　This　was　too　much　for　me。　Drawing　the　original　map　from　my　pocket；　I　placed　it　on　my　knee　—　we　were　seated　opposite　to　each　other　—　and　began　to　study　it　with　like　attention。　The　old　lady　looked　up　and　saw。　She　stared　first　at　her　map　and　then　at　mine；　and　stared；　and　stared。　Twice　she　opened　her　mouth　to　speak；　but　I　suppose　was　too　shy；　nor　did　I；　apparently　absorbed　in　the　contemplation　of　my　map；　written　in　blood　upon　a　dirty　piece　of　torn　linen；　the　shirt…tail　of　Don　Jose　de　Silvestra；　give　her　the　slightest　encouragement。　The　end　of　it　was　that　she　seemed　to　e　to　the　conclusion　that　that　railway　carriage　in　which　we　were　alone　together　was　no　place　for　her。　Suddenly；　as　we　were　about　to　leave　a　station；　she　sprang　up　and　leapt　from　the　train；　at　which；　the　unfolded　map　still　in　her　hand；　she　gazed　bewildered　until　it　vanished　into　the　tunnel。

Among　the　many　letters　that　I　received　about　“King　Solomon’s　Mines；”　perhaps　the　most　interesting　that　I　can　find　are　from　Robert　Louis　Stevenson。　The　first　of　these；　undated；　as　they　all　are；　is　written　from　Skerryvore；　Bournemouth；　where　he　was　living　at　the　time。　Here　I　should　state　that　to　my　sorrow　I　never　met　Stevenson　face　to　face：　always　we　just　missed　each　other。

Dear　Sir；　—　Some　kind　hand　has　sent　me　your　tale　of　Solomon’s　Mines；　I　know　not　who　did　this　good　thing　to　me；　and　so　I　send　my　gratitude　to　headquarters　and　the　fountainhead。　You　should　be　more　careful；　you　do　quite　well　enough　to　take　more　trouble；　and　some　parts　of　your　book　are　infinitely　beneath　you。　But　I　find　there　flashes　of　a　fine　weird　imagination　and　a　fine　poetic　use　and　mand　of　the　savage