第5部分(第3/7 頁)

d　appeared　that　Thorpe　Idiot　Asylum　was　her　proper　home；　and　so　forth。　Nobody　seemed　to　mind　in　the　least。　It　was　“only　the　Squire’s　way；”　they　said。3

3　No　doubt　some　of　the　characteristics　of　Squire　De　la　Molle　and　his　factotum　George　in　Sir　Rider’s　Norfolk　tale　Colonel　Quaritch；　V。C。；　can　be　traced　to　Mr。　W。　M。　R。　Haggard　and　his　servant　Sam　Adcock。　—　Ed。

It　was　the　same　with　the　outdoor　men；　especially　with　one　Samuel　Adcock；　his　factotum；　a　stout；　humorous　person　whose　face　was　marked　all　over　with　small…pox　pits。　About　once　a　week　Samuel　was　had　in　to　the　vestibule　and　abused　in　a　most　straightforward　fashion；　but　he　never　seemed　to　mind。

“I　believe；　Samuel；”　roared　my　father　at　him　in　my　hearing；　“donkey　as　you　are；　you　think　that　no　one　can　do　anything　except　yourself。”

“Nor　they　can’t；　Squire；”　replied　Samuel　calmly；　which　closed　the　conversation。

On　another　occasion　there　was　a　frantic　row　about　a　certain　pheasant　which　was　supposed　to　have　e　to　its　end　unlawfully。　My　father　had　ordered　this　fowl　to　be　stuffed　that　it　might　be　produced　in　some　pending　legal　proceedings。　Samuel；　who　I　think　at　that　time　was　head…keeper　and　probably　knew　more　about　the　pheasant’s　end　than　my　father；　did　not　pay　the　slightest　attention　to　these　mands。　Then　came　the　row。

“Don’t　you　argue　with　me；　sir；”　said　my　father　to　Samuel；　who　for　the　last　ten　minutes　had　been　sitting　silent　with　his　eyes　fixed　upon　the　ceiling。　“Answer　me　without　further　prevarication。　Have　you　obeyed　my　orders　and　had　that　pheasant　stuffed？”

“Lor’！　Squire；”　replied　Samuel；　“you　stuffed　it　yourself　a　week　ago！”

On　inquiry　it　transpired　that　Samuel；　to　prevent　further　plications　and　awkward　questions；　had　prevailed　upon　the　cook　to　roast　that　pheasant　and