第73部分(第3/7 頁)

stions。　I　will　only　add　that　I　ask　you　to　publish　the　annexed　documents　with　this　letter；　as　they　constitute　the　written　testimony　at　present　available　to　the　accuracy　of　what　I　state。　Further；　I　may　say　that　I　shall　wele　any　investigation　by　petent　persons。

I　am；　your　obedient　servant；

H。　Rider　Haggard。

To　the　Editor　of　The　Times。

The　editor　of　the　Journal　of　the　Society　for　Psychical　Research　says：

This　case　is　one　of　very　unusual　interest　from　several　points　of　view。　It　is；　therefore；　specially　satisfactory　to　have　it　so　well　authenticated；　and　Mr。　Rider　Haggard　deserves　the　gratitude　of　psychical　researchers　for　having　collected　all　the　available　evidence　so　promptly　and　pletely　and　put　it　at　the　disposal　of　the　scientific　world。

This　experience　produced　a　great　effect　upon　me；　and　at　first　frightened　and　upset　me　somewhat；　for　without　doubt　it　has　a　very　uncanny　side。　By　degrees；　however；　I　came　to　see　that　it　also　has　its　lessons；　notably　one　lesson　—　that　of　the　kinship；　I　might　almost　say　the　oneness；　of　all　animal　life。　I　have　always　been　fond　of　every　kind　of　creature；　and　especially　of　dogs；　some　of　which　have　been　and　are　as　very　dear　friends　to　me。　But　up　to　this　date　I　had　also　been　a　sportsman。　Shooting　was　my　principal　recreation；　and　one　of　which　I　was；　and　indeed　still　am；　extremely　fond。　Greatly　did　I　love　a　high　pheasant；　at　which　sometimes　I　made　good　marksmanship。　But　now；　alas！　I　only　bring　them　down　in　imagination　with　an　umbrella　or　a　walking…stick。　From　that　day　forward；　except　noxious　insects　and　so　forth；　I　have　killed　nothing；　and；　although　I　should　not　hesitate　to　shoot　again　for　food　or　for　protection；　I　am　by　no　means　certain　that　the　act　would　not　make　me　feel　unwell。　Perhaps　illogically；　I　make