第80部分(第3/7 頁)

nt　to　the　Sun　in　“Allan　Quatermain”；　the　scene　where　Eric　Brighteyes　finds　his　mother　dead　—　which　Lang　declared　was　“as　good　as　Homer”　—　and　the　subsequent　fight　in　the　hall　at　Middlehof；　the　description　of　the　wolves　springing　up　at　the　dead　body　in　the　cave　in　“Nada　the　Lily”；　the　transformation　in　the　chapter　called　“The　Change”　and　“The　Loosing　of　the　Powers”　in　“Ayesha”；　a　speech　made　by　the　heroine　Mameena　as　she　dies；　in　an　unpublished　work　called　“Child　of　Storm；”　with　the　rest　of　her　death　scene；　the　account　of　the　passion　of　John　and　Jess　as　they　swung　together　wrapt　in　each　other’s　arms　in　the　sinking　waggon　on　the　waters　of　the　flooded　Vaal；　and；　oh！　I　know　not　what　besides。　When　one　has　written　some　fifty　books　the　memory　is　scarce　equal　to　the　task　of　searching　for　plums　amidst　the　dough。　Also；　when　one　has　found　them；　they　seem　on　consideration　to　be　but　poor　plums　at　best。　Also　one　thinks　differently　of　their　relative　merits　or　demerits　at　different　times。　For　instance；　how　about　“She’s”　speech　before　she　enters　the　fire？　and　the　holding　of　the　stair　by　old　Umslopogaas？　and　the　escape　of　the　ship　in　“Fair　Margaret”？　or　the　battle　of　Crecy　in　“Red　Eve”？　If　I　am　asked　what　book　of　mine　I　think　the　best　as　a　whole；　I　answer　that　one；　yet　unpublished；　to　my　mind　is　the　most　artistic。　At　any　rate；　to　some　extent；　it　satisfies　my　literary　conscience。　It　is　the　book　named　“Child　of　Storm；”　to　which　I　have　alluded　above；　and　is　a　chapter　in　the　history　of　“Allan　Quatermain。”　Of　Allan；　for　obvious　reasons；　I　can　always　write；　and　of　Zulus；　whose　true　inwardness　I　understand　by　the　light　of　Nature；　I　can　always　write；　and　—　well；　the　result　pleases　at　least　one　reader　—　myself。　Whether　it　will　please　others　is　a　different　matter。

So；　at　last　I　have　tried　t