第80部分(第4/7 頁)

o　answer　the　inquiries　of　the　all…pervading　casual　correspondent　in　a　somewhat　superficial　fashion。　To　do　so　thoroughly　would　involve　weeks　of　reading　of　much　that　I　now　forget。

When　I　escaped　from　that　nursing　home；　very　feeble　and　with　much…shattered　nerves；　I　went　to　stay　with　my　friend　Lyne　Stivens　to　recuperate；　and　then　for　a　day　or　two　to　Kipling’s。　Here　I　remember　we　pounded　the　plot　of　“The　Ghost　Kings”　together；　writing　down　our　ideas　in　alternate　sentences　upon　the　same　sheet　of　foolscap。

Among　my　pleasantest　recollections　during　the　last　few　years　are　those　of　my　visits　to　the　Kiplings；　and　one　that　they　paid　me　here；　during　which　we　discussed　everything　in　heaven　above　and　earth　beneath。　It　is；　I　think；　good　for　a　man　of　rather　solitary　habits　now　and　again　to　have　the　opportunity　of　familiar　converse　with　a　brilliant　and　creative　mind。　Also　we　do　not　fidget　each　other。　Thus　only　last　year　Kipling　informed　me　that　he　could　work　as　well　when　I　was　sitting　in　the　room　as　though　he　were　alone；　whereas　generally　the　presence　of　another　person　while　he　was　writing　would　drive　him　almost　mad。　He　added　that　he　supposed　the　explanation　to　be　that　we　were　both　of　a　trade；　and　I　dare　say　he　is　right。　I　imagine；　however；　that　sympathy　has　much　to　do　with　the　matter。

Of　late　years　Kipling　has　been　much　attacked；　a　fate　with　which　I　was　once　most　familiar；　since　at　one　time　or　the　other　it　overtakes　the　majority　of　those　who　have　met　with　any　measure　of　literary；　or　indeed　of　other　success　—　unless　they　happen　to　be　Scotchmen；　when　they　are　sure　of　enthusiastic　support　from　their　patriots　always　and　everywhere。　The　English；　it　seems　to　me；　lack　this　clan　feeling；　and　are　generally　prepared　to　rend　each　other　to　pieces　in　all　walks　of　life；　perhaps　b