第72部分(第1/7 頁)

eon　he　said　in　a　careless　voice；　“If　you　like　them；　take　them　away。　I　don’t　care　for　them。”

I　was　greatly　tempted；　but　in　all　the　circumstances　did　not　feel　justified　in　accepting　this　liberal　offer。

But　I　must　not　continue　the　record　of　such　reminiscences　of　our　journeyings；　since　of　these　truly　there　is　no　end。

In　the　year　1903；　which　I　spent　at　home；　I　wrote　another　work　of　a　rural　character；　called　“A　Gardener’s　Year。”　This　first　appeared　serially　in　the　Queen；　and　was　afterwards　brought　out　in　a　handsome　volume　of　nearly　four　hundred　pages　by　Messrs。　Longman。　It　went　through　two　editions　and　gave　pleasure　to　a　good　many　people。

Also　I　wrote　a　romance　of　chivalry　called　“The　Brethren；”　of　which　the　scene　is　laid　in　the　Holy　Land　in　the　time　of　the　Crusaders。　Personally　it　is　a　favourite　with　me；　but　my　historical　tales　have　never　been　quite　so　popular　as　are　those　which　deal　with　African　adventure。

Chapter　19　PSYCHICAL

With　eldest　daughter　to　Egypt　—　Return　by　Italy　and　Spain　—　Abu　Simbel　with　Carter　—　Bee’s　nest　2000　years　old　—　“The　Way　of　the　Spirit”　—　Dedicated　to　Kipling　—　Death　of　H。　R。　H。‘s　retriever　Bob　—　Appears　to　him　in　dream　—　Report　published　in　Journal　of　Society　for　Psychical　Research　—　Lasting　effect　on　H。　R。　H。‘s　mind　—　More　dream…pictures　—　Sir　Oliver　Lodge。

Early　in　1904　I　took　my　daughter　Angela　on　a　trip　to　Egypt；　returning　by　way　of　Italy　and　Spain。　We　went　out　on　one　of　the　new　P。　&　O。　boats　which　was　making　her　maiden　voyage；　and　experienced　the　most　awful　weather。　We　began　by　grounding　in　the　Thames　and；　after　a　short　stop　to　bury　a　Lascar　overboard　—　who；　poor　fellow；　had　died　of　the　cold　—　ran　into　a　terrific　gale　in　the　Channel。　The　wind…gauges　registered　its　pace　at　about　eighty　miles