第2部分(第1/7 頁)

t　as　the　Master　of　a　High　Court　and　subsequently　in　the　modest　but　I　trust　useful　office　of　the　Chairman　of　a　Bench　of　Magistrates；　I　have　done　nothing　at　all　at　my　profession　at　the　Bar。　In　an　unfortunate　hour；　considered　from　this　point　of　view；　I　employed　my　somewhat　ample　leisure　in　chambers　in　writing　“King　Solomon’s　Mines。”　That；　metaphorically；　settled　my　legal　hash。　Had　it　not　been　for　“King　Solomon’s　Mines；”　if　even　in　imagination　I　may　dwell　upon　such　splendour；　I　might　possibly　have　sat　some　day　where　sits　my　old　friend　and　instructor；　Sir　Henry　Bargrave　Deane；　as　a　judge　of　the　Court　of　Probate　and　Divorce；　in　which　I　proposed　to　practise　like　my　great…uncle；　Doctor　John　Haggard；　famous　for　his　Reports；　before　me。

Well　do　I　remember　how；　when　one　day　I　was　seated　in　this　Division　watching　a　case　or　devilling　for　somebody；　I　unconsciously　inscribed　my　name　on　the　nice　white　blotting…paper　before　me。　Presently　from　behind　me　I　heard　a　whisper　from　some　solicitor　—　I　think　that　was　his　calling　—　whom　business　had　brought　to　the　Court：

“Are　you　Rider　Haggard；　the　man　who　wrote　‘King　Solomon’s　Mines’？”　he　said；　staring　at　the　tell…tale　blotting…paper。

I　intimated　that　such　was　really　my　name。

“Then；　confound　you！　Sir；　you　kept　me　up　till　three　o’clock　this　morning。　But　what　are　you　doing　here　in　a　wig　and　gown　—　what　are　you　doing　here？”

Very　soon　I　found　cause　to　echo　the　question　and　to　answer　it　in　the　words；　“No　good。”　The　British　solicitor；　and　indeed　the　British　client；　cannot　be　induced　to　put　confidence　in　anyone　who　has　bee　well　known　as　an　author。　If　he　has　confined　his　attention　to　the　writing　of　law…books；　he　may　be　tolerated；　though　hardly；　but　if　his　efforts　have　been　on　the　imaginative　side　of　literature；　then