第25章

MYDEARCOLVIN，-OnTuesday，wehadouryoungadventurerready，andFanny，Belle，heandIsetoutaboutthreeofadark，deadlyhot，anddeeplyunwholesomeafternoon。Bellehadtheladbehindher；Ihadapintofchampagneineitherpocket，aparcelinmyhands，andasJackhadagirthsoreandIrodewithoutagirth，Imightbesaidtooccupyaveryunstrategicposition。Onthewaydown，alittledreary，beastlydrizzlebeginningtocomeoutofthedarkness，Fannyputupanumbrella，herhorsebounded，reared，cannonedintome，cannonedintoBelleandthelad，andboltedforhome。ItreallymightandoughttohavebeenanA1catastrophe；butnothinghappenedbeyondFanny’snervesbeingagooddealshattered；ofcourse，shecouldnottellwhathadhappenedtousuntilshegotherhorsemastered。

Nextday，HaggardwentofftotheCommissionandleftusinchargeofhishouse；allourpeoplecamedowninwreathsofflowers；wehadaboatforthem；HaggardhadaflagintheCommissionboatforus；andwhenatlastthesteamerturnedup，theyoungadventurerwascarriedonboardingreatstyle，withanewwatchandchain，andaboutthreepoundtenoftips，andfivebigbasketsoffruitasfree-willofferingstothecaptain。CaptainMorsehadusalltolunch；champagneflowed，sodidcompliments；andIdidtheaffablecelebritylife-sized。Itmadeagreatsend-offfortheyoungadventurer。Astheboatdrewoff，hewasstandingattheheadofthegangway，supportedbythreehandsomeladies-oneofthemarealfull-blownbeauty，MadameGreen，thesinger-

andlookingveryengaginghimself，betweensmilesandtears。

Notthathecriedinpublic。

My，butwewereatiredcrowd！However，itisalwaysablessingtogethome，andthistimeitwasasortofwondertoourselvesthatwegotbackalive。Casualties:Fanny’sbackjarred，horseincident；Belle，badheadache，tearsandchampagne；self，idiocy，champagne，fatigue；Lloyd，ditto，ditto。Asfortheadventurer，Ibelievehewillhaveadelightfulvoyageforhislittlestartinlife。Butthereisalwayssomethingtouchinginamite’sfirstlaunch。

DATEUNKNOWN。

IamnowwellonwiththethirdpartoftheDEBACLE。ThetwofirstIlikedmuch；thesecondcompletelyknockingme；sofarasithasgone，thisthirdpartappearstheramblingsofadullmanwhohasforgottenwhathehastosay-heremindsmeofanM。P。ButSedanwasreallygreat，andIwillpicknoholes。Thebatteriesunderfire，thered-crossfolk，thecountycharge-perhaps，aboveall，MajorBourocheandtheoperations，allbeyonddiscussion；andeverywordabouttheEmperorsplendid。

SEPTEMBER30TH。

DavidBalfourdone，anditsauthoralongwithit，ornearlyso。Strangetothinkofevenourdoctorhererepeatinghisnonsenseaboutdebilitatingclimate。Why，theworkIhavebeendoingthelasttwelvemonths，inonecontinuousspate，mostlywithannoyinginterruptionsandwithoutanycollapsetomention，wouldbeincredibleinNorway。ButIHAVEbrokendownnow，andwilldonothingaslongasIpossiblycan。

WithDavidBalfourIamverywellpleased；infacttheselaboursofthelastyear-ImeanFALESAANDD。B。，notSamoa，ofcourse-seemtometobenearerwhatImeanthananythingIhaveeverdone；nearerwhatImeanbyfiction；thenearestthingbeforewasKIDNAPPED。IamnotforgettingtheMASTEROFBALLANTRAE，butthatlackedallpleasurableness，andhencewasimperfectinessence。Soyousee，ifIamalittletired，Idonotrepent。

ThethirdpartoftheDEBACLEmaybeallveryfine；butI

cannotreadit。ItsuffersfromIMPAIREDVITALITY，andUNCERTAINAIM；twodeadlysicknesses。Vital-that’swhatI

amat，first:whollyvital，withabuoyancyoflife。Thenlyrical，ifitmaybe，andpicturesque，alwayswithanepicvalueofscenes，sothatthefiguresremaininthemind’seyeforever。

OCTOBER8TH。

Supposeyousentussomeofthecataloguesofthepartieswhatvendsstatutes？Idon’twantcolossalHerculeses，butaboutquartersizeandless。Ifthecatalogueswereillustrateditwouldprobablybefoundahelptoweakmemories。Thesemaybefoundtoalleviatesparemoments，whenwesometimesamuseourselvesbythinkinghowfineweshallmakethepalaceifwedonotgopop。Perhapsinthesamewayitmightamuseyoutosendusanypatternofwallpaperthatmightstrikeyouascheap，prettyandsuitableforaroominahotandextremelybrightclimate。Itshouldbeborneinmindthatourclimatecanbeextremelydarktoo。

Oursitting-roomistobeinvarnishedwood。TheroomIhaveparticu