下载辰思小说免费APP
MYDEARCOLVIN，-Ihavetothankyouthistimeforaverygoodletter，andwillannounceforthefuture，thoughI
cannotnowbegintoputinpractice，goodintentionsforourcorrespondence。Iwilltrytoreturntotheoldsystemandwritefromtimetotimeduringthemonth；buttrulyyoudidnotmuchencouragemetocontinue！However，thatisallby-
past。Idonotknowthatthereismuchinyourletterthatcallsforanswer。YourquestionsaboutST。IVESwerepracticallyansweredinmylast；sowereyourwailsabouttheedition，AMATEUREMIGRANT，etc。BytheendoftheyearST。
I。willbepracticallyfinished，whateveritbeworth，andthatIknownot。WhenshallIreceiveproofsoftheMAGNUM
OPUS？orshallIreceivethematall？
ThereturnoftheAmanuensisfeeblylightensmyheart。YoucanseetheheavyweatherIwasmakingofitwithmyunaidedpen。ThelastmonthhasbeenparticularlycheerylargelyowingtothepresenceofourgoodfriendstheCURACOAS。Sheisreallyamodelship，charmingofficersandcharmingseamen。Theygaveaballlastmonth，whichwasveryracketyandjoyousandnaval……
Onthefollowingday，aboutoneo’clock，threehorsemenmighthavebeenobservedapproachingVailima，whograduallyresolvedthemselvesintotwopettyofficersandanativeguide。Drawinghimselfupandsaluting，thespokesman(acorporalofMarines)addressedmethus。’MeandmyshipmatesinwitesMr。andMrs。Stevens，Mrs。Strong，Mr。Austin，andMr。Balfourtoaballtobegivento-nightintheself-same’all。’Itwasofcourseimpossibletorefuse，thoughI
contentedmyselfwithputtinginaverybriefappearance。
Oneglancewassufficient；theballwentofflikearocketfromthestart。IhadonlytimetowatchBellecareeringaroundwithagallantbluejacketofexactlyherownheight-
thestandardoftheBritishnavy-anexcellentdancerandconspicuouslyfullofsmall-talk-andtoheararemarkfromabeach-comber，’It’sanicesightthissomeway，toseetheofficersdancinglikethiswiththemen，butItellyou，sir，thesearethementhat’llfighttogether！’
Itellyou，Colvin，theacquaintanceofthemen-andboys-
makesmefeelpatriotic。EelesinparticularisamanwhomI
respect。Iamhalfinamindtogivehimaletterofintroductiontoyouwhenhegoeshome。Incaseyoufeelinclinedtomakealittleofhim，givehimadinner，askHenryJamestocometomeethim，etc-youmightletmeknow。Idon’tknowthathewouldshowhisbest，butheisaremarkablyfinefellow，ineverydepartmentoflife。
Wehaveothervisitorsinport。ACountFesteticsdeSolna，anAustrianofficer，averypleasant，simple，boyishcreature，withhisyoungwife，daughterofanAmericanmillionaire；heisafriendofourownCaptainWurmbrand，anditisagreatpityWurmbrandisaway。
GladyousawandlikedLysaght。Hehasleftinourhouseamostcheerfulandpleasingmemory，asagood，pleasant，briskfellowwithgoodhealthandbrains，andwhoenjoyshimselfandmakesotherpeoplehappy。Iamgladhegaveyouagoodreportofoursurroundingsandwayoflife；butIknewhewould，forIbelievehehadaglorioustime-andgaveone。
IamonfairtermswiththetwoTreatyofficials，thoughallsuchintimaciesareprecarious；withtheconsuls，Ineednotsay，mypositionisdeplorable。ThePresident(HerrEmilSchmidt)isaratherdreamyman，whomIlike。Lloyd，GrahamandIgotobreakfastwithhimto-morrow；thenextdaythewholepartyofuslunchontheCURACOAandgointheeveningtoaBIERABENDatDr。Funk’s。Wearegettingupapaper-
chaseforthefollowingweekwithsomeoftheyoungGermanclerks，andhaveinviewasortofchild’spartyforgrown-uppersonswithkissinggames，etc。，hereatVailima。Suchisthegaysceneinwhichwemove。NowIhavedonesomething，thoughnotasmuchasIwanted，togiveyouanideaofhowwearegettingon，andIamkeenlyconsciousthatthereareotherletterstodobeforethemailgoes-Yoursever，R。L。STEVENSON。
MYDEARCOLVIN，-Thisistoinformyou，sir，thatonSundaylast(andthisisTuesday)Iattainedmyidealhere，andwehadapaperchaseinVailelePlantation，about15miles，I
takeit，fromus；anditwasallthatcouldbewished。Itisreallybetterfunthanfollowingthehounds，sinceyouhavetobeyourownhound，andapreciousbadhoundIwas，followingeveryfalsescentonthewholecoursetothebitterend；butIcamein3rdatthelastonmylittleJack，whostucktoitgallantly，andawokethepraisesofsomediscriminatingpersons。(5+7+2。5=14。5miles；yes，thatisthecount。)Wehad
