the days of my life-第54部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


n　years　ago　to　correct　it　for　a　new　illustrated　edition；　I　too　have　never　reread　it；　and　I　think　that　I　never　mean　to　do　so。　The　thing　is　a　living　record　of　our　shame　in　South　Africa；　written　by　one　by　whom　it　was　endured。　And　therefore　it　lives；　for　it　is　a　bit　of　history　put　into　tangible　and　human　shape。　At　any　rate；　the　other　day　the　publishers　kindly　sent　me　a　copy　of　the　twenty…seventh　edition　of　the　work；　which　of　course　has　been　circulated　in　countless　numbers　in　a　cheap　form。　I　believe　that　in　South　Africa　they　think　highly　of　“Jess”；　even　the　Boers　of　the　new　generation　read　it。　I　remember　that　when　some　of　their　trenches　were　stormed　in　the　last　war；　the　special　correspondents　reported　that　the　only　book　found　in　them　was　“Jess。”
I　returned　to　England　by　long　sea；　avoiding　the　train　journey　across　Europe。　This　I　undertook　when　I　went　out　in　order　to　study　the　Egyptian　collections　at　the　Louvre　and　Turin。　As　it　happened　I　never　saw　that　at　Turin。　When　I　arrived　there；　purposing　to　spend　an　afternoon　at　the　museum；　my　cabman　drove　me　to　a　distant　circus；　and　when　at　length　I　did　reach　the　said　museum；　it　was　to　find　that　on　this　particular　day　it　was　closed。
On　my　arrival　in　England　what　between　success　and　attacks　I　found　myself　quite　a　celebrity；　one　whose　name　was　in　everybody’s　mouth。　I　made　money；　for　instance　I　sold　“Cleopatra”　for　a　large　sum　in　cash；　and　also　“Colonel　Quaritch；　V。C。；”　a　tale　of　English　country　life　which　Longman　liked　—　it　was　dedicated　to　him　—　and　Lang　hated　it　so　much　that　I　think　he　called　it　the　worst　book　that　ever　was　written。　Or　perhaps　it　was　someone　else　who　favoured　it　with　that　description。　Some　of　this　money　I　lost；　for　really　I　had　not　time　to　look　after　it；　and　the　investments　suggested　by　kind　friends　connected　with　the　City　were　apt　to　prove　disappointing。　Some　of　it　I　spent　in　paying　off　back　debts　and　mortgages　on　our　property；　and　in　doing　up　this　house　which　it　sadly　needed；　as　well　as　countless　farm　buildings；　and　a　proportion　was　absorbed　by　our　personal　expenditure。　For　instance　we　moved　into　a　larger　house　in　Radcliffe　Square　and　there　entertained　a　little；　though　not　to　any　great　extent；　for　we　never　were　extravagant。　Also　I　became　what　is　called　famous；　which　in　practice　means　that　people　are　glad　to　ask　you　out　to　dinner；　and　when　you　enter　a　room　everyone　turns　to　look　at　you。　Also　it　means　that　bores　of　the　most　appalling　description　write　to　you　from　all　over　the　earth；　and　expect　answers。
Therefore；　although　I　had　the　affection　of　my　old　friends　and　made　one　or　two　new　ones；　such　as　Charles　Longman；　with　whom；　to　my　great　good　fortune；　I　began　to　grow　intimate　about　this　time；　it　came　about　that　I　was　much　envied　and　not　a　little　hated　by　many　who　made　my　life　bitter　with　constant　attacks　in　the　Press；　which；　being　somewhat　sensitive　by　nature；　I　was　foolish　enough　to　feel。　Indeed　there　came　a　time　when　for　a　good　many　years　I　would　read　no　reviews　of　my　books；　unless　chance　thrust　them　under　my　eyes。　Therefore　of　those　years　there　are　few　literary　records。
In　addition　to　much　worry；　my　work　at　this　time　was　truly　overwhelming。　The　unfortunate　agreement　to　which　I　have　already　alluded；　entered　into　with　the　firm　in　which　I　believe　Mr。　Maxwell；　the　late　husband　of　Miss　Braddon；　was　a　partner；　had　been　abrogated　without　a　lawsuit；　through　the　admirable　efforts　of　my　friend　and　agent；　Mr。　A。　P。　Watt。　But　this　was　done　at　a　price；　and　that　price　was　that　I　should　write　them　two　stories；　which　in　addition　to　my　other　and　more　serious　work　of　course　cost　me　time　and　labour。　The　tales　that　I　wrote　for　them　were　called　respectively　“Mr。　Meeson’s　Will”　and　“Allan’s　Wife。”　Ultimately；　after　various　“business　plications；”　in　the　course　of　which　I　lost　some　money　that　was　due　for　royalties；　together　with　“Dawn”　and　“The　Witch’s　Head；”　they　passed　into　the　hands　of　Messrs。　Longmans。
Then　I　began　“Cleopatra”　on　May　27；　1887；　and；　as　the　MS。　records；　finished　it　on　August　2nd　of　the　same　year。　In　order　to　do　this　I　fled　from　London　to　Ditchingham；　because　in　town　there　were　so　many　distractions　and　calls　upon　my　time　that　I　could　not　get　on　with　my　work。　I　remember　my　disgust　when　on　arrival　there　an　invitation　to　be　present　in　Westminster　Abbey　on　the　occasion　of　the　Jubilee　of　Queen　Victoria　was　forwarded　too　late　for　me　to　be　able　to　avail　myself　of　it。　Although　I　do　not　greatly　care　for　such　pomp　and　circumstance；　that　was　a　ceremony　which　I　should　have　liked　to　see。
Charles　Longman　thought　very　highly　indeed　of　“Cleopatra。”　Also；　he　backed　his　opinion　by　buying　the　copyright　of　the　book　for　a　large　sum　of　money。
By　the　way；　unluckily　for　myself；　I　also　sold　“Jess”　outright　and　not　for　a　large　sum。　Messrs。　Smith；　Elder；　however；　behaved　extremely　well　to　me；　for　when　the　novel　proved　such　a　great　success　they　sent　me　a　second　cheque　of　a　like　amount　as　that　they　had　given　for　the　copyright；　a　thing　which　perhaps　few　publishers　would　have　done。　Moreover；　a　dozen　years　or　so　later；　they　offered　to　give　me　back　a　half　interest　in　the　book　if　I　would　write　them　another　work。　This　I　was　very　anxious　to　do；　as　both　for　sentimental　and　business　reasons　I　should　much　have　liked　to　regain　a　part　proprietorship　in　“Jess。”　But　when　I　wrote　to　Charles　Longman　on　the　subject　he　begged　me　to　abandon　the　idea；　and　as　I　could　not　hurt　the　feelings　of　such　an　old　and　valued　friend；　I　did　so；　with　many　sighs。
I　should　explain　that　at　the　time　I　published　only　with　the　Longmans。　Afterwards　to　my　great　sorrow　I　was　obliged　to　abandon　this　arrangement；　for　the　reason　that　I　found　it　impossible　to　place　works　serially　unless　I　could　give　the　book　rights　as　well。　For　a　while　I　got　over　this　difficulty；　or　rather　Messrs。　Watt；　my　agents；　did；　by　selling　serial　rights　to　the　two　great　illustrated　papers。　But　in　course　of　time；　I　suppose　as　they　began　to　feel　the　pressure　of　the　petition　of　the　new　sixpenny　magazines；　they　gave　up　publishing　serials；　or　at　any　rate　paying　much　for　them。　So　I　had　to　go　to　those　who　would　run　the　serial　if；　and　only　if；　they　were　given　the　book　rights　also。
Lang　did　not　think　quite　so　highly　of　“Cleopatra”　as　Longman；　at　any　rate　at　first；　as　the　following　letter　shows：
You　will　loathe　me　for　the　advice；　but　if　I　were　you　I’d　put　“Cleopatra”　away　for　as　long　as　possible；　and　then　read　it　as　a　member　of　the　public。　You　will　find；　I　think；　that　between　chapters　3　and　8　it　is　too　long；　too　full　of　antiquarian　detail；　and　too　slow　in　movement　to　carry　the　general　public　with　it。　I　am　pretty　certain　of　this。　The　style　is　very　well　kept　up；　but　it　is　not　an　advantage　for　a　story　to　be　told　in　an　archaic　style　（this　of　course　is　unavoidable）。　For　that　reason　I　would　condense　a　good　deal　and　it　could　be　done。　You’ll　find　that　when　you　e　fresh　to　it　again。　The　topic　is　horribly　difficult：　there　is　a　kind　of　living　life　in　the　modern　Introduction　which　must　of　the　rest　wants；　as　far　as　I　have　gone。　I　see　pretty　clearly　where　and　how　the　condensing　could　be　done。　You　don’t　want　a　reader’s　interest　to　fall　asleep；　and　now　it　would　in　places。　I　am　writing　with　perfect　frankness　because；　of　course；　I　want　it　to　be　A1　in　its　genre　—　a　dreadfully　difficult　genre　it　is。　As　far　as　I　have　read　I　have　made　a　few　verbal　notes　where　the　style　occasionally　is　not　consistent。　But　the　main　thing　is；　at　any　expense；　to　hurry　on　more　—　to　give　the　impression　of　solemnity；　but　at　more　speed；　and　with　much　fewer　strokes。　I　know　you　hate　altering；　so　it　is　a　prendre　ou　a　laisser；　this　long　screed　of　opinion。　Of　course　I　see　it　is　a　book　you　have　written　for　yourself。　But　the　B。P。　must　also　be　thought　of。
In　a　second　letter；　written　about　the　same　time；　he　says：
I　gave　all　my　morning　to　“Cleopatra”　and　return　her。　After　Chapter　8　she’ll　do！　I　have　marked　a　good　many　minutiae　of　style；　or　expression。　In　a　few　places；　a　judicious　shortening　of　moral　reflections　by　Harmachis　would　give　him　more　point　to　my　mind。　Unluckily　neither　Harmachis　nor　Cleopatra　is　sympathetic。　Can’t　be　helped。　I　think　even　more　than　before　that　you　should　lighten　the　ship　by　greatly　shortening　between　chapters　3　and　8。　I　can　estimate　this；　because　today　I　read　slick　on　rapidly　and　was　interested　all　the　way。　In　the　earlier　part　my　attention　flagged　over　all　the　preparation；　and　many　a　traveller　would　not　have　persevered。　I　like　Antony；　but　don’t　feel　that　that　inexplicable　person　has　had　full　justice　done　him。　The　inevitably　archaic　style　will　not　make　it　more　popular；　but　that　can’t　possibly　be　helped。　As　a　whole　I　think　the　manner　is　very　well　kept　up。　I　venture　to　suggest　some　alterations　where　modern　words　e　in　out　of　tune。
Screw　it　a　little　tighter；　and　I　think　it　is　undeniably　an　artistic　piece　of　work。　The　imagination　kindles　up　after　the　killing　of　Paulus。　Before；　it　is　not　always　up　to　your　level　of　wakefulness　and　energy。　At　least　that’s　my　impression。　What　an　awful　piece　of　romance　the　end　is！　I　like　Charmion　to　turn　on　him　for　his　bullying　the　queen。　The　absence　of　any　business　for　the　other　girl；　Iras；　strikes　me　as　rather　a　pity。　I’d　like；　if　you　don’t　mind；　to　read　over　the　early　part　with　you　as　I　feel　a　good　deal　turns　on　adding　energy　to　that；　and　on　conde