Itsoundedverypeaceful，sweetandstrangeinthedark；andIfoundthiswasapartoftheroutineofmyrebel’snight，anditwasdone(hesaid)togivegooddreams。Byalittlebeforesix，TaylorandIwereinthesaddleagainfasting。
MyridingbootsweresowetIcouldnotgetthemon，soI
mustridebarefoot。Themorningwasfairbuttheroadsverymuddy，theweedssoakedusnearlytothewaist，Salewastwicespiltatthefences，andwegottoApiaabedraggledenoughpair。Allthewayalongthecoast，thepate(smallwoodendrum)wasbeatinginthevillagesandthepeoplecrowdingtothechurchesintheirfineclothes。Thencethroughthemangroveswamp，amongtheblackmudandthegreenmangroves，andtheblackandscarletcrabs，toMulinuu，tothedoctor’s，whereIhadanerrand，andsototheinntobreakfastaboutnine。AfterbreakfastIrodehome。Conceivesuchanouting，rememberthepallidbrutethatlivedinSkerryvorelikeaweevilinabiscuit，andreceivetheintelligencethatIwasratherthebetterformyjourney。
Twentymilesride，sixteenfencestaken，tenofthemilesinadrenchingrain，sevenofthemfastingandinthemorningchill，andsixstrickenhours’politicaldiscussionsbyaninterpreter；tosaynothingofsleepinginanativehouse，atwhichmanyofourexcellentliteratiwouldlookaskanceofitself。
Youaretounderstand:ifItakeallthisbother，itisnotonlyfromasenseofduty，oraloveofmeddling-damnthephrase，takeyourchoice-butfromagreataffectionforMataafa。Heisabeautiful，sweetoldfellow，andheandI
grewquitefulsomeonSaturdaynightaboutoursentiments。I
hadamessengerfromhimto-daywithaflannelundershirtwhichIhadleftbehindlikeagibberingidiot；andperpetratedinreplyanotherbabooletter。Itrainsagainto-daywithoutmercy；blessed，welcomerains，makingupforthepaucityofthelatewetseason；andwhentheshowersslacken，Icanhearmystreamroaringinthehollow，andtellmyselfthatthecacaosaredrinkingdeep。IamdesperatelyhuntedtofinishmySamoabookbeforethemailgoes；thislastchapterisequallydelicateandnecessary。Theprayersofthecongregationarerequested。Eheu！anditwillbeendedbeforethisletterleavesandprintedintheStatesereyoucanreadthisscribble。Thefirstdinnergonghassounded；JEVOUSSALUE，MONSIEURETCHERCONFRERE。TOFA，SOIFUA！Sleep！longlife！asourSamoansalutationoffarewellruns。
FRIDAY，MAY13TH。
Well，thelastchapter，byfarthemostdifficultandungrateful，iswellunderway，IhavebeenfromsixtosevenhoursuponitdailysinceIlastwrote；andthatisallI
havedoneforbyeworkingatSamoanratherhard，andgoingdownonWednesdayeveningtotheclub。Imakesomeprogressnowatthelanguage；IamteachingBelle，whichclearsandexercisesmyself。IamparticularlytakenwiththeFINESSE
ofthepronouns。Thepronounsarealldualandpluralandthefirstperson，bothinthedualandplural，hasaspecialexclusiveandinclusiveform。Youcanconceivewhatfineeffectsofprecisionanddistinctioncanbereachedincertaincases。TakeRuth，i。VV。8to13，andimaginehowthosepronounscomein；itisexquisitelyelegant，andmakesthemouthoftheLITTERATEURtowater。Iamgoingtoexercitatemypupiloverthoseversesto-dayforpronounpractice。
TUESDAY。
Yesterdaycameyours。Well，well，ifthedearspreferaweek，why，I’llgivethemtendays，buttherealdocument，fromwhichIhavescarcelyvaried，ranforonenight。I
thinkyouseemscarcelyfairtoWiltshire，whohadsurely，underhisbeast-ignorantways，rightnoblequalities。AndI
thinkperhapsyouscarcedojusticetothefactthatthisisaplaceofrealismAOUTRANCE；nothingextenuatedorcoloured。Lookedatso，isitnot，withallitstragicfeatures，wonderfullyidyllic，withgreatbeautyofsceneandcircumstance？Andwillyoupleasetoobservethatalmostallthatisuglyisinthewhites？I’llapologiseforPapaRandalifyoulike；butifItoldyouthewholetruth-forI
didextenuatethere！-andheseemedtomeessentialasafigure，andessentialasapawninthegame，Wiltshire’sdisgustforhimbeingoneofthesmall，efficientmotivesinthestory。NowitwouldhavetakenafairishdosetodisgustWiltshire-Again，theideaofpublishingtheBeachsubstantivelyisdropped-atonce，bothonaccountofexpostulation，andbecauseitmeasuredshorterthanIhadexpected。Anditwasonlytakenup，whentheproposedvolume，BEACHDEMAR，peteredout。Itpeteredoutthus:thechiefoftheshortstoriesgotsuckedintoSOPHIASCARLET-
andSophiaisabookIammuchtakenwith，andmeantogetto，assoonas-butnotbefore-IhavedoneDAVIDBALFOUR
andTHEYOUNGCHEVALIER。SoyouseeyouareliketohearnomoreofthePacificorthenineteenthcenturyforawhile。
THEYOUNGCHEVALIERisastoryofsentimentandpassion，whichImeantowritealittledifferentlyfromwhatIhavebeendoing-ifIcanhitthekey；rathermoreofasentimentaltremolotoit。ItmaythushelptopreparemeforSOPHIA，whichistocontainthreeladies，andakindofaloveaffairbetweentheheroineandadyingplanterwhoisapoet！largeordersforR。L。S。
OtheGermantabooisquiteover；nosoulattemptstosupporttheC。J。orthePresident，theyarepasthope；thewhiteshavejustrefusedtheirtaxes-Imeanthecouncilhasrefusedtocallforthem，andifthecouncilconsented，nobodywouldpay；’tisafarce，andthecurtainisgoingtofallbriefly。ConsequentlyinmyHistory，Isayaslittleasmaybeofthetwodwindlingstars。Poordevils！Ilikedtheone，andtheotherhasalittlewife，nowlyingin！TherewasnomanbornwithsolittleanimosityasI。WhenIheardtheC。J。wasinlowspiritsandneverlefthishouse，I
couldscarcerefrainfromgoingtohim。
ItwasafinefeelingtohavefinishedtheHistory；thereoughttobeafuturestatetorewardthatgrind！It’snotliterature，youknow；onlyjournalism，andpedanticjournalism。Ihadbuttheonedesire，togetthethingasrightasmightbe，andavoidfalseconcords-evenifthat！
Anditwasmorethantherewastimefor。However，thereitis:done。AndifSamoaturnsupagainmybookhastobecountedwith，beingtheonlynarrativeextant。MiltonandI-
ifyoukindlyexcusethejuxtaposition-harnessedourselvestostrangewaggons，andIatleastwillbefoundtohaveploddedverysoberlywithmyload。Thereisnotevenagoodsentenceinit，butperhaps-Idon’tknow-itmaybefoundanhonest，clearvolume。
WEDNESDAY。
Nevergotawordsetdown，andcontinuesonThursday19thMay，hisownmarriagedayaseverwas。News；yes。TheC。J。
cameuptocallonus！Afterfivemonths’cessationonmyside，andadecidedlypainfulinterchangeofletters，Icouldnotgodown-couldnot-toseehim。Mythreeladiesreceivedhim，however；hewasveryagreeableasusual，butrefusedwine，beer，water，lemonade，chocolateandatlastacigarette。Thenmywifeaskedhim，’Soyourefusetobreakbread？’andhewavedhishandsamiablyinanswer。Allmythreeladiesreceivedthesameimpressionthathehadseriousmattersinhismind:nowwehearheisquitecock-a-hoopsincethemailcame，andgoingaboutasbeforehistroublesdarkened。Butwhatdidhewantwithme？’Tisthoughthehadreceivedadespatch-andthathemisreadsit(sowefullybelieve)totheeffectthattheyaretohavewarshipsatcommandandcanmaketheirlittlewarafterall。Ifitbeso，andtheydoit，itwillbethemeanestwantonslaughterofpoormenforthesalariesoftwowhitefailures。Butwhatwashiserrandwithme？PerhapstowarnmethatunlessI
behavehenowhopestobeabletopackmeoffintheCURACOA
whenshecomes。
IhavecelebratedmyholidayfromSAMOAbyaplungeatthebeginningofTHEYOUNGCHEVALIER。Iamafraidmytouchisalittlebroadinalovestory；Ican’tmeanonethingandwriteanother。Asforwomen，Iamnomoreinanyfearofthem；Icandoasortallright；agemakesmelessafraidofapetticoat，butIamalittleinfearofgrossness。
However，thisDavidBalfour’sloveaffair，that’sallright-
mightbereadouttoamothers’meeting-oradaughters’
meeting。Thedifficultyinaloveyarn，whichdwellsatallonlove，isthedwellingononestring；itismanifold，I
grant，buttherootfactisthereunchanged，andthesentimentbeingveryintense，andalreadyverymuchhandledinletters，positivelycallsforalittlepawingandgracing。
Withawriterofmyprosaicliteralnessandpertinencyofpointofview，thisallshovestowardgrossness-positivelyeventowardsthefarmoredamnableCLOSENESS。Thishaskeptmeoffthesentimenthitherto，andnowIamtotry:Lord！OfcourseMeredithcandoit，andsocouldShakespeare；butwithallmyromance，Iamarealistandaprosaist，andamostfanaticalloverofplainphysicalsensationsplainlyandexpresslyrendered；hencemyperils。TodoloveinthesamespiritasIdid(forinstance)D。Balfour’sfatigueintheheather；mydearsir，thereweregrossness-readymade！Andhence，howtosugar？However，IhavenearlydonewithMarie-
Madeleine，andamingoodhopesofMarie-Salome，therealheroine；theotherisonlyaprologuialheroinetointroducethehero。
FRIDAY。
Anyway，thefirstprologuialepisodeisdone，andFannylikesit。Thereareonlyfourcharacters；FrancisBlairofBalmile(JacobiteLordGladsmuir)myhero；theMasterofBallantrae；
Paradon，awine-sellerofAvignon；Marie-Madeleinehiswife。
ThesetwolastIamnowdonewith，andIthinktheyaresuccessful，andIhopeIhaveBalmileonhisfeet；andthestyleseemstobefound。Itisalittlechargedandviolent；
sinsonthesideofviolence；butIthinkwillcarrythetale。Ithinkitisagoodideasotointroducemyhero，beingmadelovetobyanepisodicwoman。Thisqueertale-I
meanqueerforme-hastakenagreatholduponme。WherethedevilshallIgonext？ThisissimplythetaleofaCOUP
DETETEofayoungmanandayoungwoman；withanearly，perhapsawholly，tragicsequel，whichIdesiretomakethinkablerightthrough，andsensible；tomakethereader，asfarasIshallbeable，eatanddrinkandbreatheit。Marie-
SalomedesSaintes-Mariesis，Ithink，theheroine’sname；
shehasgottoBEyet:SURSUMCORDA！SohastheyoungChevalier，whomIhavenotyettouched，andwhocomesnextinorder。Characters:Balmile，orLordGladsmuir，COMMEVOUS
VOULEZ；PrinceCharlie；EarlMarischal；MasterofBallantrae；
andaspy，andDr。ArchieCampbell，andafewnondescripts；
then，ofwomen，Marie-SalomeandFloraBlair；sevenattheoutside；reallyfourfulllengths，andIsupposeahalf-dozenepisodicprofiles。HowImustboreyouwiththeseineptitudes！Havepatience。Iamgoingtobed；itis(ofallhours)eleven。Ihavebeenforcedin(sinceIbegantowritetoyou)toblattertoFannyonthesubjectofmyheroine，therebeingtwoCRUCESastoherlifeandhistory:
howcameshealone？andhowfardidshegowiththeChevalier？ThesecondmustansweritselfwhenIgetnearenoughtosee。Thefirstisaback-breaker。YetIknowtherearemanyreasonswhyaFILLEDEFAMINE，romantic，adventurous，ambitious，innocentoftheworld，mightrunfromherhomeinthesedays；mightshenothavebeenthreatenedwithaconvent？mighttherenotbesomeHuguenotbusinessmixedin？HereamI，farfrombooks；ifyoucanhelpmewithasuggestion，IshallsayGodblessyou。Shehastobenewrunawayfromastrictfamily，well-justifiedinherownwildbuthonesteyes，andmeetingthesethreemen，CharlesEdward，Marischal，andBalmile，throughtheaccidentofafireataninn。Shemustnotrunfromamarriage，Ithink；itwouldbringherinthewrongframeofmind。OnceIcangether，SOLA，onthehighway，allwerewellwithmynarrative。
Perpend。Andhelpifyoucan。
Lafaele，long(Ihope)familiartoyou，hasthisdayreceivedthevisitofhisSONfromTonga；andtheSONprovestobeaverypretty，attractiveyoungdaughter！Igavealltheboyskavainhonourofherarrival；alongwithalean，side-
whiskeredTongan，dimlysupposedtobeLafaele’sstep-father；
andtheyhavebeenhavingagoodtime；intheendofmyverandah，IhearSimi，mypresentincapablesteward，talkingTonganwiththenondescriptpapa。Simi，ourout-doorboy，burstasuccessionofblood-vesselsoverourwork，andIhadtomakeapositionforthewreckofoneofthenoblestfiguresofamanIeversaw。IbelieveImayhavementionedtheotherdayhowIhadtoputmyhorsetothetrot，thecanterand(atlast)thegalloptorunhimdown。InaphotographIhopetosendyou(perhapswiththis)youwillseeSimistandingintheverandahinprofile。Asasteward，oneofhischiefpointsistobreakcrystal；heisgreatonfracture-whatdoIsay？-explosion！Hecleansaglass，andtheshardsscatterlikeacomet’sbowels。
N。B-IfIshouldbyanychancebedeported，thefirstoftheruleshungupforthatoccasionistocommunicatewithyoubytelegraph-Mind，Idonotfearit，butitIS
possible。
MONDAY25TH。
Wehavehadadevilofamorningofupsetandbustle；thebronzecandlestickFaaumahasreturnedtothefamily，intimetotakeherpositionofstepmamma，anditisprettytoseehowthechildisatonceathome，andallherterrorsended。
