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！
an as she of the Egyptian picture； or very like her； with the identical large violet eyes； although rather taller。 She is clothed in a tight…fitting grey dress； quite plain and without ornament； made of some rough frieze and showing the outline of the figure beneath。 The hair is fair； but I cannot remember exactly how it was arranged。 The woman is evidently in great grief。 She sits； her elbow resting on her knee； her chin in her hand； and stares hopelessly into the fire。 Presently something attracts her attention； for she looks towards the door by the table； which opens and admits through it a tall man； who； I know； is myself； wearing armour； for I catch the sheen of it in the firelight。 The woman springs from the bench； runs round the fire； apparently screaming； and throws herself on to the breast of the man。
The general impression left is that she had believed him to be dead when he； probably her husband； appeared alive and well。
（Some months later I was favoured with an impression of another scene set in the same surroundings。 In this picture postscript； if I may call it so； the identical man and woman； now persons of early middle age； were standing together in bitter sorrow over the doubled…up and fully…dressed body of a beautiful lad of about eighteen years of age。 Although I saw no wet upon his clothes I think that he had been drowned。）
5。 The mouth of a tunnel or mine…adit running into a bare hillside strewn with rocks and debris。 Standing outside the tunnel a short； little woman of about twenty…five； with black hair； brown eyes； and brownish but not black skin； lightly clad in some nondescript kind of garment。 Resting on her； his arms about her shoulders； an elderly man； very thin and short； with a sad； finely…cut face and sparse grizzled beard； wearing a dingy loin…cloth。 The man’s right foot covered with blood； and so badly crushed that one of the bones projects from the instep。 The woman weeping。 By his side on the ground a kind of basket filled with lumps of ore； designed to be carried on the back and fitted with two flat loops of hide； with a breast…strap connecting them； something on the principle of a children’s toy reins。 Growing near by a plant of the aloe tribe； the bottom leaves dead； and some of those above scratched in their fleshy substance； as though for amusement。
Walking up the slope towards the pair a coarse； strong； vigorous； black…bearded man with projecting eyes。 He is clothed in white robes and wears a queer…shaped hat or cap； I think with a point to it。 From an ornamented belt about his middle hangs a short sword in a scabbard； with a yellowish handle ending in a knob shaped like to the head of a lion。 He carries over his head a painted umbrella or sunshade that will not shut up； and is made either of thin strips of wood or of some kind of canvas stretched on a wooden frame。
General idea connected with the dream is that this man is an overseer of slaves who is about to kill the injured person as useless and take the woman for himself。 She might be the daughter of the injured man； or possibly a wife a good deal younger than he。 In any case she is intimately connected with him。 Further idea。 That the injured man was once an individual of consequence who has been reduced to slavery by some invading and more powerful race。
The characteristics of the site of the picture remind me of Cyprus。
I described these tableaux to Sir Oliver Lodge when I met him in the Athenaeum not long ago； and asked him his opinion concerning them。 He was interested； but replied that if they had appeared to him he would have thought more of them than he did as they had appeared to me； because he said that he lacked imagination。 The curious little details such as that of the dark…coloured trout on the table in No。 4； and that of the scratchings on the aloe leaves in No。 5； seemed to strike him very much； as did the fact that all the scenes were such as might very well； and indeed doubtless have occurred again and again in the course of our long human history； from the time of the cave…dwellers onwards。 Probably if we could trace our ancestors back to the beginning； we should find that on one occasion or another they have happened to some of them。 I may add that by far the prettiest and most idyllic of these pictures was that of the primitive family in the midst of its green setting of hazel boughs by the mouth of the cave。 Only over it； as I have said； like a thunder…cloud brooded the sense of something terrible that was about to happen。 I wonder what it was。
And now farewell to the occult。 Mysticism in moderation adds a certain zest to life and helps to lift it above the level of the monplace。 But it is at best a dangerous sea to travel before the time。 The swimmer therein will do well to keep near to this world’s sound and friendly shore lest the lights he sees from the crest of those bewildering； phantom waves should madden or blind him； and he sink； never to rise again。 It is not good to listen for too long to the calling of those voices wild and sweet。
Chapter 20 THE ROOSEVELT LETTERS
Appointed missioner to report to Secretary of State for Colonies on Salvation Army Labour Colonies in U。S。A。 — Alfred Lyttelton — H。 R。 H。‘s daughter Angela goes with him as secretary — Washington — Mr。 Hay — President Roosevelt — The White House — Notes of interview with Roosevelt — Correspondence with Roosevelt。
On January 1905 I received； quite unexpectedly； the following letter from the Right Hon。 Alfred Lyttelton； who at that date was Secretary of State for the Colonies。
Downing Street： January 14； 1905。
Dear Mr。 Rider Haggard； — The Rhodes trustees have agreed to give a sum of 300 pounds （inclusive of all expenses） to defray the expense of sending a missioner to the United States to inspect and report upon the “Labour Colonies” established in the United States by the Salvation Army。 There appear to be at present three of these； in California； Colorado； and Ohio； and they are used for the transmigration of persons from the big American cities。 It is thought that if on inquiry this system is found to be financially sound and to be a real benefit to the poorer classes； it might prove a useful model for some analogous system of settlement from the United Kingdom to the Colonies。
It is the desire of the Rhodes Trustees that the missioner should be nominated by and report to the Secretary of State for the Colonies。
I should be very glad if you would consent to do the work； for which your experience as an observer both of men and agricultural affairs so eminently qualifies you。 The remuneration is not very great； but the interest of the question to which the inquiry will relate and the public service which the missioner will be able to do may induce you； I hope； to undertake it。
If you go； you would in the first place be put into munication with the Salvation Army authorities。 Mr。 Booth Tucker； who mands their United States branch； considers that the missioner should start as early in the year as practicable； because he would have better opportunities of seeing the settlers and talking with them before the more strenuous agricultural operations have menced。
I should therefore be obliged if you would be so good as to let me know in a few days whether you will be able and willing to go； and if so； whether you could start in February。
Yours faithfully；
Alfred Lyttelton。
H。 Rider Haggard； Esq。
I extract the following passage from my answer：
I thank you for your letter and the pliment you have paid me。 I accept your invitation to undertake this mission； especially as the subject is one that interests me very much； indeed I was speaking on a branch of it at the meeting at York last week of which Mr。 Seebohm Rowntree was chairman。 。 。 。 I understand that I shall receive my appointment as missioner and my instructions from you as Secretary of State； not from the Rhodes Trustees； and that it will be so gazetted。
Shortly after I received a letter from Mr。 Lyttelton’s secretary； Mr。 Graham； which I print to show what were the exact terms of my instructions。
Downing Street： January 31； 1905。
Sir； — I am directed by Mr。 Secretary Lyttelton to inform you that he has nominated you to be a missioner to proceed to the United