the days of my life-第91章

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　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　States；　and　to　inspect　and　to　report　to　him　upon　the　conditions　and　character　of　the　Agricultural　and　Industrial　Settlements　which　have　been　established　there　by　the　Salvation　Army；　with　a　view　to　the　transmigration　of　suitable　persons　from　the　great　cities　of　the　United　States　to　the　land　and　the　formation　of　Agricultural　munities。
2。　It　appears　to　the　Secretary　of　State　that；　if　these　experiments　are　found　to　be　successful；　some　analogous　system　might　with　great　advantage　be　applied　in　transferring　the　urban　populations　of　the　United　Kingdom　to　different　parts　of　the　British　Empire。
3。　You　should　pay　special　attention　to　the　class　of　persons　taken　by　the　Salvation　Army；　their　training　and　success　as　agricultural　settlers；　and　the　general　effect　upon　character　and　social　happiness；　you　should　also　consider　the　financial　aspects　of　the　experiments。
4。　It　would　be　desirable　that；　after　you　have　inspected　the　several　Settlements；　you　should　proceed　to　Ottawa　and　discuss　the　subject　with　Lord　Grey；　who　has　taken　great　interest　in　it；　as　well　as　with　such　local　authorities　as　may　be　indicated　to　you　by　the　Governor…General　as　likely　to　aid　you　with　advice　and　assistance　as　to　the　application　of　the　system　in　a　British　Colony。
5。　The　Rhodes　Trustees；　with　whom　the　suggestion　of　the　Inquiry　originated；　and　by　whom　Mr。　Lyttelton　has　been　asked　to　nominate　a　missioner；　have　made　a　grant　of　300　pounds；　including　all　travel　expenses；　to　meet　the　cost　of　the　Inquiry。
I　am；　Sir；
Your　obedient　servant；
Fred。　Graham。
H。　Rider　Haggard；　Esq。
I　remember　that　when　I　went　to　see　the　Colonial　Secretary　to　receive　his　verbal　instructions　before　sailing；　by　some　accident　I　missed　the　right　entrance　to　the　Colonial　Office　and　finally　obtained　admission　through　a　little　back…door。　At　the　time　this　circumstance　struck　me　as　curiously　emblematic　of　my　position。　For　after　a　cessation　of　twenty…six　years　was　I　not　once　again　entering　the　official　service　of　my　country　through　a　back…door；　by　means　of　this　unexpected　mission　with　which　I　was　now　honoured？
I　inspected　the　Salvation　Army　colony　at　Hadleigh。　Also　I　had　a　long　interview　with　General　Booth；　and　in　due　course　I　arrived　at　New　York　acpanied　by　my　daughter　Angela；　who　acted　as　my　secretary。　Here　I　was　seized　upon　by　interviewers；　one　instance　of　which　I　must　record；　because　it　is　amusing。　In　the　Waldorf　Hotel　we　had　three　rooms　—　my　daughter’s；　my　own；　and　a　place　for　sitting。　About　two　o’clock　one　night　the　telephone　in　each　of　these　rooms　（every　room　in　an　American　hotel　has　a　telephone）　began　to　ring　furiously。　I　leapt　from　my　bed　and　tried　to　attend　to　two　of　them。　While　I　was　doing　so　my　poor　daughter　arrived　shivering　in　her　nightgown　（there　were　many　degrees　of　frost）；　exclaiming；　“Oh；　Dad；　do　e　here！　There　is　a　lunatic　on　the　telephone　who　says　he　wants　me　to　e　out　walking　in　the　streets。”
It　turned　out　that　some　enterprising　newspaper　was　distributing　food　to　the　New　York　poor；　and　thought　that　it　might　get　an　advertisement　by　our　presence　at　the　process。
After