the days of my life-第102章

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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