We are told to return to…morrow； I refuse； and at last we are
very sourly received； sit on the mats； and I open out；
through a very poor interpreter； and sometimes hampered by
unacceptable counsels from my backers。 I can speak fairly
well in a plain way now。 C。 asked me to write out my
harangue for him this morning； I have done so； and couldn't
get it near as good。 I suppose （talking and interpreting） I
was twenty minutes or half…an…hour on the deck； then his
majesty replied in the dying whisper of a big chief； a few
words of rejoinder （approving）； and the deputation withdrew；
rather well satisfied。
A few days ago this intervention would have been a deportable
offence； not now； I bet； I would like them to try。 A little
way back along Mulinuu； Mrs。 G。 met us with her husband's
horse； and he and she and Lloyd and I rode back in a heavenly
moonlight。 Here ends a chapter in the life of an island
politician！ Catch me at it again； 'tis easy to go in； but it
is not a pleasant trade。 I have had a good team； as good as
I could get on the beach； but what trouble even so； and what
fresh troubles shaping。 But I have on the whole carried all
my points； I believe all but one； and on that （which did not
concern me） I had no right to interfere。 I am sure you would
be amazed if you knew what a good hand I am at keeping my
temper； talking people over； and giving reasons which are not
my reasons； but calculated for the meridian of the particular
objection； so soon does falsehood await the politician in his
whirling path。
CHAPTER XII
MAY； OCTOBER 24TH。
MY DEAR CARTHEW； … See what I have written； but it's Colvin
I'm after … I have written two chapters； about thirty pages
of WRECKER since the mail left； which must be my excuse； and
the bother I've had with it is not to be imagined； you might
have seen me the day before yesterday weighing British sov。's
and Chili dollars to arrange my treasure chest。 And there
was such a calculation； not for that only； but for the ship's
position and distances when … but I am not going to tell you
the yarn … and then； as my arithmetic is particularly lax；
Lloyd had to go over all my calculations； and then； as I had
changed the amount of money； he had to go over all HIS as to
the amount of the lay； and altogether； a bank could be run
with less effusion of figures than it took to shore up a
single chapter of a measly yarn。 However； it's done； and I
have but one more； or at the outside two； to do； and I am
Free！ and can do any damn thing I like。
Before falling on politics； I shall give you my day。 Awoke
somewhere about the first peep of day； came gradually to； and
had a turn on the verandah before 5。55； when 'the child' （an
enormous Wallis Islander） brings me an orange； at 6；
breakfast； 6。10； to work； which lasts till； at 10。30； Austin
comes for his history lecture； this is rather dispiriting；
but education must be gone about in faith … and charity； both
of which pretty nigh failed me to…day about （of all things）
Carthage； 11； luncheon； after luncheon in my mother's room； I
read Chapter XXIII。 of THE WRECKER； then Belle； Lloyd； and I
go up and make music furiously till about 2 （I suppose）； when
I turn into work again till 4； fool from 4 to half…past；
tired out and waiting for the bath hour； 4。30； bath； 4。40；
eat two heavenly mangoes on the verandah； and see the boys
arrive with the pack…horses； 5； dinner； smoke； chat on
verandah； then hand of cards； and at last at 8 come up to my
room with a pint of beer and a hard biscuit； which I am now
consuming； and as soon as they are consumed I shall turn in。
Such are the innocent days of this ancient and outworn
sportsman； to…day there was no weeding； usually there is
however； edge in somewhere。 My books for the moment are a
crib to Phaedo； and the second book of Montaigne； and a
little while back I was reading Frederic Harrison； 'Choice of
Books；' etc。 … very good indeed； a great deal of sense and
knowledge in the volume； and some very true stuff； CONTRA
Carlyle； about the eighteenth century。 A hideous idea came
over me that perhaps Harrison is now getting OLD。 Perhaps
you are。 Perhaps I am。 Oh； this infidelity must be stared
firmly down。 I am about twenty…three … say twenty…eight； you
about thirty； or； by'r lady； thirty…four； and as Harrison
belongs to the same generation； there is no good bothering
about him。
Here has just been a fine alert； I gave my wife a dose of
chlorodyne。 'Something wrong；' says she。 'Nonsense；' said
I。 'Embrocation；' said she。 I smelt it； and … it smelt very
funny。 'I think it's just gone bad； and to…morrow will
tell。' Proved to be so。
WEDNESDAY。
HISTORY OF TUESDAY。 … Woke at usual time； very little work；
for I was tired； and had a job for the evening … to write
parts for a new instrument； a violin。 Lunch； chat； and up to
my place to practise； but there was no practising for me … my
flageolet was gone wrong； and I had to take it all to pieces；
clean it； and put it up again。 As this is a most intricate
job … the thing dissolves into seventeen separate members；
most of these have to be fitted on their individual springs
as fine as needles； and sometimes two at once with the
springs shoving different ways … it took me till two。 Then
Lloyd and I rode forth on our errands； first to Motootua；
where we had a really instructive conversation on weeds and
grasses。 Thence down to Apia； where we bought a fresh bottle
of chlorodyne and conversed on politics。
My visit to the King； which I thought at the time a
particularly nugatory and even schoolboy step； and only
consented to because I had held the reins so tight over my
little band before； has raised a deuce of a row … new
proclamation； no one is to interview the sacred puppet
without consuls' permission； two days' notice； and an
approved interpreter … read （I suppose） spy。 Then back； I
should have said I was trying the new horse； a tallish
piebald； bought from the circus； he proved steady and safe；
but in very bad condition； and not so much the wild Arab
steed of the desert as had been supposed。 The height of his
back； after commodious Jack； astonished me； and I had a great
consciousness of exercise and florid action； as I posted to
his long； emphatic trot。 We had to ride back easy； even so
he was hot and blown； and when we set a boy to lead him to
and fro； our last character for sanity perished。 We returned
just neat for dinner； and in the evening our violinist
arrived； a young lady； no great virtuoso truly； but plucky；
industrious； and a good reader； and we played five pieces
with huge amusement； and broke up at nine。 This morning I
have read a splendid piece of Montaigne； written this page of
letter； and now turn to the WRECKER。
WEDNESDAY … November 16th or 17th … and I am ashamed to say
mail day。 The WRECKER is finished； that is the best of my
news； it goes by this mail to Scribner's； and I honestly
think it a good yarn on the whole and of its measly kind。
The part that is genuinely good is Nares； the American
sailor； that is a genuine figure； had there been more Nares
it would have been a better book； but of course it didn't set
up to be a book； only a long tough yarn with some pictures of
the manners of to…day in the greater world … not the shoddy
sham world of cities； clubs； and colleges； but the world
where men still live a man's life。 The worst of my news is
the influenza； Apia is devastate； the shops closed； a ball
put off； etc。 As yet we have not had it at Vailima； and； who
knows？ we may escape。 None of us go down； but of course the
boys come and go。
Your letter had the most wonderful 'I told you so' I ever
heard in the course of my life。 Why； you madman； I wouldn't
change my present installation for any post； dignity； honour；
or advantage conceivable to me。 It fills the bill； I have
the loveliest time。 And as for wars and rumours of wars； you
surely know enough of me to be aware that I like that also a
thousand times better than decrepit peace in Middlesex？ I do
not quite like politics； I am too aristocratic； I fear； for
that。 God knows I don't care who I chum with； perhaps like
sailors best； but to go round and sue and sneak to keep a
crowd together … never。 My imagination； which is not the
least damped by the idea of having my head cut off in the
bush； recoils aghast from the idea of a life like
Gladstone's； and the shadow of the newspaper chills me to the
bone。 Hence my late eruption was interesting； but not what I
like。 All else suits me in this （killed a mosquito） A1
abode。
About politics。 A determination was come to by the President
that he had been an idiot； emissaries came to G。 and me to
kiss and be friends。 My man proposed I should have a
personal interview； I said it was quite useless； I had
nothing to say； I had offered him the chance to inform me；
had pressed it on him； and had been very unpleasantly
received； and now 'Time was。' Then it was decided that I was
to be made a culprit against Germany； the German Captain … a
delightful fellow and our constant visitor … wrote to say
that as 'a German officer' he could not come even to say
farewell。 We all wrote back in the most friendly spirit；
telling him （politely） that some of these days he would be
sorry； and we should be delighted to see our friend again。
Since then I have seen no German shadow。
Mataafa has been proclaimed a rebel； the President did this
act； and then resigned。 By singular good fortune； Mataafa
has not yet moved； no thanks to our idiot governors。 They
have shot their bolt； they have made a rebel of the only man
（TO THEIR OWN KNOWLEDGE； ON THE REPORT OF T