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！
ished under the name of “Jess。” The manuscript of “Jess” does not state the date of its mencement； but at the end appears the date of December 31； 1885； showing that it was finished on that day。 This book I wrote for the most part in the chambers； at 1 Elm Court； that I shared with Mr。 Kerr； the son of missioner Kerr； upon an old teak table with a leather top。 This table； which I bought of a second…hand dealer； had evidently begun life in some ship where the cabins were low； for it was so short in the legs that； until they were heightened in some way； it used to make my back ache to write at it； also it has all the solidity mon to ship’s furniture。 Now it is used for trimming lamps in the basement of Ditchingham House。
Whenever I was not engaged in Court； where I hung about a great deal； and even for a while reported Divorce and Probate cases for The Times on behalf of that journal’s regular reporter； an old barrister name Kelly； when he was absent on a holiday； I sat at this table in the dingy room at 1 Elm Court and toiled at “Jess。” Sometimes this was no easy task； since young barristers of my acquaintance； with time upon their hands； would enter and scoff at my literary labours。 In the evening I placed what I had written in a kind of American cloth music…roll； which either my wife or Miss Barber made for me； and carried it home to West Kensington； so that I might continue my work after dinner。 In fact； there were two of these rolls。 The first of them I lost on my homeward way； I know not how or where。 It contained about a dozen foolscap sheets of closely written manuscript of one of the most important parts of the book； that which； amongst other things； describes the character of Frank Muller and how； after he had attempted the murder of Neal and Jess in the Vaal River； he galloped away pursued by his own terrors。 I remember that I was much distressed at this loss； thinking that what I had written was the best thing I had ever done。 I waited awhile； hoping that the address written within the case might bring it back to me。 But it never did。 So I rewrote the missing sheets from memory； which has never been my strong point。 I wonder whether they are better or worse than those that departed！
So soon as “Jess；” of which I will speak more hereafter； was finished； or rather about a month later； I began another tale which the world knows as “She。” The exact date of its mencement is uncertain； for it has been obliterated by a clip that fastened the manuscript together； and all that remains is “Feb。86。” At the end； however； is inscribed “Finished 18 March 1886。” Therefore； even supposing that it was begun upon the 1st February； which would mean that I had allowed myself a month’s rest after finishing “Jess；” the whole romance was pleted in a little over six weeks。 Moreover； it was never rewritten； and the manuscript carries but few corrections。 The fact is that it was written at white heat； almost without rest； and that is the best way to pose。
I remember that when I sat down to the task my ideas as to its development were of the vaguest。 The only clear notion that I had in my head was that of an immortal woman inspired by an immortal love。 All the rest shaped itself round this figure。 And it came — it came faster than my poor aching hand could set it down。
Well do I recall taking the pleted manuscript to the office of my literary agent； Mr。 A。 P。 Watt； and throwing it on the table with the remark： “There is what I shall be remembered by。” Well do I recall also visiting Mr。 Watt at his office； which then was at 2 Paternoster Square； and finding him out。 As the business was urgent； and I did not wish to have to return； I sat down at his table； asked for some foolscap； and in the hour or two that I had to wait wrote the scene of the destruction of She in the Fire of Life。 This； however； was of course a little while — it may have been a few days — before I delivered the manuscript。
It would seem； therefore； that between January 1885 and March 18； 1886； with my own hand； and unassisted by any secretary； I wrote “King Solomon’s Mines；” “Allan Quatermain；” “Jess；” and “She。” Also I followed my profession； spending many hours of each day studying in chambers； or in Court； where I had some devilling practice； carried on my usual correspondence； and attended to the affairs of a man with a young family and a certain landed estate。
A little later on the work grew even harder； for to it was added the toil of an enormous correspondence hurled at me by every kind of person from all over the earth。 If I may judge by those which remain marked with a letter A for “answered；” I seem to have done my best to reply to all these scribes； hundreds of them； even down to the autograph…hunter； a task which must have taken up a good part of every day； and this in addition to all my other work。 No wonder that my health began to give out at last； goaded as I was at that period of my life by constant and venomous attacks。
When “She” was in proof for serial publication in the Graphic I showed it to Andrew Lang。 He writes to me on July 12； 1886：
I have pretty nearly finished “She。” I really must congratulate you； I think it is one of the most astonishing romances I ever read。 The more impossible it is； the better you do it； till it seems like a story from the literature of another pla。 I can’t give a better account of the extraordinary impression it makes upon me； as to the Public I never can speak。
Then he makes some criticisms of the style； the ic element and the horrors； and ends with a P。S。 “I know I shan’t sleep。”
On the 25th of the same month Lang writes again：
I have just finished “She；” previously I skipped a bit to get to the end。 I certainly still think it the most extraordinary romance I ever read； and that’s why I want you to be very careful with the proofs； before it goes out in a volume。 。 。 。 I nearly cried over Ayesha’s end。 But how did she e to Kor？ There is a difficulty about Leo。 He is not made a very interesting person。 Probably he was only a fine animal。 Anyhow that can’t be helped now and never could perhaps。 I dare say Kallikrates was no better。 But some of the chaff in awful situations lets one down too suddenly。 I’d take other fellows’ advice about it； in some of the marked places。 I hope they find She in Thibet； and all die together。 ＇They did； practically； twenty years later； see “Ayesha。” — H。 R。 H。＇ By George； I’d have gone into the fire and chucked in She too； perhaps it would have picked her up again。
In another letter he says：
It is awfully good of you to think of putting my name in “She” and I consider it a great distinction。 The only thing is that； if you do； I shan’t be able to review it； except with my name signed thereto and my honest confession。 Probably I could do that in the Academy。 It is rather curious （plagiarism on your side again） that I was going to ask you to let me dedicate my little volume of tales； “That Missionary；” etc。 to you。
I may say here that Lang did review “She” in the Academy over his own name； but； I am almost sure； nowhere else； although I believe he was accused of having written a dozen or more notices of this work； and that he did dedicate “In the Wrong Paradise” to me in very charming language。
Having run through the Graphic； where it attracted a good deal of attention； “She” appeared as a six…shilling volume； I think the first or one of the first novels that was published in that form； some time in December 1886。 It was brought out by Messrs。 Longmans and very well got up； the elaborate sherd pounded by my sister…inlaw； then Miss Barber； and myself being reproduced in two plates at the beginning of the volume。 The illustrations by Messrs。 Greiffenhagen and Kerr were； however； added afterwards。 By the way； the reproduction of this sherd was shown as being from a genuine antique to Mr。 （afterwards Sir John） Evans； who of course was a great expert on such matters。 For a long while he peered at it through his eyeglasses and at last put it down； remarking； “All I can say is that it might possibly have been forged” — which I consider great testimony to the excellency of the sherd； which now reposes in a cupboard upstairs。15
15 It is now in Norwich Museum with the original MSS。 of many of Sir Rider’s tales。 — Ed。
The title “She；” if I remember aright； was taken from a certain rag doll； so named； which a nurse at Bradenham used to bring out of some dark recess in order to terrify those of my brothers and sisters who were in her charge。
“She” proved a great and immediate success； and I received many letters； of Sir Walter Besant； and one from Mr。 （now Sir Edmund） Gosse。
12 Gayton Crescent； Hampstead：
January 2； 1887。
My dear Haggard； — While I am under the spell of “Ayesha；” which I have only just finished； I must write to congratulate you upon a work which most certainly puts you at the head — a long away ahead
— of all contemporary imaginative writers。 If fiction is best cultivated in the field of pure invention then you are certainly the first of modern novelists。 “Solomon’s Mines” is left far behind。 It is not only the central conception that is so splendid in its audacity； but it is your logical and pitiless working out of the whole thing in its inevitable details that strikes me with astonishment。
I do not know what the critics will say about it。 Probably they will not read more than they can help and then let you off with a few general expressions。 If the critic is a woman she will put down this book with the remark that it is impossible — almost all women have this feeling towards the marvellous。
Whatever else you do； you will have “She” always behind you for purposes of odious parison。 And whatever critics say the book is bound to be a magnificent success。 Also it will produce a crop of imitators。 And all the little conventional story…tellers will be jogged out of their grooves — until they find new ones 。 。 。 。
Yours very sincerely；
Walter Besant。
Certainly Besant was quite right when he said that I should always have “She” behind me “for purposes of odious parison。” I always have。 Quite a large proportion of my critics during many years have mentioned in the course of their reviews of various works from my pen that the one under consideration is not another “She；” or words to that effect。 As though a man’s brain could harbour a host of “Shes”！ Such literary polygamy is not possible。 Only one love of this kind is given to him。
The second letter that I a friend who I am glad to say still lives； Mr。 Edmund Gosse； the distinguished author and man of letters。16
16 Now Sir Edmund Gosse； C。B。
29 Delamere Terrace： January 8； 1887。
My dear Mr。 Rider Haggard； — I feel constrained to write again to you about “She” before the impression the book has made upon my mind in any degree wears off。 In construction I think you have been successful to a very marvellous degree。 The quality of the invention increases as you go on； and the latest chapters are the best。 Indeed it does not appear to me that I have ever been thrilled and terrified by any literature as I have by pp。 271…306 of “She。” It is simply unsurpassable。
All through the book there are points which I have noted for the highest praise； the