the days of my life-第109章
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Societies having any experience worth talking of； with whom we could bine。 And as you know nothing is more futile； or more dangerous； than advising people to advance money on purely speculative proposals。
I have asked Booth…Tucker to send you a copy of the letter from Bernard Holland from which it appears that the mittee desire us to give evidence to prove that men taken from our cities will settle successfully in the prairie of Canada！ Now we shall be very reluctant to attempt such proof； even if we may feel strongly that the work could be done。 It seems to us scarcely reasonable。 Moreover evidence w（d） have to be sought in Canada； and considerable expense w（d） be incurred。 It w（d） appear that in some way there is a wish to set up y（r） Report in order to shoot at it！ That is hardly what you； or we； were led to expect。 However； I expect to be in Town on Friday and will consider what can be done。 The matter is so important that we must not unduly hurry it。
My own feeling is that Gov（t） has already ceased any serious intention in this matter — they are practically in a state of suspended animation。
I must see you。 The General does not expect to be in London until the end of this motor campaign — Sept。 9th。
Very f’fully；
W。 Bramwell Booth。
H。 Rider Haggard； Esq。
There is a mass of further documentary evidence on this question； but probably the above examples will suffice to explain everything with sufficient clearness。 Such letters are valuable records which cannot alter or gloze the truth。 I have only to add that old General Booth was personally very indignant about the treatment which my Report received — so indignant that he refused to appear to give evidence before the mittee。 Indeed his people would not allow him to do so； because they said they were sure that he would lose his temper。 More than once he declared to me in his fierce way that； from knowledge in his possession； he was well aware that the appointment of this mittee was “a put…up job。” He and the late Mr。 Wilson…Fox used to travel up to town together in the mornings； and I imagine that from him he extracted a good deal of information。 Also he had other means of getting at the truth； for the Salvation Army has many friends in high places and among the various parties。
That is all I have to say about this fiasco。 My Report was destroyed； the divided remendations of the Departmental mittee； such as they were； were never acted on： in short； all came to nothing。 Meanwhile the problem remains as pressing as ever it was。 Our cities are still crowded with hundreds of children utterly without prospects； except such as are afforded by the hospital； the poorhouse； and the gaol； some of whom； if a scheme analogous to mine had been adopted； might bee healthy； happy and prosperous on the bountiful land of Canada； and this at little or no cost to the Mother Country and to the great gain of the Dominion。 On the other hand； the emigration agencies are still busily employed in picking out the healthy young men and women reared and educated at our expense from the already depopulated country districts。 By thousands these depart； to return no more； leaving the land of their birth the poorer for their loss。 One night some years ago I addressed five or six hundred of them in the board room of Euston Station； while they were waiting for a special train to Liverpool； and thought the sight and the occasion extremely sad。 But so it is； and so I suppose it will go on — the devouring cities growing more and more bloated； and the starved land being more and more empty。
Well； I tried my best to help in the matter and failed。 Whether the fault was mine or that of others I must leave the reader to judge upon the evidence before him。
Chapter 22 ROYAL MISSION ON COAST EROSION AND AFFORESTATIO
Operation in Nursing Home — “Ayesha” — H。 R。 H。 often asked which he thinks best passages in his works — An ansber of Royal mission on Coast Erosion — Lloyd George — Afforestation added to the reference — Scheme presented to Government — Dropped — King Edward’s funeral — H。 R。 H。 undertook a report for Salvation Army — Regeneration — General William Booth — His death — H。 R。 H。 wrote pamphlet for Archbishop Benson — “Rural Denmark” — The Development Board — Notes of interview with Lloyd George — Knighthood conferred — Offered seat on Dominions Royal mission — Egypt Again — “Marie” — Dedicated to Sir Henry Bulwer — End of Chronicle of H。 R。 H。
In the intervals of all this mission business I retired for a month or five weeks into a nursing home to undergo an operation which the effects of my long journey made necessary。
Never shall I forget that place！ — the lodging…house…like little drawing…room where patients were received； and where I had to wait in my dressing…gown while my room was made ready for the operation； the dreadful noise caused by the carriages of theatre…goers returning home at night or by the rattle of the mail…carts over the stone…paved road； the continual operations； the occasional rush of the nurses when it was announced that a patient was passing away； and so forth。
I had never taken a major anaesthetic before； and I must say I did not find the process pleasant。 I can still see the face of my friend Dr。 Lyne Stivens； and the jovial； rubicund countenance of the late Professor Rose； bending over me as through a mist； both grown so strangely solemn； and feel the grip of my hand tightening upon that of the nurse which afterwards it proved almost impossible to free。
Then came the whirling pit and the blackness。 I suppose that it was like death； only I hope that death is not quite so dark！
From this blackness I awoke in a state of utter intoxication to find the nurses of the establishment gathered round me with sheets of paper and the familiar； hateful autograph books in which； even in that place and hour； they insisted I should write。 Heaven knows what I set down therein： I imagine they must have been foolish words； which mayhap one day will be brought up against me。
Another question： Why cannot the public authorities establish really suitable nursing homes for paying patients？ This would be a great boon to thousands； and； I should imagine； self…supporting。
However； of one of these nurses at any rate； a widow； I have grateful recollections。 I amused myself； and； I trust； her； by reading “Ayesha” aloud to her during my long wakeful hours — for she was a night nurse。
This book “Ayesha；” which was published while I was in the nursing home； is a sequel to “She；” which； in obedience to my original plan； I had deliberately waited for twenty years to write。 As is almost always the case； it suffered somewhat from this fact； at any rate at the hands of those critics with whom it is an article of faith to declare that no sequel can be good。 Still； I have met and heard from many people who like “Ayesha” better than they do “She。”
Lang was very doubtful about this book。 He wrote：
You may think me a hound； but I only found out as I went to bed last night that “Ayesha” was in the drawing…room。 Awfully good of you to make me such a nice dedication； grammar right too； which I name because in a very jolly book egalement dedie to me the grammar is wrong； but I could not point that out to the author。
I am almost afraid to read “She；” as at 61；00000 one has no longer the joyous credulity of forty； and even your imagination is out of the fifth form。 However； plenty of boys are about； and I hope they will be victims of the enchantress。 。 。 。
I was therefore correspondingly relieved； believing as I do that Lang’s judgment on imaginative fiction was the soundest of any man of his time； and knowing his habit of declaring the faith that was in him without fear； favour； or prejudice； when on the following day I received another note in which he said：
It is all right： I am Thrilled： so much obliged。 I thought I was too Old； but the Eternal Boy is still on the job。 Unluckily I think the dam reviewers never were boys — most of them the Editor’s nieces。 May it be done into Thibetan。 Dolmen business in Chapter I all right！
I have often been asked； and have been careful never to answer the question； as to what I considered the best passages in my own humbl
