the days of my life

第81部分 (第5/7頁)

　a　few　brief　years；　the　mourning　monarch　who　formed　its　central；　living　figure　passed　by　in　another　coffin；　himself　the　mourned！

A　few　days　after　the　funeral　I　met　at　dinner　one　of　the　physicians　who　attended　the　late　King　during　his　last　illness。　He　told　me　that　he　did　not　think　that　His　Majesty　knew　he　was　dying；　and　that　no　one　informed　him。　He　thought　that　the　King　believed　that　he　would　pull　through；　as　he　had　often　done　before。　When　it　was　suggested　to　him　that　he　had　better　not　see　people；　he　answered；　“It　amuses　me；”　and　that　he　did　not　want　any　“fuss。”　This　doctor　was　of　opinion　that　there　was　nothing　in　the　story　that　the　King　had　worried　himself　over　the　political　situation；　as　he　was　“not　that　sort　of　man。”　He　died　because　his　heart　was　worn　out；　for　he　had　“warmed　both　hands　at　the　fire　of　life。”　He　did　not　seem　to　be　spiritually　troubled　in　any　way；　though　he　kept　“all　the　forms。”　He　added　that　on　the　day　he　died　the　King　smoked　a　cigar。

Whilst　I　was　still　engaged　upon　this　mission　I　undertook　another　piece　of　work。　One　day　General　Booth　sent　an　officer　to　me　to　ask　if　I　would　write　a　report　upon　the　social　efforts　and　institutions　of　the　Salvation　Army；　for　which　it　would　be　prepared　to　pay　a　fee；　to　be　arranged。　I　answered　that　I　had　no　time；　and　that　in　any　case　I　would　not　touch　their　money。　Ultimately；　however；　I　made　the　time　and　undertook　the　task　as　a　labour　of　love；　on　the　condition　that　they　should　pay　the　out…of…pocket　expenses。　It　took　me　about　three　months　in　all；　including　the　travelling　to　various　cities　in　England　and　Scotland；　and　as　a　result　I　published　my　book；　“Regeneration；”　of　the　copyright　of　which　I　made　the　Army　a　present。　I　do　not　suppose　that　this　has　proved　a　valuable　gift；　as；　to　find　a　large　sale；　such　books　must