the days of my life

第74部分 (第5/7頁)

f　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　dar