the days of my life

第41部分 (第5/7頁)

　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　mo