MYDEARCOLVIN，-OnTuesday，wehadouryoungadventurerready，andFanny，Belle，heandIsetoutaboutthreeofadark，deadlyhot，anddeeplyunwholesomeafternoon。Bellehadtheladbehindher；Ihadapintofchampagneineitherpocket，aparcelinmyhands，andasJackhadagirthsoreandIrodewithoutagirth，Imightbesaidtooccupyaveryunstrategicposition。Onthewaydown，alittledreary，beastlydrizzlebeginningtocomeoutofthedarkness，Fannyputupanumbrella，herhorsebounded，reared，cannonedintome，cannonedintoBelleandthelad，andboltedforhome。ItreallymightandoughttohavebeenanA1catastrophe；butnothinghappenedbeyondFanny’snervesbeingagooddealshattered；ofcourse，shecouldnottellwhathadhappenedtousuntilshegotherhorsemastered。
Nextday，HaggardwentofftotheCommissionandleftusinchargeofhishouse；allourpeoplecamedowninwreathsofflowers；wehadaboatforthem；HaggardhadaflagintheCommissionboatforus；andwhenatlastthesteamerturnedup，theyoungadventurerwascarriedonboardingreatstyle，withanewwatchandchain，andaboutthreepoundtenoftips，andfivebigbasketsoffruitasfree-willofferingstothecaptain。CaptainMorsehadusalltolunch；champagneflowed，sodidcompliments；andIdidtheaffablecelebritylife-sized。Itmadeagreatsend-offfortheyoungadventurer。Astheboatdrewoff，hewasstandingattheheadofthegangway，supportedbythreehandsomeladies-oneofthemarealfull-blownbeauty，MadameGreen，thesinger-
andlookingveryengaginghimself，betweensmilesandtears。
Notthathecriedinpublic。
My，butwewereatiredcrowd！However，itisalwaysablessingtogethome，andthistimeitwasasortofwondertoourselvesthatwegotbackalive。Casualties:Fanny’sbackjarred，horseincident；Belle，badheadache，tearsandchampagne；self，idiocy，champagne，fatigue；Lloyd，ditto，ditto。Asfortheadventurer，Ibelievehewillhaveadelightfulvoyageforhislittlestartinlife。Butthereisalwayssomethingtouchinginamite’sfirstlaunch。
DATEUNKNOWN。
IamnowwellonwiththethirdpartoftheDEBACLE。ThetwofirstIlikedmuch；thesecondcompletelyknockingme；sofarasithasgone，thisthirdpartappearstheramblingsofadullmanwhohasforgottenwhathehastosay-heremindsmeofanM。P。ButSedanwasreallygreat，andIwillpicknoholes。Thebatteriesunderfire，thered-crossfolk，thecountycharge-perhaps，aboveall，MajorBourocheandtheoperations，allbeyonddiscussion；andeverywordabouttheEmperorsplendid。
SEPTEMBER30TH。
DavidBalfourdone，anditsauthoralongwithit，ornearlyso。Strangetothinkofevenourdoctorhererepeatinghisnonsenseaboutdebilitatingclimate。Why，theworkIhavebeendoingthelasttwelvemonths，inonecontinuousspate，mostlywithannoyinginterruptionsandwithoutanycollapsetomention，wouldbeincredibleinNorway。ButIHAVEbrokendownnow，andwilldonothingaslongasIpossiblycan。
WithDavidBalfourIamverywellpleased；infacttheselaboursofthelastyear-ImeanFALESAANDD。B。，notSamoa，ofcourse-seemtometobenearerwhatImeanthananythingIhaveeverdone；nearerwhatImeanbyfiction；thenearestthingbeforewasKIDNAPPED。IamnotforgettingtheMASTEROFBALLANTRAE，butthatlackedallpleasurableness，andhencewasimperfectinessence。Soyousee，ifIamalittletired，Idonotrepent。
ThethirdpartoftheDEBACLEmaybeallveryfine；butI
cannotreadit。ItsuffersfromIMPAIREDVITALITY，andUNCERTAINAIM；twodeadlysicknesses。Vital-that’swhatI
amat，first:whollyvital，withabuoyancyoflife。Thenlyrical，ifitmaybe，andpicturesque，alwayswithanepicvalueofscenes，sothatthefiguresremaininthemind’seyeforever。
OCTOBER8TH。
Supposeyousentussomeofthecataloguesofthepartieswhatvendsstatutes？Idon’twantcolossalHerculeses，butaboutquartersizeandless。Ifthecatalogueswereillustrateditwouldprobablybefoundahelptoweakmemories。Thesemaybefoundtoalleviatesparemoments，whenwesometimesamuseourselvesbythinkinghowfineweshallmakethepalaceifwedonotgopop。Perhapsinthesamewayitmightamuseyoutosendusanypatternofwallpaperthatmightstrikeyouascheap，prettyandsuitableforaroominahotandextremelybrightclimate。Itshouldbeborneinmindthatourclimatecanbeextremelydarktoo。
Oursitting-roomistobeinvarnishedwood。TheroomIhaveparticularlyinmindisasortofbedandsitting-room，prettylarge，litonthreesides，andthecolourinfavourofitsproprietoratpresentisatopazyyellow。Butthenwithwhatcolourtorelieveit？Foralittlework-roomofmyownattheback。Ishouldratherliketoseesomepatternsofunglossy-well，I’llbehangedifIcandescribethisred-
it’snotTurkishandit’snotRomanandit’snotIndian，butitseemstopartakeofthetwolast，andyetitcan’tbeeitherofthem，becauseitoughttobeabletogowithvermilion。Ah，whatatangledwebweweave-anyway，withwhatbrainsyouhaveleftchoosemeandsendmesome-many-
patternsofthisexactshade。
AfewdaysagoitwasHaggard’sbirthdayandwehadhimandhiscousintodinner-blessmeifIevertoldyouofhiscousin！-heishereanyway，andafine，pleasingspecimen，sothatwehaveconcludedafterourownhappyexperience
thattheclimateofSamoamustbefavourabletocousins。
Thenwewentoutontheverandahinalovelymoonlight，drinkingport，hearingthecousinplayandsing，tillpresentlywewereinformedthatourboyshadgotupasivainLafaele’shousetowhichwewereinvited。Itwasentirelytheirownidea。Thehouse，youmustunderstand，isone-halffloored，andone-halfbareearth，andthedaisstandsalittleoverkneehighabovethelevelofthesoil。Thedaiswasthestage，withthreefootlights。Weaudiencesatonmatsonthefloor，andthecookandthreeofourwork-boys，sometimesassistedbyourtwoladies，tooktheirplacesbehindthefootlightsandbeganatopicalVailimasong。TheburdenwasofcoursethatofaSamoanpopularsongaboutawhitemanwhoobjectstoallthatheseesinSamoa。Andtherewasofcourseaspecialverseforeachoneoftheparty-LloydwascalledthedancingmanpracticallytheChief’shandsomesonofVailima；hewasalso，inhischaracterI
supposeofoverseer，comparedtoapoliceman-Bellehadthatdaybeenthealmonerinasemi-comicdistributionofweddingringsandthimblesboughtcheapatanauctiontothewholeplantationcompany，fittingaringoneveryman’sfinger，andaringandathimbleonboththewomen’s。ThiswasverymuchincharacterwithhernativenameTEUILA，theadorneroftheugly-soofcoursethiswasthepointofherverseandatagivenmomentalltheperformersdisplayedtheringsupontheirfingers。Pelemathecousin-OURcousinwasdescribedaswatchingfromthehouseandwheneverhesawanyboynotdoinganything，runninganddoingithimself。
Fanny’sversewaslessintelligible，butitwasaccompaniedinthedancewithapantomimeofterrorwell-fittedtocallupherhaunting，indefatigableanddiminutivepresenceinabluegown。
MYDEARCOLVIN，-Thisisverylatetobeginthemonthlybudget，butIhaveagoodexcusethistime，forIhavehadaveryannoyingfeverwithsymptomsofsorearm，andinthemidstofitaveryannoyingpieceofbusinesswhichsufferednodelayoridleness……Theconsequenceofallthiswasthatmyfevergotverymuchworseandyourletterhasnotbeenhithertowritten。But，mydearfellow，docomparetheselittlelarkyfeverswiththefine，healthy，prostratingcoldsofthedearolddeaddaysathome。HerewasI，inthemiddleofaprettybadone，andIwasabletoputitinmypocket，andgodowndayafterday，andattendtoandputmystrengthintothisbeastlybusiness。Doyouseemedoingthatwithacatarrh？AndifIhaddoneso，whatwouldhavebeentheresult？
Lastnight，aboutfouro’clock，BelleandIsetofftoApia，whithermymotherhadprecededus。ShewasattheMission；
wewenttoHaggard’s。Therewehadtowaitthemostunconscionabletimefordinner。IdonotwishtospeaklightlyoftheAmanuensis，whoisunavoidablypresent，butI
mayatleastsayformyselfthatIwasascrossastwosticks。Dinnercameatlast，wehadthetinnedsoupwhichisusuallythePIECEDERESISTANCEinthehallsofHaggard，andwepitchedintoit。Followedanexcellentsaladoftomatoesandcray-fish，agoodIndiancurry，atenderjointofbeef，adishofpigeons，apudding，cheeseandcoffee。Iwassoover-eatenafterthis’hungerandburst’thatIcouldscarcelymove；anditwasmysadfatethatnightinthecharacterofthelocalauthortoeloquutebeforethepublic-
’Mr。Stevensonwillreadaselectionfromhisownworks’-adegradingpicture。Ihaddeterminedtoreadthemtheaccountofthehurricane；IdonotknowifItoldyouthatmybookhasneverturneduphere，orratheronlyonecopyhas，andthatintheunfriendlyhandsof。Ithasthereforeonlybeenseenbyenemies；andthiscombinationofmysteryandevilreporthasbeengreatlyenvenomedbysomeill-judgednewspaperarticlesfromtheStates。AltogetherthisspecimenwaslistenedtowithagooddealofuncomfortableexpectationonthepartoftheGermans，andwhenitwasoverwasapplaudedwithunmistakablerelief。Thepublichallwheretheserevelscameoffseemstobeunluckyforme；Inevergotherebuttosomestone-breakingjob。LasttimeitwasthepublicmeetingofwhichImusthavewrittenyou；thistimeitwasthisuneasybutnotonthewholeunsuccessfulexperiment。
Belle，mymother，andIrodehomeaboutmidnightinafinedisplayoflightningandwitch-fires。Mymotherisabsent，sothatImaydaretosaythatshestruckmeasvoluble。TheAmanuensisdidnotstrikemethesameway；shewasprobablythinking，butitwasreallyratheraweirdbusiness，andI
sawwhatIhaveneverseenbefore，thewitch-firesgatheredintolittlebrightbluepointsalmostasbrightasanight-
light。
SATURDAY
Thisisthedaythatshouldbringyourletter；itisgrayandcloudyandwindless；thunderrollsinthemountain；itisaquarterpastsix，andIamalone，sir，aloneinthisworkman’shouse，BelleandLloydhavingbeendownallyesterdaytomeetthesteamer；theywerescarcegonewithmostofthehorsesandallthesaddles，thantherebeganaperfectpicnicofthesickandmaim；Iopuwithabadfoot，Faaumawithabadshoulder，Fannywithyellowspots。Itwasatfirstproposedtocarryallthesetothedoctor，particularlyFaauma，whoseshoulderboreanappearanceoferysipelas，thatsenttheamateurbelow。Nohorses，nosaddle。NowIhadmyhorseandIcouldborrowLafaele’ssaddle；andifIwentaloneIcoulddoajobthathadlongbeenwaiting；andthatwastointerviewthedoctoronanothermatter。OffIsetinahazymoonlightnight；windless，liketo-day；thethunderrollinginthemountain，asto-day；inthestillgroves，theselittlemushroomlampsglowingblueandsteady，singlyorinpairs。Well，Ihadmyinterview，saideverythingasIhadmeant，andwithjusttheresultI
hopedfor。ThedoctorandIdrankbeertogetheranddiscussedGermanliteratureuntilnine，andwepartedthebestoffriends。Igothometoasilenthouseofsleepers，onlyFannyawaitingme；wetalkedawhile，inwhispers，ontheinterview；then，Igotalanternandwentacrosstotheworkman’shouse，nowemptyandsilent，myselfsoleoccupant。
Sotobed，prodigioustiredbutmightycontentwithmynight’swork，andto-day，withaheadacheandachill，havewrittenyouthispage，whilemynewnovelwaits。OfthisI
willtellyounothing，exceptthevariousnamesunderconsideration。First，itoughttobecalled-butofcoursethatisimpossible-
BRAXFIELD。
ThenitIStobecalledeitherWEIROFHERMISTON，THELORD-JUSTICECLERK，THETWOKIRSTIESOFTHECAULDSTANESLAP，orFOURBLACKBROTHERS。
Characters:
AdamWeir，Lord-JusticeClerk，calledLordHermiston。
Archie，hisson。
AuntKirstieElliott，hishousekeeperatHermiston。
ElliottoftheCauldstaneslap，herbrother。
KirstieElliott，hisdaughter。
Dandie，}
PatrickInnes，ayoungadvocate。
TheLord-JusticeGeneral。
Scene，aboutHermistonintheLammermuirsandinEdinburgh。
Temp。1812。Soyouseeyouaretohaveanotherholidayfromcopra！Therainbeginssoftlyontheironroof，andIwilldothereverseand-dryup。
SUNDAY。
Yourswiththediplomaticprivateopinionreceived。ItisjustwhatIshouldhavesupposed。CAM’ESTBIENEGAL-ThenameistobeTHELORD-JUSTICECLERK。
Noneothersaregenuine。UnlessitbeLORD-JUSTICECLERKHERMISTON。
NOV。2ND。
OnSaturdayweexpectedCaptainMorseoftheAlamedatocomeuptolunch，andonFridaywithgenuineSouthSeahospitalityhadapigkilled。OntheSaturdaymorningnopig。Someoftheboysseemedtogiveadoubtfulaccountofthemselves；ournextneighbourbelowinthewoodisabadfellowandveryintimatewithsomeofourboys，forwhomhisconfoundedhouseislikeafly-paperforflies。Toaddtoallthis，therewasontheSaturdayagreatpublicpresentationoffoodtotheKingandParliamentmen，anoccasiononwhichitisalmostdignifiedforaSamoantostealanything，andentirelydignifiedforhimtostealapig。
TheAmanuensiswenttotheTALOLO，asitiscalled，andsawsomethingsoverypleasingshebegstointerruptthelettertotellit。Thedifferentvillagerscameininbands-ledbythemaidofthevillage，followedbytheyoungwarriors。