ps; and he meant to accompany them, and see what was to
be seen; time enough to think of coming home afterwards; of
what use would it be for him to return just then? "We are both
young," he wrote to his future wife, Maria Leslie, "and can
well afford to wait a year or two before settling down into
sober married life. You, my dear Maria, who so often said this
to me when, in the first days of our engagement, I urged a
speedy marriage, will, I know, agree with me. I see now that
in those days you were right and I was wrong. We are not rich
enough to marry. I should do wrong to make you submit to all
the trials and hardships which struggling poverty entails;
though indeed, in all the world, I know of no one so well
fitted to meet them as my dearest Molly. How often we used to
picture to ourselves some little snuggery where you could knit
and darn stockings, and I could smoke my pipe! Is not that the
correct division of labour between man and woman? Well, some
day we will have some such dear little hole, and I will smoke
my pipe; but you shall not be condemned to stitching--you shall
do--let me see--what shall you do?--anything in the world you
like best, my dear girl; for I mean to be a rich man in those
days, which I often picture to myself as the good time coming,
to which some of us are looking forward. When I hear of an
opening in England, I shall return--perhaps sooner, if it is
very long in coming; unless, indeed, you would like to join me
out here. What do you think of that proposal? We could settle
down comfortably in Peru or Mexico, and you could make friends
among the Spanish ladies, and learn from them to sleep all day
and dance all night, unless you would prefer to accompany my
pipe with your cigarette; for, of course, you too would smoke,
like every one else. And from time to time we could go on long
expeditions--such as I am making now--day and night in an open
boat, on some river flowing through trackless forests, great
trees dipping down into the water, strange flowers blooming
overhead, strange beasts that one never saw before, hopping
and rushing about; and mosquitoes, of which one has seen
plenty, eating one up alive at every opportunity. My poor
Molly! I can see your face of dismay. No, don't be afraid; you
shall not be asked to leave your own comfortable home till I
can return and take you to as good a one; and then I mean to
write a book about my adventures, and you shall do nothing
worse than shud