hard to forgive; probably should not
forgive it at all if Robin Lewison had not been sick himself and a
wretched sick-room prisoner in this club for near a month. Well, the
best and bravest sometimes fail. But who is Miss Green? Don't know her!
I knew a lady of an exceedingly generous and perfervid nature--worthy to
be suspected of Scotch blood for the pertervidness--equipped with a
couple--perhaps a brace sounds better English--of perfervid eyes--with a
certain graceful gaucherie of manner, almost like a child's, and that is
at once the highest point of gaucherie and grace--a friend everybody I
ever saw was delighted to see come and sorry to see go. Yes, I knew that
lady, and can see her now. But who was Miss Green? There is something
amiss here. Either the Robin Lewisons have been very shabbily treated,
or--and this is the serious part of the affair--somebody unknown to me
has been entrusted with the key of the Skerryvore garret. This may go as
far as the Old Bailey, ma'am.

But why should I gird at you or anybody, when the truth is we are the
most miserable sinners in the world? For we are not coming home, I dare
not. Even coming to Sydney has made me quite ill, and back I go to
Samoa, whither please address--Apia, Samoa--(and remember it is Samo-a,
a spondee to begin with, or Sahmoa, if you prefer that writing)--back I
and my wife go to Samoa to live on our landed estate with four black
labour boys in a kind of a sort of house, which Lloyd will describe to
you. For he has gone to England: receive him like a favour and a piece
of cake; he is our greeting to friends.

I paused here to put in the date on the first page. I am precious nearly
through my fortieth year, thinks I to myself. Must be nearly as old as
Miss Green, thinks I. O, come! I exclaimed, not as bad as that! Some
lees of youth about the old remnant yet.

My amiable Miss Green, I beg you to give me news of your health, and if
it may be good news. And when you shall have seen Lloyd, to tell me how
his reports of the South Seas and our new circumstances strike such an
awfully old person as yourself, and to tell me if you ever received a
letter I sent you from Hawaii. I remember thinking--or remember
remembering rather--it was (for me) quite a long respectable
communication. Also, you might tell me if you got my war-whoop and
scalping-knife assault on _le nomme_ Hyde.

I ought not to forget to say your tale fetched me (Miss Green) by its
really vile pro