第2部分 (第1/8頁)

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t　as　the　Master　of　a　High　Court　and　subsequently　in　the　modest　but　I　trust　useful　office　of　the　Chairman　of　a　Bench　of　Magistrates；　I　have　done　nothing　at　all　at　my　profession　at　the　Bar。　In　an　unfortunate　hour；　considered　from　this　point　of　view；　I　employed　my　somewhat　ample　leisure　in　chambers　in　writing　“King　Solomon’s　Mines。”　That；　metaphorically；　settled　my　legal　hash。　Had　it　not　been　for　“King　Solomon’s　Mines；”　if　even　in　imagination　I　may　dwell　upon　such　splendour；　I　might　possibly　have　sat　some　day　where　sits　my　old　friend　and　instructor；　Sir　Henry　Bargrave　Deane；　as　a　judge　of　the　Court　of　Probate　and　Divorce；　in　which　I　proposed　to　practise　like　my　great…uncle；　Doctor　John　Haggard；　famous　for　his　Reports；　before　me。

Well　do　I　remember　how；　when　one　day　I　was　seated　in　this　Division　watching　a　case　or　devilling　for　somebody；　I　unconsciously　inscribed　my　name　on　the　nice　white　blotting…paper　before　me。　Presently　from　behind　me　I　heard　a　whisper　from　some　solicitor　—　I　think　that　was　his　calling　—　whom　business　had　brought　to　the　Court：

“Are　you　Rider　Haggard；　the　man　who　wrote　‘King　Solomon’s　Mines’？”　he　said；　staring　at　the　tell…tale　blotting…paper。

I　intimated　that　such　was　really　my　name。

“Then；　confound　you！　Sir；　you　kept　me　up　till　three　o’clock　this　morning。　But　what　are　you　doing　here　in　a　wig　and　gown　—　what　are　you　doing　here？”

Very　soon　I　found　cause　to　echo　the　question　and　to　answer　it　in　the　words；　“No　good。”　The　Bri