Читать книгу The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson – Swanston Edition. Volume 24 - Robert Louis Stevenson - Страница 55
VII
THE RIVIERA AGAIN – MARSEILLES AND HYÈRES
To W. E. Henley
ОглавлениеEarly in January, Stevenson, after a week’s visit at Hyères from his friends Charles Baxter and W. E. Henley, accompanied them as far as Nice, and there suddenly went down with an attack of acute congestion, first of the lungs and then of the kidneys. At one moment there seemed no hope, but he recovered slowly and returned to Hyères. His friends had not written during his illness, fearing him to be too far gone to care for letters. As he got better he began to chafe at their silence.
[Hyères, February or March 1884].
TANDEM DESINO*
I cannot read, work, sleep, lie still, walk, or even play patience. These plagues will overtake all damned silencists; among whom, from this day out, number
Eructavit cor Timonis.**
the fiery indignator
Roland Little Stevenson
I counted miseries by the heap,
But now have had my fill,
I cannot see, I do not sleep,
But shortly I shall kill.
Of many letters, here is a
Full End.
The last will and testament of
a demitting correspondent.
My indefatigable pen
I here lay down forever. Men
Have used, and left me, and forgot;
Men are entirely off the spot;
Men are a blague and an abuse;
And I commit them to the deuce!
Roderick Lamond Stevenson.
I had companions, I had friends,
I had of whisky various blends.
The whisky was all drunk; and lo!
The friends were gone for evermo!
The loquacious man at peace.*
And when I marked the ingratitude,
I to my maker turned, and spewed.
Randolph Lovel Stevenson.
Here endeth the
Familiar Correspondence of
R. L .S.**
Explicuerunt Epistolae
Stevensonianae
Omnes.**
A pen broken, a subverted ink-pot.
All men are rot; but there are two —
Sidney, the oblivious Slade, and you —
Who from that rabble stand confest
Ten million times the rottenest.
R. L. S.
When I was sick and safe in gaol
I thought my friends would never fail.
One wrote me nothing; t’other bard
Sent me an insolent post-card.
R. L. S.
Terminus: Silentia.**
FINIS Finaliter finium.**
IF NOBODY WRITES TO ME I SHALL DIE
I now write no more.
Richard Lefanu Stevenson,
Duke of Indignation
The finger on the mouth.
35
Originally printed upside-down.
41
Originally printed sideways.
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Originally printed upside-down.
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Originally printed sideways.
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Originally printed sideways.
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Originally printed sideways.
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Originally printed sideways.
