"Haggard, H Rider- She" - читать интересную книгу автора (Haggard H. Rider)

cast upon our statements. I hold one view about this matter, and
Leo holds another, and finally, after much discussion, we have
come to a compromise, namely, to send the history to you, giving
you full leave to publish it if you think fit, the only
stipulation being that you shall disguise our real names, and as
much concerning our personal identity as is consistent with the
maintenance of the /bona fides/ of the narrative.

"And now what am I to say further? I really do not know beyond once
more repeating that everything is described in the accompanying
manuscript exactly as it happened. As regards /She/ herself I have
nothing to add. Day by day we gave greater occasion to regret that
we did not better avail ourselves of our opportunities to obtain
more information from that marvellous woman. Who was she? How did
she first come to the Caves of Kфr, and what was her real
religion? We never ascertained, and now, alas! we never shall, at
least not yet. These and many other questions arise in my mind,
but what is the good of asking them now?

"Will you undertake the task? We give you complete freedom, and as
a reward you will, we believe, have the credit of presenting to
the world the most wonderful history, as distinguished from
romance, that its records can show. Read the manuscript (which I
have copied out fairly for your benefit), and let me know.

"Believe me, very truly yours,
"L. Horace Holly.[*]

"P.S.--Of course, if any profit results from the sale of the
writing should you care to undertake its publication, you can do
what you like with it, but if there is a loss I will leave
instructions with my lawyers, Messrs. Geoffrey and Jordan, to
meet it. We entrust the sherd, the scarab, and the parchments to
your keeping, till such time as we demand them back again.
--L. H. H."

[*] This name is varied throughout in accordance with the writer's
request.--Editor.

This letter, as may be imagined, astonished me considerably, but when
I came to look at the MS., which the pressure of other work prevented
me from doing for a fortnight, I was still more astonished, as I think
the reader will be also, and at once made up my mind to press on with
the matter. I wrote to this effect to Mr. Holly, but a week afterwards
received a letter from that gentleman's lawyers, returning my own,
with the information that their client and Mr. Leo Vincey had already
left this country for Thibet, and they did not at present know their
address.

Well, that is all I have to say. Of the history itself the reader must