TŌKYŌ, February, 1898.
DEAR McDONALD,--When I saw that big envelope, I thought to myself,
"Lord! what a _lot_ of h--l I am going to get!" You see my conscience
was bad. I was wrong not to have told you long ago of my peculiar
'phobia. And inside that envelope there was only the kindest of kind
letters,--proving that you understood me perfectly well, and forthwith
putting me at ease.
I read the prospectus with great interest (by the way, I am returning
it, because, as it is still in the state of a private document, I think
it is better that I do not keep it); and I am proud of my friend. _He_
can do things! "Canst thou play with Leviathan like a bird? Or canst
thou bind him for thy handmaidens?" No, I can't, and I am not going to
try; but I have a friend in Yokohama--an officer of the U. S. Navy--_he_
plays with Leviathan, and makes him "talk soft, soft words"--indeed he
even "presses down his tongue with a cord." Well, I should like you to
be as rich as you could be made rich, without having worry. But as for
_me_!--the greatest favour you can ever do me is to take off my hands
even the business that I have--contracts, and the like,--so that I need
never again remember them. Besides, if I were dead, you are the one I
should want to be profiting by my labours. Then every time you set your
jaw square, and made them "fork over," my ghost would squeak and chipper
for delight,--and you would look around to see where the bats came from.
Well, next week I'll try to get down. In fact I feel that I must go to
Yokohama, for various reasons besides imposing upon a certain friend
there. To-day I have been packing up my book all the time from morning
until now--so as to send by registered letter.
About "the best." You are a dreadful man! How could you think that I had
got even halfway to the bottom. I have only drunk three bottles yet;
but that is a shameful "only." Three bottles in one month is simply
outrageous; and I look into the glass often to observe the end of my
nose. That "best" is too seductive.
With affectionate thanks for kindest letter,
Faithfully ever,
LAFCADIO.