You are a brick. You shall do as you will. My chief reluctance is that
if it become known, or _when_ it becomes known, there may ensue a
suspicion of my honesty in praising you and _your_ book; for critics
and readers are not likely to look into the matter of dates. For your
sake I should be sorry to have it thought that my commendation was
only a log-rolling incident; for myself, I should care nothing about
it. This eel is accustomed to skinning.
It is not the least pleasing of my reflections that my friends have
always liked my work--or me--well enough to want to publish my books
at their own expense. Everything that I have written could go to the
public that way if I would consent. In the two instances in which I
did consent they got their money back all right, and I do not doubt
that it will be so in this; for if I did not think there was at least
a little profit in a book of mine I should not offer it to a
publisher. "Shapes of Clay" _ought_ to be published in California,
and it would have been long ago if I had not been so lazy and so
indisposed to dicker with the publishers. Properly advertised--which
no book of mine ever has been--it should sell there if nowhere else.
Why, then, do _I_ not put up the money? Well, for one reason, I've
none to put up. Do you care for the other reasons?
But I must make this a condition. If there is a loss, _I_ am to bear
it. To that end I shall expect an exact accounting from your Mr. Wood,
and the percentage that Scheff. purposes having him pay to me is to go
to you. The copyright is to be mine, but nothing else until you are
entirely recouped. But all this I will arrange with Scheff., who, I
take it, is to attend to the business end of the matter, with, of
course, your assent to the arrangements that he makes.
I shall write Scheff. to-day to go ahead and make his contract with
Mr. Wood on these lines. Scheff. appears not to know who the "angel"
in the case is, and he need not, unless, or until, you want him to.
I've a pretty letter from Maid Marian in acknowledgment of the
photograph. I shall send one to Mrs. Sterling at once, in the sure and
certain hope of getting another. It is good of her to remember my
existence, considering that your scoundrelly monopoly of her permitted
us to meet so seldom. I go in for a heavy tax on married men who live
with their wives.
"She holds no truce with Death _or_ Peace" means that with _one_ of
them she holds no truce; "nor" makes it mean that she holds no truce
with _either_. The misuse of "or" (its use to mean "nor") is nearly
everybody's upsetting sin. So common is it that "nor" instead usually
sounds harsh.
I omitted the verses on "Puck," not because Bunner is dead, but
because his work is dead too, and the verses appear to lack intrinsic
merit to stand alone. I shall perhaps omit a few more when I get the
proofs (I wish you could see the bushels I've left out already) and
add a few serious ones.
I'm glad no end that you and Scheff. have met. I'm fond of the boy and
he likes me, I think. He too has a book of verses on the ways, and I
hope for it a successful launching. I've been through it all; some of
it is great in the matter of thews and brawn; some fine.
Pardon the typewriter; I wanted a copy of this letter.
Sincerely yours,
AMBROSE BIERCE.
[The New York "American" Bureau, Washington, D. C.,
June 13, 1903.]