robert louis stevenson-第41章
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INBURGH EDITION； several chapters of TREASURE ISLAND。 On that point R。 L。 Stevenson； myself； and Mr James Henderson； to whom I took these； could not all be wrong and co… operating to mislead the public。 These chapters； at least vii。 or viii。； as Mr Henderson remembers； would include the FIRST THREE； that is； FINALLY REVISED VERSIONS FOR PRESS。 Mr Gosse could not then HAVE HEARD R。 L。 STEVENSON READ FROM THESE FINAL VERSIONS BUT FROM FIRST DRAUGHTS ONLY； and I am positively certain that with some of the later chapters R。 L。 Stevenson wrote them off…hand； and with great ease； and did not revise them to the extent of at all needing to re…write them； as I remember he was proud to tell me； being then fully in the vein； as he put it； and pleased to credit me with a share in this good result； and saying 〃my enthusiasm over it had set him up steep。〃 There was then； in my idea； a necessity that Stevenson should fill up a gap by verbal summary to Mr Gosse （which Mr Gosse has forgotten）； bringing the incident up to a further point than Mr Gosse now thinks。 I am certain of my facts under this head； and as Mr Gosse clearly fancies he heard R。 L。 Stevenson read all from final versions and is mistaken … COMPLETELY mistaken there … he may be just as wrong and the victim of error or bad memory elsewhere after the lapse of more than twenty years。
2。 I gave the pencilled outline of incident and plot to Mr Henderson … a fact he distinctly remembers。 This fact completely meets and disposes of Mr Robert Leighton's quite imaginative BILLY BO'SUN notion； and is absolute as to R。 L。 Stevenson before he left Braemar on the 21st September 1881； or even before I left it on 26th August 1881； having clear in his mind the whole scheme of the work； though we know very well that the absolute re…writing out finally for press of the concluding part of the book was done at Davos。 Mr Henderson has always made it the strictest rule in his editorship that the complete outline of the plot and incident of the latter part of a story must be supplied to him； if the whole story is not submitted to him in MS。； and the agreement； if I am not much mistaken； was entered into days before R。 L。 Stevenson left Braemar； and when he came up to London some short time after to go to Weybridge； the only arrangement then needed to be made was about the forwarding of proofs to him。
The publication of TREASURE ISLAND in YOUNG FOLKS began on the 1st October 1881； No。 565 and ran on in the following order：
OCTOBER 1； 1881。 THE PROLOGUE
No。 565。
I。 The Old Sea Dog at the Admiral Benbow。 II。 Black Dog Appears and Disappears。
No。 566。
Dated OCTOBER 8； 1881。
III。 The Black Spot。
No。 567。
Dated OCTOBER 15； 1881。
IV。 The Sea Chart。 V。 The Last of the Blind Man。 VI。 The Captain's Papers。
No。 568。
Dated OCTOBER 22； 1881。
THE STORY
I。 I go to Bristol。 II。 The Sea…Cook。 Ill。 Powder and Arms。
Now； as the numbers of YOUNG FOLKS were printed about a fortnight in advance of the date they bear under the title； it is clear that not only must the contract have been executed days before the middle of September； but that a large proportion of the COPY must have been in Mr Henderson's hands at that date too； as he must have been entirely satisfied that the story would go on and be finished in a definite time。 On no other terms would he have begun the publication of it。 He was not in the least likely to have accepted a story from a man who； though known as an essayist； had not yet published anything in the way of a long story； on the ground merely of three chapters of prologue。 Mr Gosse left Braemar on 5th September； when he says nine chapters were written； and Mr Henderson had offered terms for the story before the last of these could have reached him。 That is on seeing； say six chapters of prologue。 But when Mr Gosse speaks about three chapters only written； does he mean three of the prologue or three of the story； in addition to prologue； or what does he mean？ The facts are clear。 I took away in my portmanteau a large portion of the MS。； together with a very full outline of the rest of the story； so that Mr Stevenson was； despite Mr Gosse's cavillings； SUBSTANTIALLY right when he wrote in MY FIRST BOOK in the IDLER； etc。； that 〃when he （Dr Japp） left us he carried away the manuscript in his portmanteau。〃 There was nothing of the nature of an abandonment of the story at any point； nor any difficulty whatever arose in this respect in regard to it。
CHAPTER XXXII … STEVENSON PORTRAITS
OF the portraits of Stevenson a word or two may be said。 There is a very good early photograph of him； taken not very long before the date of my visit to him at Braemar in 1881； and is an admirable likeness … characteristic not only in expression； but in pose and attitude； for it fixes him in a favourite position of his； and is； at the same time； very easy and natural。 The velvet jacket； as I have remarked； was then his habitual wear； and the thin fingers holding the constant cigarette an inseparable associate and accompaniment。
He acknowledged himself that he was a difficult subject to paint … not at all a good sitter … impatient and apt to rebel at posing and time spent in arrangement of details … a fact he has himself； as we shall see； set on record in his funny verses to Count Nerli； who painted as successful a portrait as any。 The little miniature； full…length； by Mr J。 S。 Sarjent； A。R。A。； which was painted at Bournemouth in 1885； is confessedly a mere sketch and much of a caricature： it is in America。 Sir W。 B。 Richmond has an unfinished portrait； painted in 1885 or 1886 … it has never passed out of the hands of the artist； … a photogravure from it is our frontispiece。
There is a medallion done by St Gauden's； representing Stevenson in bed propped up by pillows。 It is thought to be a pretty good likeness； and it is now in Mr Sidney Colvin's possession。 Others； drawings； etc。； are not of much account。
And now we come to the Nerli portrait； of which so much has been written。 Stevenson himself regarded it as the best portrait of him ever painted； and certainly it also is characteristic and effective； and though not what may be called a pleasant likeness； is probably a good representation of him in the later years of his life。 Count Nerli actually undertook a voyage to Samoa in 1892； mainly with the idea of painting this portrait。 He and Stevenson became great friends； as Stevenson naively tells in the verses we have already referred to； but even this did not quite overcome Stevenson's restlessness。 He avenged himself by composing these verses as he sat：
Did ever mortal man hear tell o' sic a ticklin' ferlie As the comin' on to Apia here o' the painter Mr Nerli？ He cam'； and； O； for o' human freen's o' a' he was the pearlie … The pearl o' a' the painter folk was surely Mr Nerli。 He took a thraw to paint mysel'； he painted late and early； O wow！ the many a yawn I've yawned i' the beard o' Mr Nerli。 Whiles I wad sleep and whiles wad wake； an' whiles was mair than surly； I wondered sair as I sat there fornent the eyes o' Nerli。 O will he paint me the way I want； as bonnie as a girlie？ O will he paint me an ugly tyke？ … and be d…d to Mr Nerli。 But still an' on whichever it be； he is a canty kerlie； The Lord protect the back an' neck o' honest Mr Nerli。
Mr Hammerton gives this account of the Nerli portrait：
〃The history of the Nerli portrait is peculiar。 After being exhibited for some time in New Zealand it was bought； in the course of this year； by a lady who was travelling there； for a hundred guineas。 She then offered it for that sum to the Scottish National Portrait Gallery； but the Trustees of the Board of Manufactures … that oddly named body to which is entrusted the fostering care of Art in Scotland； and； in consequence； the superintendence of the National Portrait Gallery … did not see their way to accept the offer。 Some surprise has been expressed at the action of the Trustees in thus declining to avail themselves of the opportunity of obtaining the portrait of one of the most distinguished Scotsmen of recent ti
