Біла пташка

           Lookatithowonemay,thisBarbaraideaisundoubtedlyabadbusiness.

           Howtobeevenwithher?Icastaboutforameans,andonmyluckydayIdidconceivemyfinaltriumphoverMary,atwhichIhavescarcelyasyetdaredtohint,lestbydiscoveringitIshouldspoilmyplot.Fortherehasbeenaplotallthetime.

           ForlongIhadknownthatMarycontemplatedthewritingofabook,myinformantbeingDavid,who,becauseIhavepublishedalittlevolumeonMilitarytactics,andampreparingalargeroneonthesamesubject(whichIshallneverfinish),likestowatchmymethodsofcomposition,howIdip,andsoon,hisdesirebeingtohelpher.Hemayhavedonethisonhisowninitiative,butitisalsoquitepossiblethatinherdesperationsheurgedhimtoit;hecertainlyimpliedthatshehadtakentobook-writingbecauseitmustbeeasyifIcoulddoit.Shealsoinformedhim(veryinconsiderately),thatIdidnotprintmybooksmyself,andthisloweredmeintheeyesofDavid,foritwasfortheprintinghehadadmiredmeandboastedofmeintheGardens.

           “Isupposeyoudidn’tmaketheboxesneither,noryetthelabels,”hesaidtomeinthevoiceofoneshornofbeliefineverything.

           Ishouldsayherethatmyliterarylaboursareabstruse,thetokenwhereofismanyrowsofboxesnailedagainstmywalls,eachlabelledwithaletterofthealphabet.WhenItakeanoteinA,IdropitsintotheAbox,andsoon,muchtothesatisfactionofDavid,wholikestodroptheminforme.IhadnowtoadmitthatWheeler&Gibbmadetheboxes.

           “ButImadethelabelsmyself,David.