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第42部分

o — but SHE!”

Well; “She” came out and was a great success。 On March 15th Charles Longman wrote to me in Egypt:

I am glad to tell you that “She” keeps on selling capitally。 We have printed 25;000 already; and have ordered another 5000; and I do not think we shall have many left when the printers deliver them。 。 。 。 Last week we sold over 1000 copies!

This was a large number as books sold in those days; when people were not accustomed to buying novels in one volume; having been in the habit of borrowing them from the library in three。 Moreover; from that day to this the sale of “She” has never ceased; whilst in America it was pirated by the hundred thousand。

All the reviews of it were not good; indeed some of them attacked it strongly。 Others; were enthusiastic。 The Times (a review in The Times then; before the days of Literary Supplements; if good; was very valuable) spoke extremely well of it。 The Times reviewer; however; criticises the Greek upon the sherd。 Had he known that it was the work of Dr。 Holden; one of the best Greek scholars of the day; he might have preferred to leave it unquestioned。 Here is the doctor’s letter on the subject; written from the Athenaeum in March 1886。

Dear Haggard; — Your task is not quite so big as one of the labours of Hercules; but by no means easy without further data。 Do you want the Greek to be such as to deceive the learned world into thinking that it is no forgery; but a genuine bit of antiquity? If so