ake the hero mad,' I
cried to myself, 'that will put everything right.' So the next day I
wrote the introduction, explaining Peter's madness, and after that I
went on with the work to the end without any more trouble."

"Trilby's" American publishers have sent out the following note:--"A
letter from Mr. du Maurier to the late James R. Osgood is given
herewith. Possibly the hint it contains as to the secret of an exquisite
literary style will interest the greater number of readers; or perhaps
his saying (in 1890) that he has 'several good ideas,' which would seem
to be an answer to those who have maintained that 'Trilby' was written
many years ago. * * *

'MY DEAR OSGOOD:--Of course I remembered my promise, and as soon as my
book--"Peter Ibbetson"--was finished and typewritten, I wrote to
you--last week, as it happens--at 50 Fleet Street, but behold! you were
in America; so I sent them the copy, and I believe it starts by to-day's
mail for Harper in New York. I don't know how it got into the papers
that I was coming out in this new line, but I have already offers to
come to an arrangement. I have no notion whether it is suited to a
periodical or not--you will see; probably _not_,--but if it is I want to
be well paid for it; first [illegible], as far as my _first_ book is
concerned, whatever its merits; secondly, because the only people to
whom I have told the story (H. James, Canon Ainger, poor Allingham and a
few others) thought so well of it--or said so--as an _idea_; and I have
taken great pains in the carrying out thereof. If Harper's doesn't see
its way to it, I shall offer it elsewhere; and after that, I shall put
it in the hands of an agent. And if I don't get what I think I ought to,
I shall keep it and write another, as I have several good ideas, and
writing this has taught me a lot. All of which sounds very cheeky and
grand; but I am in no hurry to come before the public as a novelist
before I'm ripe, and to ripen myself duly I am actually rewriting it in
French, and you've no idea what a lesson _that_ is! * * *

'Yours ever, G. DU MAURIER.

'15 BAYSWATER TERRACE, LONDON, April 18, 1890.'"

It is said that when the Messrs. Harper were negotiating with Mr. du
Maurier for "Trilby," he declined their offer of a royalty on the sales
of the book and decided in favor of a "lump sum." We do not know how
large this sum was, but we are pretty sure that it was not so much as he
would have made by the royalty plan. T