habits, I see the danger in front of me--one might cease
to be generous and grow hard and sordid in time and trouble. However,
thank God it is life I want, and nothing posthumous, and for two good
emotions I would sacrifice a thousand years of fame. Moreover I know so
well that I shall never be much as a writer that I am not very sorely
tempted.

My only chance is in my stories; and so you will forgive me if I
postpone everything else to copy out _King Matthias_; I have learned by
experience that a story should be copied out and finished fairly off at
the first heat if ever. I am even thinking of finishing up half-a-dozen
perhaps and trying the publishers? what do you say? Give me your
advice?

_Sunday._--Good-bye. A long story to tell but no time to tell it: well
and happy. Adieu.--Ever your faithful friend,

ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON.

TO MRS. SITWELL

_Edinburgh [Sunday, November 1874]._

Here is my long story: yesterday night, after having supped, I grew so
restless that I was obliged to go out in search of some excitement.
There was a half-moon lying over on its back, and incredibly bright in
the midst of a faint grey sky set with faint stars: a very inartistic
moon, that would have damned a picture.

At the most populous place of the city I found a little boy, three years
old perhaps, half frantic with terror, and crying to every one for his
"Mammy." This was about eleven, mark you. People stopped and spoke to
him, and then went on, leaving him more frightened than before. But I
and a good-humoured mechanic came up together; and I instantly developed
a latent faculty for setting the hearts of children at rest. Master
Tommy Murphy (such was his name) soon stopped crying, and allowed me to
take him up and carry him; and the mechanic and I trudged away along
Princes Street to find his parents. I was soon so tired that I had to
ask the mechanic to carry the bairn; and you should have seen the
puzzled contempt with which he looked at me, for knocking in so soon. He
was a good fellow, however, although very impracticable and sentimental;
and he soon bethought him that Master Murphy might catch cold after his
excitement, so we wrapped him up in my greatcoat. "Tobauga (Tobago)
Street" was the address he gave us; and we deposited him in a little
grocer's shop and went through all the houses in the street without
being able to find any one of the name of Murphy. Then I set off to the
head police offi