I, who like the man extremely - that is the word - I love his
society - he is intelligent, pleasant, even witty, a
gentleman - and you know how that attaches - I loathe to seem
to play a base part; but the poor natives - who are like
other folk, false enough, lazy enough, not heroes, not saints
- ordinary men damnably misused - are they to suffer because
I like Cedarcrantz, and Cedarcrantz has cut his lucky? This
is a little tragedy, observe well - a tragedy! I may be
right, I may be wrong in my judgment, but I am in treaty with
my honour. I know not how it will seem to-morrow. Lloyd
thought the barrier of honour insurmountable, and it is an
ugly obstacle. He (Cedarcrantz) will likely meet my wife
three days from now, may travel back with her, will be
charming if he does; suppose this, and suppose him to arrive
and find that I have sprung a mine - or the nearest approach
to it I could find - behind his back? My position is pretty.
Yes, I am an aristocrat. I have the old petty, personal view
of honour? I should blush till I die if I do this; yet it is
on the cards that I may do it. So much I have written you in
bed, as a man writes, or talks, in a BITTRE WAHL. Now I
shall sleep, and see if I am more clear. I will consult the
missionaries at least - I place some reliance in M. also - or
I should if he were not a partisan; but a partisan he is.
There's the pity. To sleep! A fund of wisdom in the
prostrate body and the fed brain. Kindly observe R. L. S. in
the talons of politics! 'Tis funny - 'tis sad. Nobody but
these cursed idiots could have so driven me; I cannot bear
idiots.

My dear Colvin, I must go to sleep; it is long past ten - a