Simply a scratch. All right, jolly, well, and through with the difficulty. My father pleased about the _Burns_. Never travel in the same carriage with three able-bodied seamen and a fruiterer from Kent; the A.-B.'s speak all night as though they were hailing vessels at sea; and the fruiterer as if he were crying fruit in a noisy market-place--such, at least, is my _funeste_ experience. I wonder if a fruiterer from some place else--say Worcestershire--would offer the same phenomena? insoluble doubt. R. L. S. _Later._--Forgive me, couldn't get it off. Awfully nice man here to-night. Public servant--New Zealand. Telling us all about the South Sea Islands till I was sick with desire to go there: beautiful places, green for ever; perfect climate; perfect shapes of men and women, with red flowers in their hair; and nothing to do but to study oratory and etiquette, sit in the sun, and pick up the fruits as they fall. Navigator's Island is the place; absolute balm for the weary.--Ever your faithful friend, R. L. S. TO MRS. SITWELL The examination for the Bar at Edinburgh was approaching. _Fontainebleau_ is the paper called _Forest Notes_, afterwards printed in the Cornhill Magazine. The church is Glencorse Church in the Pentlands, to the thoughts of which Stevenson reverted in his last days with so much emotion (see _Weir of Hermiston_, chap. v.). [_Swanston. End of June 1875._] _Thursday._--This day fortnight I shall fall or conquer. Outside the rain still soaks; but now and again the hilltop looks through the mist vaguely. I am very comfortable, very sleepy, and very much satisfied with the arrangements of Providence. _Saturday--no, Sunday_, 12.45.--Just been--not grinding, alas!--I couldn't--but doing a bit of _Fontainebleau_. I don't think I'll be plucked. I am not sure though--I am so busy, what with this d----d law, and this _Fontainebleau_ always at my elbow, and three plays (three, think of that!) and a story, all crying out to me, "Finish, finish, make an entire end, make us strong, shapely, viable creatures!" It's enough to put a man crazy. Moreover, I have my thesis given out now, which is a fifth (is it fifth? I can't count) incumbrance.