the americanization of edward bok-第38部分

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ould　find　no　way　in　which　to　reopen　an　approach　to　either　the　Oxford　tutor　or　the　Crimean　nurse。　They　were　plainly　too　much　for　him；　and　he　had　to　acknowledge　his　defeat。　The　experience　was　good　for　him；　he　did　not　realize　this　at　the　time；　nor　did　he　enjoy　the　sensation　of　not　getting　what　he　wanted。　Nevertheless；　a　reverse　or　two　was　due。　Not　that　his　success　was　having　any　undesirable　effect　upon　him；　his　Dutch　common　sense　saved　him　from　any　such　calamity。　But　at　thirty　years　of　age　it　is　not　good　for　any　one；　no　matter　how　well　balanced；　to　have　things　come　his　way　too　fast　and　too　consistently。　And　here　were　breaks。　He　could　not　have　everything　he　wanted；　and　it　was　just　as　well　that　he　should　find　that　out。

In　his　next　quest　he　found　himself　again　opposed　by　his　London　friends。　Unable　to　secure　a　new　Alice　in　Wonderland　for　his　child　readers；　he　determined　to　give　them　Kate　Greenaway。　But　here　he　had　selected　another　recluse。　Everybody　discouraged　him。　The　artist　never　saw　visitors；　he　was　told；　and　she　particularly　shunned　editors　and　publishers。　Her　own　publishers　confessed　that　Miss　Greenaway　was　inaccessible　to　them。　〃We　conduct　all　our　business　with　her　by　correspondence。　I　have　never　seen　her　personally　myself；〃　said　a　member　of　the　firm。

Bok　inwardly　decided　that　two　failures　in　two　days　were　sufficient；　and　he　made　up　his　mind　that　there　should　not　be　a　third。　He　took　a　bus　for　the　long　ride　to　Hampstead　Heath；　where　the　illustrator　lived；　and　finally　stood　before　a　picturesque　Queen　Anne　house　that　one　would　have　recognized　at　once；　with　its　lower　story　of　red　brick；　its　upper　part　covered　with　red　tiles；　its　windows　of　every　size　and　shape；　as　the　inspiration　of　Kate　Greenaway's　pictures。　As　it　turned　out　later；　Miss　Greenaway's　sister　opened　the　door　and　told　the　visitor　that　Miss　Greenaway　was　not　at　home。

〃But；　pardon　me；　has　not　Miss　Greenaway　returned？　Is　not　that　she？〃　asked　Bok；　as　he　indicated　a　figure　just　coming　down　the　stairs。　And　as　the　sister　turned　to　see；　Bok　stepped　into　the　hall。　At　least　he　was　inside！　Bok　had　never　seen　a　photograph　of　Miss　Greenaway；　he　did　not　know　that　the　figure　coming　downstairs　was　the　artist；　but　his　instinct　had　led　him　right；　and　good　fortune　was　with　him。

He　now　introduced　himself　to　Kate　Greenaway；　and　explained　that　one　of　his　objects　in　coming　to　London　was　to　see　her　on　behalf　of　thousands　of　American　children。　Naturally　there　was　nothing　for　the　illustrator　to　do　but　to　welcome　her　visitor。　She　took　him　into　the　garden；　where　he　saw　at　once　that　he　was　seated　under　the　apple…tree　of　Miss　Greenaway's　pictures。　It　was　in　full　bloom；　a　veritable　picture　of　spring　loveliness。　Bok's　love　for　nature　pleased　the　artist　and　when　he　recognized　the　cat　that　sauntered　up；　he　could　see　that　he　was　making　headway。　But　when　he　explained　his　profession　and　stated　his　errand；　the　atmosphere　instantly　changed。　Miss　Greenaway　conveyed　the　unmistakable　impression　that　she　had　been　trapped；　and　Bok　realized　at　once　that　he　had　a　long　and　difficult　road　ahead。

Still；　negotiate　it　he　must　and　he　did！　And　after　luncheon　in　the　garden；　with　the　cat　in　his　lap；　Miss　Greenaway　perceptibly　thawed　out；　and　when　the　editor　left　late　that　afternoon　he　had　the　promise　of　the　artist　that　she　would　do　her　first　magazine　work　for　him。　That　promise　was　kept　monthly；　and　for　nearly　two　years　her　articles　appeared；　with　satisfaction　to　Miss　Greenaway　and　with　great　success　to　the　magazine。

The　next　opposition　to　Bok's　plans　arose　from　the　soreness　generated　by　the　absence　of　copyright　laws　between　the　United　States　and　Great　Britain　and　Europe。　The　editor；　who　had　been　publishing　a　series　of　musical　compositions；　solicited　the　aid　of　Sir　Arthur　Sullivan。　But　it　so　happened　that　Sir　Arthur's　most　famous　composition；　〃The　Lost　Chord；〃　had　been　taken　without　leave　by　American　music　publishers；　and　sold　by　the　hundreds　of　thousands　with　the　composer　left　out　on　pay…day。　Sir　Arthur　held　forth　on　this　injustice；　and　said　further　that　no　accurate　copy　of　〃The　Lost　Chord〃　had；　so　far　as　he　knew；　ever　been　printed　in　the　United　States。　Bok　saw　his　chance；　and　also　an　opportunity　for　a　little　Americanization。

〃Very　well；　Sir　Arthur；〃　suggested　Bok；　〃with　your　consent；　I　will　rectify　both　the　inaccuracy　and　the　injustice。　Write　out　a　correct　version　of　'The　Lost　Chord'；　I　will　give　it　to　nearly　a　million　readers；　and　so　render　obsolete　the　incorrect　copies；　and　I　shall　be　only　too　happy　to　pay　you　the　first　honorarium　for　an　American　publication　of　the　song。　You　can　add　to　the　copy　the　statement　that　this　is　the　first　American　honorarium　you　have　ever　received；　and　so　shame　the　American　publishers　for　their　dishonesty。〃

This　argument　appealed　strongly　to　the　composer；　who　made　a　correct　transcript　of　his　famous　song；　and　published　it　with　the　following　note：

〃This　is　the　first　and　only　copy　of　〃The　Lost　Chord〃　which　has　ever　been　sent　by　me　to　an　American　publisher。　I　believe　all　the　reprints　in　America　are　more　or　less　incorrect。　I　have　pleasure　in　sending　this　copy　to　my　friend；　Mr。　Edward　W。　Bok；　for　publication　in　The　Ladies'　Home　Journal　for　which　he　gives　me　an　honorarium；　the　only　one　I　have　ever　received　from　an　American　publisher　for　this　song。

〃Arthur　Sullivan。〃

At　least；　thought　Bok；　he　had　healed　one　man's　soreness　toward　America。　But　the　next　day　he　encountered　another。　On　his　way　to　Paris；　he　stopped　at　Amiens　to　see　Jules　Verne。　Here　he　found　special　difficulty　in　that　the　aged　author　could　not　speak　English；　and　Bok　knew　only　a　few　words　of　casual　French。　Finally　a　neighbor's　servant　who　knew　a　handful　of　English　words　was　commandeered；　and　a　halting　three…cornered　conversation　was　begun。

Bok　found　two　grievances　here：　the　author　was　incensed　at　the　American　public　because　it　had　insisted　on　classing　his　books　as　juveniles；　and　accepting　them　as　stories　of　adventure；　whereas　he　desired　them　to　be　recognized　as　prophetic　stories　based　on　scientific　factsan　insistence　which；　as　all　the　world　knows；　has　since　been　justified。　Bok　explained；　however；　that　the　popular　acceptance　of　the　author's　books　as　stories　of　adventure　was　by　no　means　confined　to　America；　that　even　in　his　own　country　the　same　was　true。　But　Jules　Verne　came　back　with　the　rejoinder　that　if　the　French　were　a　pack　of　fools；　that　was　no　reason　why　the　Americans　should　also　be。

The　argument　weighed　somewhat　with　the　author；　however；　for　he　then　changed　the　conversation；　and　pointed　out　how　he　had　been　robbed　by　American　publishers　who　had　stolen　his　books。　So　Bok　was　once　more　face　to　face　with　the　old　non…copyright　conditions；　and　although　he　explained　the　existence　then　of　a　new　protective　law；　the　old　man　was　not　mollified。　He　did　not　take　kindly　to　Bok's　suggestion　for　new　work；　and　closed　the　talk；　extremely　difficult　to　all　three；　by　declaring　that　his　writing　days　were　over。

But　Bok　was　by　no　means　through　with　non…copyright　echoes；　for　he　was　destined　next　day　to　take　part　in　an　even　stormier　interview　on　the　same　subject　with　Alexander　Dumas　fils。　Bok　had　been　publishing　a　series　of　articles　in　which　authors　had　told　how　they　had　been　led　to　write　their　most　famous　books；　and　he　wanted　Dumas　to　tell　〃How　I　Came　to　Write　'Camille。'〃

To　act　as　translator　this　time；　Bok　took　a　trusted　friend　with　him；　whose　services　he　found　were　needed；　as　Dumas　was　absolutely　without　knowledge　of　English。　No　sooner　was　the　editor's　request　made　known　to　him　than　the　storm　broke。　Dumas；　hotly　excited；　denounced　the　Americans　as　robbers　who　had　deprived　him　of　his　rightful　returns　on　his　book　and　play；　and　ended　by　declaring　that　he　would　trust　no　American　editor　or　publisher。

The　mutual　friend　explained　the　new　copyright　conditions　and　declared　that　Bok　intended　to　treat　the　author　honorably。　But　Dumas　was　not　to　be　mollified。　He　launched　forth　upon　a　new　arraignment　of　the　Americans；　dishonesty　was　bred　in　their　bones！　and　they　were　robbers　by　instinct。　All　of　this　distinctly　nettled　Bok's　Americanism。　The　interpreting　friend　finally　suggested　that　the　article　should　be　written　while　Bok　was　in　Paris；　that　he　should　be　notified　when　the　manuscript　was　ready；　that　he　should　then　appear　with　the　actual　money　in　hand　in　French　notes；　and　that　Dumas　should　give　Bok　the　manuscript　when　Bok　handed　Dumas　the　money。

〃After　I　count　it；〃　said　Dumas。

This　was　the　last　straw！

〃Pray　ask　him；〃　Bok　suggested　to　the　interpreter；　〃what　assurance　I　have　that　he　will　deliver　the　manuscript　to　me　after　he　has　the　money。〃　The　friend　protested　against　translating　this　thrust；　but　Bok　insisted；　and　Dumas；　not　knowing　what　was　coming；　insisted　that　the　message　be　given　him。　When　it　was；　the　man　was　a　study；　he　became　livid　with　rage。

〃But；〃　persisted　Bok；　〃say　to　Monsieur　Dumas　that　I　have　the　same　privilege　of　distrusting　him　as　he　apparently　has　of　distrusting　me。〃

And　Bok　can　still　see　the　violent　gesticulations　of　the　storming　French　author；　his　face　burning　with　passionate　anger；　as　the　two　left　him。

Edward　Bok　now　sincerely　hoped　that　his　encounters　with　the　absence　of　a　law　that　has　been　met　were　at　an　end！

Rosa　Bonheur；　the　painter　of　〃The　Horse　Fair；〃　had　been　represented　to　Bok　as　another　recluse