Rejtő, Jenő: The three musketeers in Africa; Q 19045

6 at. There they are wildly mistaken, however. My wide reading places me high above the average scum., even though appearances may argue against nry claim. When my first work had left the press, my admirers snowed me under with threatening letters calling me a rascal, a fiend, a traitor and an informer. But what can you expect of your admirers nowadays?... Hick Hopkins, who is deplorably lacking in the spiritual refinement the immortal author of "Roccainbole ' s Love Affairs" describes as ethereal, says to me: "Scribble any more stuff and nonsense about me, and I'll bash in your bleeding rocker for you.

" V/hat could I reply to such vulgar language ? To a man who is totally devoid of spiritual ether? "There'll be two of us to that game," I said to him. "You bloody, loud-mouthed blighter." That innuendo, I am sure, did give him a pretty clear idea of what I think of him... Alphonse Nobody, who is an infinitely phlegmatic, couldn't-care-less sort of fellow, put his opinion in different terms. "Your book is very good," he said after laying down my manuscript with an exxjression of boredom on his face. "It emerges from it, by and large, what a blockhead you are. But us here, we know you closely and are well aware that, generally speaking, you are a lot more stupid than that." Of course, I won't stoop to argue with a chap like that. Philistines, both of them,

.. The three legionnaires nevertheless are good and loyal friends who have stuck together through