Adventures of
A Despatch Rider
BY
Captain W.H.L. WATSON
WITH MAPS
William Blackwood and Sons
Edinburgh and London
1915
A LETTER
BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION.
To 2nd Lieut. R.B. Whyte,
1st Black Watch,
B.E.F.
My dear Robert,—
Do you remember how in the old days we used to talk about my first book?Of course it was to be an Oxford novel full of clever littlecharacter-sketches—witty but not unkind: of subtle and pleasurablehints at our own adventures, for no one had enjoyed Balliol and the cityof Oxford so hugely: of catch-words that repeated would bring back thethrills and the laughter—Psych. Anal. and Steady, Steady! of namescrammed with delectable memories—the Paviers', Cloda's Lane, and [Pg viii]thenotorious Square and famous Wynd: of acid phrases, beautifully put, thatwould show up once and for all those dear abuses and shams that go tomake Oxford. It was to surpass all Oxford Novels and bring us alleternal fame.
You remember, too, the room? It was stuffy and dingy and the pictureswere of doubtful taste, but there were things to drink and smoke. Theimperturbable Ikla would be sitting in his chair pulling at one of hisimpossibly luxurious pipes. You would be snorting in another—and Iwould be holding forth ... but I am starting an Oxford novelette alreadyand there is no need. For two slightly senior contemporaries of ourshave already achieved fame. The hydrangeas have blossomed. "The Home"has been destroyed by a Balliol tongue. The flower-girl has died herdeath. The Balliol novels have been written—and my first book is this.
We have not even had time to talk it over properly. I saw you on myweek's leave in December, but then I had not thought of making a book.Finally, after three months in the trenches you came home in August. Iwas in Ireland and [Pg ix]you in Scotland, so we met at Warrington just aftermidnight and proceeded to staggering adventures. Shall we ever forgetthat six hours' talk, the mad ride and madder breakfast with old PeterM'Ginn, the solitary hotel at Mancheste