Part 17 (2/2)

SHE--got off and so did HE. THEY--that's the parson and his wife--wrote to Lord K---- and said 'Lady K---- is dead,' He said 'Then bury her.'

and he married again at once. SHE was a Miss A., and she said--'I marry him because I've been told to'--but that's neither here nor there, and these things occur. ANN! is that you? My dear, how black you are under the eyes--DO, Julie, try and take better care of yourself--and _keep quiet_. If I were Major Ewing I'd _thrash_ you if you didn't. Coming, Ann!--What was it?--Oh, Lord K---- and Tichborne--well--just let me shut the door. He IS Tichborne--but _he murdered him_. That's the secret.

”ANN! My black silk--go to my room--murdered who? why--_Castor_.

”Now try and get some sleep. If I find you with papers I'll _burn them_. Oh! there go all the drags and Mr. M---- on the box--and there go the 4.45, 5.15, and 5.25 to Baker St.--The days fly! But it's a glorious life. Work! Work!--Keep quiet, dear--I shall be back directly.”

TO A.E.

_”Sheffield House,” New Quay, Dartmouth._ June 4, 1874.

... The above I find is our _correct_ address, though what I sent you is all-sufficient, especially as you can't land without our seeing you out of our window, as we are almost within speaking distance of the steamer....

From Exeter here the line is lovely. Half the way you run along the sh.o.r.e. The fields ploughed and meadowed, and with trees, and cattle come down to the sh.o.r.e. [_Sketch._]

TORBAY is in this line. The cliffs are a deep red sandstone, the sky deep blue, and the fields deep green!! [_Sketch._]

At Dawlish, Torquay, etc. the jutting rocks of worn-away sandstone mark the points of the little bays with fantastic looking shapes, like petrified giants. [_Sketch._]

Looking back from Teignmouth is a very curious one on which the sea-birds sit. Bless their noses! and their legs! How they do enjoy the waves! [_Sketch._]

Those lazy ripples damp their boots so nicely!

In the Exeter Station sat a ---- [_Sketch_] Bull Dogue. O dear! He looked so ”savidge,” and was so nervous; every train made him tremble in every limb! I bought him a penny bun, but he was too nervous to eat, though he looked very grateful. The porter promised me to give him plenty of water, and as I gave the porter plenty of coppers I hope he did!

Tell Stephen the flowers on the railway banks give you quite a turn!

Crimson, pale pink, and dead-white Valerian against a deep blue sky in hot suns.h.i.+ne make one not know whether to PAINT or press!

As to Dartmouth itself it is a mixture of Matlock, Whitby and Antwerp!!! The defect is it is really oil the river, not on the sea, but the neighbouring bays are so get-at-able we have settled here. The town is very old. Some of the streets, or rather terraces--if a perfectly irregular perching and jumbling of houses up and down a steep lull can be called a terrace--are very curious. [_Sketch._]

Flowers everywhere....

TO H.K.F.G.

July 12, 1874.

Dr. Edghill preached a fine sermon this morning on ”Friend! wherefore art thou come?” Terribly didactic on the fate of Judas, but the practical application was wonderful and _so_ like him! It being chiefly on the ”patient love of Christ.” Quite merciless on Judas, and on the coa.r.s.eness, coldness and brutalness of betrayal by the tenderest sign of human love. ”But” (plunging head-first among the Engineers!) ”if there's any man sitting here with a heart and conscience every bit as black as Judas's _in that hour_: to thee, Brother, in this hour--in thy worst and vilest hour--Jesus speaks--'_Friend!_--You may have worn out human love, you may try your hardest to wear out Mine'”--(parenthesis to the A.S.C. and a nautical _hitch_ of half his surplice)--(”and we all try hard enough, _that's_ certain!)--'but _you never can_--Friend, still My Friend!'” (Pull up, and obvious need of bronchial troches. Tonsure mopped and a re-commencement.) ”Then there's the appeal to the _conscience_ as well as to the _heart_. _Wherefore art thou come?_ what art thou about--what is thy object? I tell you what, I believe if Judas had answered this in plain language to himself he would have stopped short even then. And we should stop short of many a sin if we'd _face_ what we're going to do” (Dangerous precipitation of the whole Chaplain at the heads of the privates below.) ”Some of you ask yourselves that question to-day--this evening _as you're walking to Aldershot_, 'Wherefore am I come?' And don't let the Devil put something else into your head, but just _answer it_,” etc. etc.

He's not exactly an _equal_ or a _finished_ preacher for highly educated ears, but that sort of transparent candour which he has makes him _very_ affecting when on his favourite topic, the inexhaustible love of G.o.d. His face when he quotes--”The Son of G.o.d Who loved _Me_ and gave Himself for _Me_,” is like a man showing the Rock he has clung to himself in s.h.i.+pwreck.

TO C.T.G.

_X Lines._ July 22, 1874.

DEAREST CHARLIE,

It was a _great_ disappointment not to see you! Now don't fail me next week--you scoundrel! I want you _most_ particularly for most selfish reasons. I am just taking my hero[38] into Victoria Docks, and want to dip my brush in _Couleur locale_ with your help. Do come, and we'll go up to London by _barge_ and sketch all the way!!! I know an A1 Bargemaster, and we can get beds at the inns _en route_. A two days'

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