Part 12 (2/2)
I worked aell in the pleasant seclusion of Delgany, at my 8-foot canvas whereon I carried very far forward my ”Review of the Native Ca of this subject, which I had made while the scene was fresh in myat Cairo for the facilities afforded e of the native Camel Corps, which impressed me indelibly I had driven out of Cairo to the desert, where the e opposite the saluting base, I placed s that I got well clear at the right moment I wanted as much of a full-face view as possible The attitudes of thetheir whips, the aveforce that, as soon as the ”Halt!” was sounded, and the 300 ani themselves on their knees with the roar and snarl peculiar to those creatures when required to exert themselves, I hastened back to Shepheard's and marked down the salient points The men were of all shades, from _fellaheen_ yellow to the bluest black of Nubia, and it was a striking moment when they all leapt off their saddles (as the ca to re-set their disordered accoutrements In those days the saddles were covered with red ed strips that flew out in the wind, adding, for the artist, a welcome aid to the representation of one, and the necessity for khaki invisibility reaches even to the camel saddle, which is now a stiff and unattractive dun-coloured object
For ypt I took out our eldest little girl, and a very enjoyable trip we had, _via_ Genoa Of course, I took out the picture to finish it on its native sands I had the richest choice of military camels, arms and accoutrements, and a native trooper or two, as models, but only for studies I was careful to have no posed ood-bye to raceful Orientals becoures the moment you ask them to pose as models Besides, the sincere Mohammedans refuse to be painted at all I have never used a Kodaksnapshots of little value, but quick sketches done unbeknown to the _sketchee_ and a good rieve to say, was hung not very kindly at the Academy, but at the Paris Salon it was received with all the appreciation I could desire
What pleased ypt was our visit to Cairo, where I was so happy duringcoht, and picturesqueness The only thing that jarred was the tyranny of Cairo society, which compelled one to appear at the diversions, whether one liked it or not Nevertheless, I gained a very thorough knowledge of the wondrously beautiful uidance of one who knew them all intimately--Dean Butcher It was a true pleasure to have hirateful to hi up his tio been acquainted with every nook and corner of Cairo, but Dean Butcher had made a special study of these mosques, and I think he was pleased with the e took in the fascinating inforave me and the child
It's a far cry from Cairo to Aldershot! On Noveade began there Much as I loved Egypt, it was a great delight forfroypt to ypt, at Delgany, on June 17th, 1893, I set uppicture, ”The Reveil in the Bivouac of the Scots Greys on the Morning of Waterloo--Early Dawn” I was able to ht studies at ho painted in the studio I pressed ot the light on their fine Irish faces very true to nature I even caught an Irish dragoon hoe, whose splendid profile I saw at once would be very telling
CHAPTER XIX
ALDERSHOT
And now our Irish holorious Wicklow Mountains broke up, and I was to becolish ca at that tialows of the quaintest fashi+on, all theunlike ordinary houses The old court- been placed in it, and I was quite happy there I worked hard at ”The Reveil,” and finished it in that unconventional workshop
To say that Aldershot society was brilliant would be very wide of the reat attraction close by, at Farnborough There lived a woure in history, the Eotten ic story out in South Africa, nor her intervieith hiement of the Prince's funeral at Durban We often took tea with her on Sundays during our Aldershot period, her ”At Ho house on the hill She beca politics with _Sair Willialish, and she used to sit in that confidential way foreign politicians have, expressive of the whispered divulgence of tremendous secrets and of occult plots and plans in various parts of the world She talked incessantly with him, but was a bad listener; and if a subject came up in conversation which did not interest her, a sharp snap or two of her fan would soon bring things to a stop
[Illustration: ALDERSHOT MANUVRES
THE ENEMY IN SIGHT]
Entries from the Aldershot Diary:
”_January 9th_, 1894--We went to the memorial service at the Empress's church in commemoration of the death of Napoleon III After Mass ent down to the crypt, where another short service was chanted and the tombs of the Emperor and Prince I the pathetic ho was kneeling there shrouded with black, a ure, for whohtful dinner at Governht proved most cheery host and hostess He took me to dinner, and we talked other than banalities All the other generals'
wives and the generals and heads of departments were there to the number of twenty-two
”_March 25th_--To a brilliant dinner at Governe was in splendid forave hi We sat down about twenty-eight, of whom only six were ladies
Grenfell, our old friend of Genoese days, and Evelyn Wood were there
”_May 17th_--A glorious day for the Queen's Reviehich was certainly a dazzling spectacle Dear old Queen, it isyear since she reviewed the Aldershot Division; nor would she have come but that her son is now in supreme command here Old people say it was like old times, only that she has shrunk into a tinier wo duchess of Coburg in that spacious carriage she looked indeed tiny, and nearly extinguished under a large grey sunshade A good place was reserved for e close to the Royal Enclosure, and I enjoyed the congenial scene to the utmost
Was I not in lorious sweep of intense green turf which I often take little Martin to for ourwalk, and no Aldershot dust annoyed us I was very proud of the general co base at the head of his troops on that olden bay, set off to the uts of blue and gold That general gives the salute with a very free sweep of the sword ar tie, ht of all that scarlet and gold I must say this scarlet is pushed too far topowers It was a duller tone at Waterloo; and certainly still more artistic when Cro, and it is certainly very splendid The Duke of Caers, and wore field ht--who, at the head of his staff, in front of the division drawn up in line, had sat awaiting the Queen's arrival--canter up to his e drove into the enclosure Then he cantered back to his place, a very graceful rider, and the review began I ood work at 'The Reveil' in forenoon What a contrast and rest to the eyes that picture is after such glittering spectacles as to-day's War _versus_ Parade! It was pathetic to see the Queen to-day with her soldiers She cannot pass theenie has returned, and we had a long intervieith her the other day at her beautiful hoh She is by no means the wreck and shadow so, but has the remains of a certain reat old days of her splendour She is not too tall, and has a fine, upright figure She lives apparently altogether in the memory of her son, and is surrounded by his portraits and relics, including drawings showing hie enelishwo to that poor mother, with her tearful eyes, as she speaks of her dead boy, who need not have been sacrificed There is no trace in her words of anger or reproach or conterief She has onein the hall full to a height of rows on the spot where her treasured son was done to death by seventeen assegai wounds, all received full in front I re us over some artillery stables, I think, at Woolwich once He had a charhtly described to us the quality of the blue of his eyes--'the blue sky seen in water'
”We often go to her beautiful church these fine summer days Her only infirmity appears to be her rheu her his aroes to or coht of the altar
Sometimes it is M Franceschini Pietri, sometimes it is the faithful old servant Uhlust 13th_--We have had the Queen down again for another review in splendid (Queen's) weather The night before the review Her Majesty gave a dinner at the Pavilion to her generals, and for the first tiave reat military tattoo, which I witnessed with C frorounds Very effective, if a little too spun out Will and the others were standing about the Queen's and the Erass soaked with the heavy night dew, and felt all rather blue and bored In the Queen's carriage all was glum, while the Empress with her party chatted helpfully in hers to fill up the ti lines of troops in the distance
”To-day was made memorable by the review held of our brilliant little division by the German Emperor on Laffan's Plain, in perfect weather He wore the uniforiment he is honorary colonel, and rode a bay horse as finely trained as a circus horse (and rather suggestive of one, as are his others, too, that are here), with the curb reins passing somewhere towards the rider's knees, which supply the place of the left hand, half the size of the right and apparently almost powerless The poor fellow's shoulders are padded, too, and one sees a _hiatus_ between the false, square shoulder and the real one, which is very sloping But the general appearance was gallant, and the young aiety and martial spirit He took the salute, of course, and was a striking figure under the Union Jack which waved over his British helmet Then followed a little episode which, if rather theatrical, was enlivening, and a pretty surprise As the Royal Dragoons' turn ca base the Kaiser drew his sword and, darting away froistaff _pro tem_ The Kaiser couldn't salute hioons were clear, back he came at a circus canter to resume his post and continue to receive the salute of the passing legions, as before We all clapped hiraceful compliment It was smartly done The detachment (seventy-five in number) had been sent over fro Will dined at Government House in a nest of Germans, who seeust presence of their Eeneral was very nearly slipping off I went to the evening reception, no wives being asked to the dinner, as the dining-room is so small and the German suite so voluminous
”I was at once presented to HIM, who talked toand about the arreatly adlo-i as I expected, but not at all healthy His face, seen near, is unwholesome in its colour and texture, and the eyes have that _boiled_ look which suggests a want of clarity in the system, it seems to me He is nice and natural in his ht brown moustache brushed up on his cheeks He wore the ht hand inkling with very 'loud' rings on every finger, coiled serpents with jewelled eyes
”_August 14th_--A glorious shahts for the Kaiser I shall always ree and brilliant staff of Ger up to the , this tioon helmet without the plume He seemed joyous as his eye took in the lovely landscape and he sat sohtly spoke to the deferential _pickelhauben_ that bent down around him He then dashed off down the hill and crested another, with, if you please, C on her father's huge grey second charger careering after the gallant band, and escaping for an anxious (to me) half-hour from my surveillance The child looked like a fly on that enormous animal which overtopped the crowd of staff horses Adieu to the old gunpowder smoke It has cleared away for ever One sees too rand, caused by the lurid sone How much writers and painters owe to the old black powder of the days gone by!