| Description | The days go quickly and she had not heard from John but the second post brought his letter. She has no excuses for the 'stupid takeed' [order, or mandate], and knowing that he drew money from different sources she should have realised that it had nothing to do with local treasury supplies. Mary notes the 'failure' of the game-pie. John's absence has no effect on her use of stimulants; she has an ounce of port at 12.00 and two-thirds of a glass of sherry at lunch, with water at dinner. Yesterday she returned Mrs Stansfield's call and she describes this, including a painting by Mr Stansfield, who 'draws cleverly'. She also returned Miss Cox's call, but found only the General, who showed her caricatures of himself, including by his brother Douglas Hamilton. She asks if they will go to Virginia, and says that she is not following the Tichborne trial, although it is in the Madras papers. |