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22 January 1893 — Ca’ Capello, Venice | |
Sunday. 22nd January [1893]. It is all over– I was dressing this morng when there came a message that Malcolm was a great deal worse. Henry & I hurried over & found that tho’ so much better yesterday, in the night he was taken with paralysis of the heart & was just about to expire. I went into his room & had just time to say a few words of prayer when they said he was dead– In the room were several people—his servants, agents—Sr & Sra Padovan– I had sent off at once for Mr Penrice but he arrived too late. However we all returned to the death chamber & Italians & all knelt down while he prayed & all said Amen when we did. We returned home & hardly yet can understand it. A few days ago he came over here with the carpenter to see about fixing a bath we had bought & then said he was so much better that he hoped soon to be able to come & dine with us, but we did not think he looked really well—& had been weak ever since the Empress left. There will be generally consternation in the Place—& we shall not see his like again. He was a good upright honest Englishman of the good old type of British Merchant & to us a devoted friend. Mr Dyer came in the morning to look over Henry’s Monuments of Nineveh with him in my studio & I went to my room & wrote to such as I knew wd wish to hear of what had happened. Mrs Browning came after church to see me after hearing it there in the sermon. We lunched in the studio & Mr Penrice came to talk over what further was to be done. The German Consul came to say that as Mr Malcolm was one of the German community they wanted him to be buried by the German Church. Henry said it was not his business to decide & they must wait for the arrival of Mr Malcolm Dutton—still he thought it ought to be done by the Anglican Church. We did not go out again & I could not set to anything till just before dinner I read aloud to Henry & after dinner we did patience to pass the time till bed time. We had telegraphed to the Empress & got an answer with her sincere regrets– | |
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