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17 May 1898 — 3 Savile Row | |
Tuesday. 17th May [1898]. He had a good night but the hemorrhage appeared again slightly which made him preoccupied & he looked very ill—the worst I have yet seen him look. I sat with him while he had his breakfast & then left him dosing & went downstairs & wrote letters. Blanche came to see me before lunch and asked me to begin some work for the Garry Hill Industry. When she left Onie came & she stayed luncheon & went to see Arthur afterwards to thank him for having sent her to the play yesterday. Just as we were finishing lunch Miss Oswell came so I remained with her & gave her some luncheon—& she went off back to her work leaving messages for Arthur who has been so kind to her & helped her so much & to whom she is so grateful. Lord Ed. Cecil came to see Nellie & swat with her in the studio– Mrs Jellico came at 4 after Mr Bond had paid his visit. He says Arthur is no worse today than yesterday but fears what may happen in another fortnight & wished Rhuvon should be told to come by 1st June. Col. Larkin came & saw Arthur & was concerned to see him so much worse– At 5 he was wheeled into his own room & remained there the rest of the evening. Arthur Du Cane came & he & I & Nellie sat talking in the studio. Miss Birch from opposite this house came in to beg me to go & dine with Sir Arthur & her to meet Marie Corelli the novelist & I accepted. Arthur DC came to dine with Nellie & walked round with me to the Birch’s & left me there. Just before I started my brother Arthur sent to say he wanted to see me & when I went to his room he gave me a pair of gold rimmed spectacles which he had sent Nellie out to buy for me. When I thanked him I kissed him & he kissed me with great warmth & affection. Poor fellow. It was almost like a parting kiss. I went off to the Birchs with a heavy heart. I found Mr & Mrs Arbuthnot dining there, Lord Stafford & a beautiful Miss Peel (Late Speaker’s daughter). Marie Corelli is a very small woman with a fair baby complexion—very pink & white with a fuzz of light hair on her head—either real or false—probably the latter. She talked a great deal & was rather amusing. She evidently enjoys her renown as an author & constantly referred to it. She says her father was a venetian—her mother Scotch & she a posthumous child. At 10.15 she jumped up & said “I must go I always go to bed at 10.” I had taken my autograph book & Sir Arthur got her to sign her name in it for me—which she kindly & willingly did. She left saying she was very glad to have met me & had always been an admirer of Henry’s books. Shortly after the party broke up & Sir Arthur walked round with me to my house & deposited me there. | |
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