[WHEN after two months of uncertainty (January and February, 1816) the theory of Byron’s madness was finally abandoned by the doctors, the full meaning of certain words and acts of his, which had hitherto been ignored by Lady Byron as being based upon insane illusions, had to be faced. Among other consequences a change in her relations with Mrs. Leigh became inevitable. The full story of this period will be found in Chapter III., p. 60, and onwards. It is there told how Mrs. Leigh’s intimate friend, Mrs. Villiers,2 pressed Lady Byron to discredit publicly the rumours then widely current about the guilty connection between Byron and Augusta, and how Lady Byron was compelled to explain her position fully to Mrs. Villiers.
The forty letters or portions of letters here given begin almost immediately after this explanation had taken place. They are printed in full so far as they are relevant to “Astarte,” and the only omissions are passages of a purely domestic or temporary interest. They comprise the earlier portion (May to September, 1816) of a very long and voluminous correspondence. They show how beginning with a resolution to break off all intercourse with Mrs. Leigh except such as might have to be feigned in public—Lady Byron quickly yielded to feelings of pity and sympathy for one who was in fact her fellow victim; how she welcomed with thankfulness Mrs. Leigh’s asseverations that no actual guilt had taken place since
1 See Introduction, pp. viii and ix. 2 See p. 57, note a. |
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Augusta was made aware that Mrs. Villiers, hitherto the most determined champion of her supposed innocence, now knew all. A short period of embarrassment ensued between them. Mrs. Villiers’ letter of September 15 to Lady Byron, and Mrs. Leigh’s letter to Lady Byron on September 17 commenting on her words, show how this embarrassment was boldly ended by Mrs. Villiers, and how Augusta acquiesced in her knowledge of the truth.
It was at this meeting in September that Augusta entered into the compact with Lady Byron under which for years she sent her Byron’s letters to herself regularly as she received them, and undertook to act in all things regarding him by Lady Byron’s advice.
For the next few years the correspondence between the sisters-in-law consists mainly of comments on these letters of Byron’s, with anxious discussions of his possible return to England, and of the effect on the public of the more or less distinct allusions to Augusta in his published poems. A few phrases from some of the letters here printed were quoted by the author in Chapter III., and ten more letters of later date, with the passionate outburst from Byron (May 17, 1819) which occasioned them, will be found in Chapter IV.
Byron’s own letters to Augusta and three to Lady Byron will be found in Chapter XI.
The italics in all these letters are those of the writers themselves. The notes are throughout mine.—Ed.]
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| LADY BYRON AND MRS. LEIGH (I) |
My dear Mrs. Villiers, I have burnt your letter, which relieved me from some anxiety. I should have great consolation in thinking that A— was more deluded than deceiving in the opinions she now declares—for, to me, duplicity is the most unpardonable crime—the only one that could alienate my kindness from her. Your argument that the Physician should know the whole of the Malady, would lead me to regret that a natural horror of the subject, and a feeling for her, had kept me so long silent to you—and even when I did speak, the only effect I meant to produce was that of inclining you to forgive whilst you lamented this impression on my mind, without at all convincing you of its justice. Nor do I now assert that it is in my power to convince you, though my own opinion is unalterable—but you shall receive any information by which you can be enabled to do her good. My great object, next to the Security of my Child, is, therefore, the restoration of her mind to that state which is religiously desirable. I differ from you in regard to the effects of an unequivocal communication. It is easier for the injured than the guilty to pardon, & I doubt if any woman would forgive to another such an avowal. I have sometimes thought that a tacit understanding existed between her and me—particularly when she believed him acquitted by Insanity, and seemed herself sinking under the most dreadful remorse—but her tone has since changed from penitence to pride. It is scarcely possible she could on various occasions have supposed me unconscious, unless that tenderness towards her which encreased my grief & compassion, rendered her blind to impressions that anyone, situated as I was, must have received—and I do not conceive that the repetition of his words to me in private, could make a change in her feelings, if what passed in her presence did not.
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| ASTARTE |
In regard to the promise—if there were such a previous condition she would attribute to it any subsequent kindness on my part—which would therefore lose every beneficial or consolatory effect to her—but I hope to reconcile & surmount these obstacles by some means—Perhaps no human power can create the spirit of humility and repentance which I pray God to bestow upon her—If you would do her good, you judge most wisely in appearing wholly unsuspicious—Let us not be impatient with a “mind diseased”—but wait to assist the effects of Time—Absence—and I hope—Solitude—for it is not whilst reflection is excluded by the engagements of Society, that moral principle can be revived—Nor do I think it can be forced upon the mind by sudden or violent means—Whatever may be the intermediate circumstances, it will be in her power to reclaim my friendship whenever it can really serve her for more than worldly purposes—to speak seriously as I feel, I regard this as a Christian duty—
There are parts of my conduct I wish to explain to you—particularly how I came to express satisfaction in her remaining in London during my first visit here—1 though before I left it I had strongly advised her removal for her own sake. I had even told her what Dr Baillie said, upon the presumption of Insanity, that he ought not to be left with any2 young woman after my departure. My anxiety to prevent her continuing in the house was such, that I thought it my duty to confide to Mrs. Byron3 only, the horrible desires he had entertained and gave her permission to communicate them to A— if absolutely necessary to save her from imprudence about him. I afterwards wrote to Mrs B—from hence, saying that my apprehensions were relieved by Capt. B’s residence in the house—A’s letters to me here also weakened these impressions of existing danger,
1 Lady Byron had gone to Kirkby in April of the preceding year to see her uncle, Lord Wentworth, on his deathbed. 2 Underlined twice. 3 Mrs. Sophia Byron, “Aunt Sophy.” |
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| LADY BYRON AND MRS. LEIGH (I) |
I will observe about Col. Leigh—but I wrote to him such a letter the first time I came here, as must have answered the effect I then intended, of preventing his suspicions, which could only do harm—
Say you have received this—& if its contents can be of any use, I will not regret the pain which every discussion of this topic costs me—
Believe me—very truly & affectionately yours
Your kind letter reached me very safely yesterday—and I sincerely thank you for it. Whatever steps you take towards the attainment of the objects you have in view will, I have no doubt, be right, & I can only again repeat that if I can in any degree contribute to either I shall at all times be most happy (&) ready to comply with your wishes—Nothing can be more amiable than all your feelings towards poor A. & I trust the time will come when she will fully appreciate them. Her fever has not yet subsided—and the wretched condition of her own affairs must and will for a time, prevent all retrospective recollections turning to good account. Her expressions of conscious innocence to me are certainly wonderful—but I think I can, under various pre-
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| ASTARTE |
The anecdote of your maid is very satisfactory—I never thought much faith shd. be given to her evidence but this ought to be known. Always believe me very affectionately yours
My dear Mrs Villiers—I consider it as a very kind proof of your wish to do me justice that you desire to know my reasons, which I shall have real satisfaction in submitting to you—
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| LADY BYRON AND MRS. LEIGH (I) |
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I have written to thank Col. L—— for a letter apprizing me of the event1 which you of course have heard.
You do me but justice, my dear Lady Byron, but you do it in the kindest manner, when you say that you believe it was from a wish to do you justice, & not from any motives of impertinent curiosity that I ventured to ask the question I did. Nothing I am sure can be more satisfactory to my mind than your answer—and if it were possible (which I hardly think) for you to stand higher in my estimation than you did before, it would be from the explanation you have so fully and kindly given me on the only point which still perplexed me. It
1 Birth of Mrs. Leigh’s son Frederick. |
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| LADY BYRON AND MRS. LEIGH (I) |
I fancy that I now understand & read her mind upon this subject—I may be wrong—but I will give you my reasons—She frequently asserted to me in her letters when she first left town that she knew the reports originated in M. House1 & were circulated by Ly. C. L.2 I told her in reply that tho’ what she said might be true, yet that Ld. B. had by his imprudent way of talking given ample grounds for such reports—She then expressed herself with great warmth—assuring me I had been misinformed, that whoever ventured to assert that he had so done spoke untruly, for that he had given her his solemn word of honor that he never had said anything that could give rise to any report of the kind, that she must believe his word, could not, would not believe him dishonourable, &c., &c. To all this I briefly replied that two years ago he had advanced at Holland House the most extraordinary theory upon such subjects, & that
1 Melbourne House. |
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1 Heroine of Lady Caroline Lamb’s novel of “Glenarvon.” |
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| LADY BYRON AND MRS. LEIGH (I) |
A. never told me of your promise to her about Georgy nor do I know now what it is—Pray tell me—Whatever it is I cannot but consider it a most extraordinary act of kindness.
Believe me my dear Lady Byron I most willingly give credit to whatever expressions of kindness & regard you are good enough to bestow upon me for few things can be so gratifying to me as in any degree to possess your affection or good opinion—& I am too anxious to retain them not to rejoice at your unchanging disposition—it is perhaps but a poor return though a very true one to tell you how sincerely I am ever affectionately yrs
I will first state my objections to the plan of a full & immediate communication—then tell you what will I think effect all the desired ends without risk of any sort——
“The fever has not yet subsided”—it is perhaps the crisis—and would you submit to one in a state of delirium or “infatuation” a point of conduct on which
1 See postscript to Lady Byron’s letter of May 23. |
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The measure which I propose to take appears to me to unite the following advantages—that it will make herself acquainted with my real opinions & feelings, without binding me to avow them publicly, should she be desperate in the first impulse—that it will nevertheless suspend this terror over her, to be used as her future dispositions & conduct may render expedient—whilst it leaves her the power of profiting by my forbearance, without compelling the utterly degrading confession of her own guilt——
I intend then to write to her in substance as follows: [Lady Byron now gives a short résumé of her letter of June 3rd to Mrs. Leigh which follows this one.—Ed.]
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| LADY BYRON AND MRS. LEIGH (I) |
As she had in the summer expressed anxiety about Georgiana’s welfare in case of her death, I promised to give every care in my power to the welfare of her Child, in such an event. I then wrote to her that though I foresaw a time and circumstances when her feelings would be estranged from me, this promise would not be affected thereby. My pecuniary powers are now diminished—my intention, as I told you is the same—With regard to all this I wish to recall to your mind what I believe I told you—that my reasons might not convince others as perfectly as they convince myself, because—I have seen & heard, whilst others must depend not only upon my veracity, but in part on my discernment—and on this account should you hereafter
1 Mrs. Leigh’s house, Six Mile Bottom, near Newmarket. |
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| ASTARTE |
P.S.—I will trouble you to communicate my letter to Mr. Wilmot1—He will tell you how he became unavoidably acquainted with my opinion, though it could not be deposited with one who deserved more entire confidence.
I say nothing of your kindness—nor of the length of my letter—believing that you will understand what I suppress.
I do not know what letter of mine can have been shown about, as I never wrote any on the subject that I did not mean to be private, though I have no doubt it was circulated with the kindest intentions.
Before your Confinement I would not risk agitating you, but having the satisfaction of knowing you are recovered, I will no longer conceal from yourself that there are reasons founded on such circumstances in your conduct, as, (though thoroughly convinced they have existed) I am most anxious to bury in silence, which indispensably impose on me the duty of limiting my intercourse with you—
I should more deeply lament this necessary consequence of causes,—(on the supposition of which, whilst in any degree doubtful, it would have been unjust to act)—if your feelings towards me could give me the power of doing you any good,—but you have not disguised your resentment against those who have befriended me, and have countenanced the arts which have been employed to injure me—Can I then longer believe
1 Robert Wilmot Horton, Lord Byron’s cousin. |
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| LADY BYRON AND MRS. LEIGH (I) |
I attest this to be a true copy of a letter from Lady Byron to Mrs. Leigh, sent according to date—
Our present unanimity of opinion is a great comfort to me—I entertain no doubt whatever as to the propriety of the measure which I have taken according to your wishes, but not till my own mind was convinced they were most judicious—My Sincerity must atone for this uncomplimentary speech—I would send you a copy of my letter to her, but I may wish to say that I have not given one—By avoiding all ambiguity of meaning I have precluded the occasion for further explanation—yet, though I have expressed myself thoroughly convinced, and that no doubt remains of the existence of these circumstances, I have said everything that could soften the blow—every thing that I truly feel—Notwithstanding
1 Apparently by Mrs. Villiers. Where necessary all Lady Byron’s letters to Mrs. Villiers were thus endorsed. |
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| ASTARTE |
I am going on Saturday to Lowestoffe in Suffolk, for sea-air, which is quite necessary to me, as I feel more weakness now than during my greater exertions—Sleepless nights, and head-achy days—I take my Child—It is stouter and stronger than any boy or girl of a year old that I ever saw, and so goodhumoured that it will be a very agreeable companion.
Will you think of Lowestoffe?—Besides the subject of our mutual interest I shall wish to hear of you—and above all to be remembered as
I thank you exceedingly for communicating to me that you had taken the measure proposed—You will easily imagine my anxiety for the result—To-day I feel very sanguine—because I have had a letter from her which must have been written since she received yours, & in which she does not say one word of you or your letter—I am willing to hope & believe that this is conclusive as to her intention of taking it as she ought—quietly at least—& if quietly surely it must be gratefully—Her letters of late have been dejected & melancholy to the greatest degree, & that of to-day more so than ever—Her letters to Ld. F. Bentinck (who is, as you probably know, very much in her confidence & very kind to her) are, he tells me, more melancholy than ever—but I do
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| LADY BYRON AND MRS. LEIGH (I) |
As I always mistrust the first impulses of my feelings, & did not wish to write under the influence of such as your letter could not fail to produce, I would not answer it by return of post. I cannot say that I am wholly surprised at its contents. Your silence towards me during so long an interval and when all obvious necessity for it must have ceased formed so decided a contrast to your former kindness to me—and to what my Conscience tells me my conduct towards you deserved from you that it could not but require some explanation. I have often thought of—though not determined—to ask it—when my health strength & spirits wd allow me—if my feelings have been wounded by your silence, how much more deeply they must now be so by your expressions I need not—cannot say—To general accusations I must answer in general terms—and if I were on my death Bed I could affirm as I now do that I have uniformly considered you and consulted your happiness before and above any thing in this world. No sister ever could have the claims upon me that you had—I felt it—& acted up to the feeling to the best of my judgement. We are all perhaps too much inclined to magnify our trials, yet I think I may venture to pronounce my situation to have been & to be still one of extraordinary difficulty. I have been assured that the
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My “present unhappy dispositions”——! I have
1 Underlined twice. 2 Underlined three times. |
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| LADY BYRON AND MRS. LEIGH (I) |
God bless you—for every mark of kindness which you have bestowed on me & mine of which neither time or circumstances can efface the recollection.
Will you be so good as to acknowledge the receipt of the Bulletin1 to Ly Noel. I think it unnecessary to trouble her as I write to you—I am sorry to hear her acct of yr health——
Having made a visit of two days on the road, I only arrived here yesterday, and found your letter—The material parts of the answer which I have received are that she acquiesces in the limited intercourse, and seeks no further explanation—of course she does not plead guilty, but her assertions are not exactly to the point, though it is evident she perfectly understands me—There is no offensive or irritating expression towards me, and notwithstanding the share which prudence may have had in preventing any such, I felt much more affected than I should have been by her indulgence of more angry feelings—In short it is perhaps the best letter she could have written—How bitter it is to correspond on altered terms with one whom we have not ceased to love——
Do you not consider it mutually advisable, since you have given me so much reason to consult you as my
1 The bulletin as to the health of the child, Ada Byron, sent by Lady Noel to Mrs. Leigh for transmission to Lord Byron. |
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I was the object of some obtrusive curiosity on my journey, particularly at Ely and Peterborough—At Bury I was presented with the “Farewell to England”—I think it a feebler effusion of the same sentiments as in the Fare thee well—Habits of misrepresentation necessarily entail a degree of self-delusion—we say things to persuade others till we persuade ourselves—and I have always found this so true of Lord Byron, that I am inclined to think he now really believes himself the injured person. When the whole force of such an imagination is turned to deceive the conscience it is too easy to find “a flattering unction”—and it is perhaps one of the most melancholy & fatal misapplications of human powers.
I am writing in full view of the sea, & not many yards distant—The House adjoining mine will be inhabited by my friend the young Lady Gosford—one of those whom I value most and whose society is likely to be the more salutary to me, as she is wholly unconnected with the causes of my deeper feelings—I have not seen her for the last three years—My health will improve in this quiet life, & then I shall have more power to enjoy the blessings which remain, & of which I am most sensible—
I find I have not time to write to Mr. Wilmot by this post—will you tell him he shall hear from me soon.
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| LADY BYRON AND MRS. LEIGH (I) |
Your letter has been quite a relief to my mind, tho’ I in some degree anticipated its contents from the tone of all A’s late letters to me—but still it is a weight off my mind that she should decidedly have taken the tone she has—at first her letters to me were all gloom & despair—speaking of her misery—of always having some fresh calamity—of her exertions to support herself on account of her baby &c.—all which might apply to her fresh pecuniary difficulties & I was therefore not called upon to make any comment but what related to such distresses—a total silence with respect to you and every thing concerning you de part & d’autre for a whole week—I then thought that absolute silence on my part at such a moment was almost a tacit avowal of my knowledge of what was passing, & as it was for her sake desirable that this should not appear I mentioned having heard that you were ill & gone to Lowestoffe & that probably this prevented your writing. Three letters arrived but no reply to this—at last came one with this sentence at the fag end—“I have written in such hurries lately I have I believe forgot to tell you that the last bulletin from Kirkby brought me also a few lines from Ly. B. I fear she is in very bad health.” !!!!!! I expressed my surprise at her having forgot to tell me this & merely asked if the letter was kind—To this she has not replied tho’ I have had two letters from her since, & I don’t think it necessary to say any more.
I consider that what has pass’d must be conclusive with respect to your greatest object—the safety of your Child—the production of this correspondence should it ever become necessary, & her quiet acquiescence in your proposal must be sufficient for your purpose—as far therefore as this goes, & as far as being convinced she will not bring absolute & immediate ruin upon herself by an éclat, I feel perfectly satisfied—I agree with you as
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| ASTARTE |
She is ordered to come to London for the Pss. Mary’s marriage which I am very sorry for—the tourbillon of that, & her present exertions to sell the Six mile will give her no time for reflection.
As you very kindly ask my opinion as to your occasionally writing to A. on indifferent subjects I must say that I think your doing so will be very kind & very useful to her—& she must acknowledge to herself that it is so—to you it will afford the gratification that the consciousness of performing an act of charity must give—I perfectly believe what you conjecture as to the probability of Ld. B. considering himself the aggrieved person—I have seen self delusion practised in that way to an almost incredible degree in more instances than one—
I am very sincerely anxious to hear that you derive benefit from sea air & change of scene & rejoice that you have a friend at Lowestoffe—total solitude feeds more than cures any deep affliction—
The first impression made by the “Fare thee well” is completely done away with—& I have repeatedly heard great surprise expressed lately at your extraordinary forbearance & endurance—& not a word of
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| LADY BYRON AND MRS. LEIGH (I) |
[The letter to which the following is an answer has not been preserved.—Ed.]
Your letter is very acceptable—& more like comfort than any thing in any shape I have had this long time—for one word of kindness from you is I assure you of more value than many from others—I rejoice to hear so good an acct of dear little A—— has she more than the 2 teeth of which I heard from Lady Noel? I wish you could tell me anything as favourable of your own health. [Here comes a long passage about her children’s health and her domestic troubles.—Ed.] Now my dear A— here is a sheet of paper as usual full of
1 See Appendix D. 2 All Mrs. Leigh’s letters are endorsed with full dates by Lady Byron. |
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| ASTARTE |
I am sorry too on some accounts that A. is going to Town, but may you not do some good by seeing her, & contribute to dispel her delusions? Except at one period I have always found her much more collected & prepared to repel suspicion than he was—and I have always observed the remarkable difference, that his feelings—distinct from practice—were much more sensitive & correct on all moral questions than hers. She did not appear to think these transgressions of consequence. Her self-condemnation has seemed so exclusively attached to what preceded my marriage, that, in opposition to every other probability, it has led me to doubt a positive renewal subsequently—but it is not uncommon in such cases for a compromise to be made with conscience when mischief has not been intended—I had another letter
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| LADY BYRON AND MRS. LEIGH (I) |
[Lady Byron now gives a copy of the same extracts from Mrs. Leigh’s letter of June 22, very slightly abridged, as have been printed here.]
. . . It is the idea of his occasional derangement which I suppose still continues, that prevents the estranging effect his dishonourable disclosures would otherwise have upon her—It comes in too well to indulge her blindness, and palliate his offences. I am disposed to trouble you with a copy of my reply, and request you to return it as I have no other—I shall be very glad if you think it well-calculated for the purpose I shall not give up, whilst I have any hope of being as much her friend as I wish. I feel for you when you will next meet her.
In a Postscript she desires me not to write on the subject except when she is alone, as she does not wish this to be added to other “grievances”! What is to rouse a feeling which appears completely done away, of the nature & magnitude of the offence (to which, even as an imputation, she is strangely insensible) I know not—I have endeavoured to touch her by expressing my own sentiments more fully—and was anxious to avoid every appe-[arance]? of obtruding an obligation,—when I withdrew esteem———Believe me
I did not mention your former letter only because any allusion to that subject must be as painful to me as to you, unless I could with sincerity express a change of opinion on the material point. In respect to the effects
1 By Lady Byron. |
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| ASTARTE |
Do not pain me by recurring to obligations. If I could think you owed me any, it would be only for the endurance of trials of which I endeavoured to keep you ignorant—though you were their cause——I was not the less anxious to spare your feelings—to hope and trust for the future even when I could not but have the strongest doubts of the past. Yet I rejected suspicion and threw myself on your generosity. You need not regret the want of other testimonies to the personal kindness & attention by which, notwithstanding the unhappy impression on my mind, you have alleviated my other misery—For this I am still grateful—and shall always express myself so.
You express a desire to see me——If I might think only of myself I would go to you this moment—but I may not sacrifice others—& it is due to the future welfare of my child, perhaps eventually to your own, that I should at present act on principles contrary to my inclinations. From these considerations our personal intercourse must be suspended—though I will never appear to avoid you—In time circumstances, & above all, your own conduct, may lessen or encrease the objections which now appear—and it will indeed be a moment of comfort to me, that you ever have real comfort in meeting me as your friend & sister.
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| LADY BYRON AND MRS. LEIGH (I) |
You will remember that when I made you a promise respecting Georgiana,1 I told you that no future estrangement between us would make any difference in its fulfilment—for I then instinctively felt much of what has since been brought more fully to my conviction—I will now only assure you that Georgiana could never learn from me anything but affection for her Mother, if you would still trust her with me—
When I begin writing to you my dear Annabella one thought crowds so fast upon another that I become quite bewildered—and every attempt I make to express myself is perfectly unsatisfactory to myself—I fear must be so to you—I regret this the more as all I hear from you only serves to increase my sense of the obligations I owe you—I shall not however say much of them—in the first place because I am dumb always when I feel deeply—and in the next it might only add to the appearance of duplicity (which with yr present opinions) you must believe me guilty of—I only wish every past & present thought could be open to you—you would then think less ill of me than you do now—I declare—after the strictest examination of my own heart, there is not one act or thought towards yourself I would not wish you acquainted with—You say my dear A—— I have been the cause of your sufferings—if I have it has been innocently—this must be my only consolation—Had I even entertained the slightest suspicions of any “doubts” of yours—I never could or would have entered your house—perhaps I did wrong as it was to do so—but I was under delusion certainly—(I don’t mean mad). The little portion of peace now remaining is in the reflexion that
1 Georgiana Leigh, afterwards Mrs. Trevanion. 2 Six Mile Bottom. |
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| ASTARTE |
(Thursday. 4th July.) In respect to the “recent parts of my conduct openly unfavourable to you”—will you at a convenient opportunity explain what they were? for I really cannot guess—& surely I had friends who wd have sincerely told me of such circumstances in my conduct. Dear A. surely you have been misinformed—supposing me actuated by no better motive—regard for myself should have deterred me from such acts. I certainly have never wished to injure you—nor do I think I could had I desired it—I have another thing to say on the subject of my transmitting accounts of little A. A. It was imposed upon me without consulting me—though I heard the intention mentioned in a vague manner like others—My head was not then equal to judge whether it wd be right or wrong—& indeed I never considered it a certainty, till too late to decline it.
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| LADY BYRON AND MRS. LEIGH (I) |
Your kind offer about Georgiana—There is no human Being to whom I would so soon entrust her as you—I cannot say more except that all1 your kindness will ever be gratefully felt & remembered—every act, & I am fully aware how more & more I owe you gratitude—God bless you, my dearest A——
All this is quite unsatisfactory to me—as perfectly inadequate to express my feelings to you—I am so sorry you are not better—it is a comfort that Ly Gosford is with you & that you have no uneasiness about little A. A.—How is your Mother? I conclude not at Lowestoffe—you talked of Tunbridge for her & I hope she has tried it—I expect George2 on Sunday—& as our letters are 2 days on the road I fear I can’t hear from you by that day—I believe I shall be obliged to go to Town—perhaps next week—I will let you know if I do—
I am interrupted & obliged to conclude in haste—
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1 Underlined twice. |
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