Charles Lever, His Life in His Letters Volume Ii Part 40

"My best regards to Mrs Blackwood. Tell her she'll have her meals in peace this time in London, but it isn't my fault after all."

_To Mr John Blackwood._

"Trieste, _April_ 12, 1870.

"You gratify me much by what you say of these O'Ds. Failing health, broken spirits, a very sad home, and many uncertainties are hard to bear, but I believe I could face them all better than the thought of 'Brain bankruptcy.' To draw on my intellect and get for answer 'no a.s.sets' would, I feel, overwhelm me utterly. Your hearty words have, therefore, done me good service, and in my extra gla.s.s of claret--and I will take one to-day--I'll drink your health.

"I am distressed at not getting the _April No. of 'Maga'_ yet; by some accident it has been forgotten or miscarried, and it is a great comfort to me to 'cuddle over.'

"My poor wife is still suffering intensely, and too weak to undergo the operation, which is eminently necessary. She has at last, too, lost all courage, and, I might almost say, wish to live. Much of this depression is from actual pain, and all our efforts are now directed to allay that.

I never leave the house, or, if I do, go beyond the garden. Of course, I admit no visitors, and scarcely remember the days of the week."

_To Mr John Blackwood._

"Trieste, _April_ 15,1870.

"I think the t.i.tle had better be 'Personal and Peculiar.' I have added and changed the conclusion, whether for the better or not you shall decide. There was some danger in saying more, and I might have found, if I went on, that, as Curran says, I had argued myself _out_ of my brief.

"I have a half suspicion the Bill may break down after all,--not that it signifies much, since the Tories could not take office with any chance of holding it, but the mere failure would offend Gladstone, and even that would be a comfort.

"I have no better news to send for this, and am low, low!

"Don't forget to send me 'Maga' for this month--April.

"Have you read d.i.c.kens' new serial, and what do you say to it? I am curious to hear.

"We have a report here from Greece that the English Sec. of Legation and a whole picnic party have been captured by the brigands, and an immense ransom demanded."

_To Mr John Blackwood._

"Trieste, _April_ 23, 1870.

"The blow has fallen at last, and I am desolate. My poor darling was taken from me at two this morning, without suffering. It seems to me as if years had gone over since she smiled her last good-bye to me. All the happiness of my life has gone, and all the support. G.o.d's greatest mercy would be to take me from a life of daily looking back, which is all that remains to me now.

"You are, I feel, a true friend who will feel for my great sorrow, and I write this as to one who will pity me."

_To Mr John Blackwood._

"Trieste, _May_ 28, 1870.

"Though I cannot read your note by any other light than an affectionate desire to be of service to _me_, veiled under the notion that I could be of any use to _you_; and though I say I see all this, and see besides how little capable I now am of even a weak effort, I accept your offer and write at once for leave of absence, which, between ourselves, I do not think would be accorded me if it was guessed that I intended to visit Greece. Indeed I _know_ that Mr Gladstone's h.e.l.lenism is calculated on at Athens to sustain the Greek government through anything that the public opinion of Europe would be likely to submit to.*

* Mr Blackwood proposed that Lever should pay a visit to Greece, for the purpose of making investigations about an act of brigandage which had shocked the civilised world. A party of English tourists, which included Lord and Lady Muncaster, had been seized by brigands at Oropos, near Marathon. During the course of the negotiations for the ransom of the tourists, some members of the British Legation at Athens had been murdered. Many influential Greeks were conniving at the act of brigandage, and matters were at this time in a very disturbed condition in high quarters.--E. D.

"Erskine is an old friend of mine, but he is a very self-contained and reserved fellow, who will reveal nothing, and I would be glad of some Greek introductions to any persons not officially bound to sustain the Queen's Cabinet. My wish would be to take the Constantinople boat that leaves on Sat.u.r.day next, the 4th, and reaches Athens on Thursday following, 9th; but if my leave is not accorded me by telegraph I cannot do this, and there is only _one_ boat in the week. I have to-day seen a private telegram from M. W------, the Greek Minister to the Austrian government here, saying that he is on the track of this most infamous outrage, and that if his suspicion prove true, some men of political eminence will have to fly from Greece for ever.

"I cannot thank you enough for your kind and affectionate remembrance of me: it is very dear to me such friendship in this dark hour of my life.

There is something gone wrong with the action of my heart, and I have short moments when it seems disposed to give in,--and indeed I don't wonder at it.

"As there would be no time to send me letters here in reply to this, write to me addressed British Legation, Athens--that is, taking for granted that I shall start on Sat.u.r.day next."

_To Mr John Blackwood._

"Trieste, _June_ 4, 1870.

"I have looked out anxiously for a note from you these last couple of days. I hope you got my telegram safely. Yesterday I received a telegraphic despatch from F. O. saying my 'leave was granted,' and I sail now in two hours. If I find that my heart disturbance--which has been very severe the last couple of days--increases on me, I shall stop at Corfu and get back again at my leisure. I do not know if there is much to be learned at Athens that Erskine has not either gleaned or _muddled_, but I will try and ascertain where the infamy began.

"I used once to think that the most sorrowful part of leaving home was the sad heart I left behind me. I know now that there is something worse than that--it is to carry away the sadness of a desolate heart with me.

"I believe the post leaves Athens for the Continent on Sat.u.r.days: if so, and that I arrive safely on Thursday 9th, I shall write to you by that mail.

"My affectionate remembrances to Mrs Blackwood."

_To Mr John Blackwood._

"Athens, Hotel d'Angleterre, _June_ 9,1870.

"Here I am, in poor Vyner's quarters: but short as the time is since my arrival, it has taught me that there is nothing, or next to nothing, to be learned. The amount of lying here beats Banagher--indeed all Ireland.

However, I will try and make a _resume_ of the question that will be readable and, if I can, interesting.

"I am a good deal f.a.gged, but not worse for my journey, and, on the whole, stronger than when I started.

"I thought I should have had some letter from you here, but possibly there has not been time.

"If Lord Carnarvon knew of my direct source of information it would be of great use; for the Legation and Finlay, whom I have seen, are simply men defending a thesis, and so far not to be relied on."

_To Mr John Blackwood._

"Athens, June 17,1870.

"I send you a hurried line to catch F. O. messenger, who is just leaving. I want merely to say that I have got together a considerable number of facts about brigandage altogether, and the late misfortune in particular, and only wait till I get back to put them into shape. Keep me a corner, then, not for next No. but August, and I hope I shall send something readable.

"I have met much courtesy and civility here, but I am dying to get home. My palpitations still trouble me, and if I don't actually faint, I suppose it is that I don't know how.

"I have been anxiously looking out for letters from you, and now I am off to Corinth, and shall work my way back through the islands.