Page:Adams - A Child of the Age.djvu/141

129 We bought Brooke's grave in Père-Lachaise à perpétuité. Upon the tombstone a plain white marble cross was to be put, his name, the dates of his birth and death, and below: Thy will be done.

 III

my way to London, I sketched out something like a plan of action for what I should do when I got there. The first thing, I thought, was the mastering of Mr. Brooke's business affairs,—all (I meant) that was connected with his property and money: the next thing, the editing of the book. I had determined to take as much of the income of one year as would keep me in comfort while I was engaged upon my work for him. Starkie had given me a letter of introduction to Professor Strachan, who would assist me, or rather, who would be assisted by me. Doubtless, after the first few weeks, I should be able to find time to set about the recovery of my books and clothes from Glastonbury, Also, to see Rosy. Also, to meditate as to what I should do when the time of my work for Mr. Brooke was over.

I had a certain amount of trouble about the business affairs, despite both what Starkie had already done to save me from as much of it as possible, and the extreme courtesy, and indeed kindness, of Mr. Brooke's lawyers. Howbeit, at the end of some ten days, I found that it was now time to present the letter of introduction to Professor Strachan.

He received me quite cordially. I had, at a dinner at Mr. Brooke's, seen but not spoken to him, and so he was not altogether a stranger to me: besides which, I had heard a good deal about him from Starkie on our last night together, and he, I could see, was not unacquainted with me. He arranged to come to Dunraven Place the next morning, and we would then proceed to examine the work that was before us.

After we had talked a little on general subjects, he asked me to go up with him and have some tea with