Page:Memoirs of the Lady Hester Stanhope.djvu/210

 be proper for her, she said no more, but took the opposite course.

The fear of remaining in a recumbent posture made her get up from her bed, and her figure, as she stalked about the room in a flannel dress, having thrown off her pelisse and abah, was strange and singular, but curiously characteristic of her independence.

The only newspaper she received was "Galignani’s Messenger," which, whether I was in Syria or in Europe, I had for some years caused to be sent to her from Marseilles, and a file generally came by every merchant-vessel that sailed for Beyrout, which, on an average, was about once a month. Sometimes there was much irregularity in the departure of vessels, as in the winter season, and then, in the solitude of Mount Lebanon, one might remain ignorant of every event in Europe for six weeks and even two months together.

She had latterly shown a particular desire to have those passages read to her which related to the Queen, either as describing her court, her rides, or any other circumstance, however trivial, of a personal nature.

Wednesday, January 24.—Lady Hester sent to me to say that she could see nobody, and requested that I would do nothing, as the day was an unlucky one.

January 25.—Although suffering in a manner that