Page:Memoirs of the Lady Hester Stanhope.djvu/308

 situation he had held before, and, on his promise to come, had forwarded to him 500 dollars for the expenses of his journey and for some commissions: but he subsequently declined the engagement, neither had he executed the commissions. She therefore desired me to draw a bill on him, payable to M. Guys's order, and to request M. Guys to discount it; for, during my nettlerash, Lady Hester had given away the greatest part of the 1,190 piasters to a family ruined by the earthquake. It was in vain to represent to her that she was in want of the money herself: "I can't help it," she would say; "I am not mistress of myself on such occasions."

Tuesday, February 27.—Lady Hester got up, went into her garden, and felt better. She had at last found out that repletion, arising even from what would be called small quantities of food and drink in health, was very injurious in sickness; and she had grown more moderate in her diet, not swallowing one liquid upon another, nor eating four or five times a day. Honey and butter mixed was now what she derived most benefit from, and spermaceti linctuses. The moment she found anything soothed her cough, she immediately sent off an order to Beyrout for an immense quantity of it, or to Europe, if at Beyrout it was not to be had: she was never satisfied that her medicine-chest was full enough. It will hardly be credited that of Epsom salts she had a cask full, of