Page:My Life in Two Hemispheres, volume 2.djvu/272

 "If you are accompanied by }~our lady. I would be most happy in her accompanying you here, and I beg you to give her my love.

"I'm preparing the children for the visitation of my amiable and patriotic bishop, and this alone prevents me running up to shake your pure and honest hand. Believe me, dearest Duffy, ever affectionately yours, "."

I came home for rest and recreation after assiduous labour, and speedily found myself entangled in more engagements and undertakings than embarrassed me in Australia. Many of them were merely social, and they sometimes involved long journeys and much loss of time; but they brought me a reward that was more than compensation. For a couple of weeks, I found it impossible to visit Cheyne Row. and my dear old friend Mrs. Carlyle was impatient that I did not find her earlier.

"5, ,

"Wednesday, April 26, 1865. ",—Mr. Carlyle read in a newspaper ten days ago that you had 'returned from Australia, and were stopping in London.' I said it couldn't be true: for you wouldn't have been many hours in London without coming to see us. But Mr. C. thought otherwise—that you might have found no time yet—and he desired me to put George Cooke (a friend of ours who can find out everything) on discovering where you were lodged. Had this failed I suppose he would have advertised for you in the Times, if still you had made no sign!

"You may figure, then, how glad I was when your letter and basket arrived to me this morning, just as I was starting off for my long daily drive. Since I came back I have done nothing but admire the various presents you have sent me, and think how kind it was of you to collect these things for me so far away.

"But we want to see you; when will you come?

"Mr. C. says he is going to call for you to-morrow morn-