This year
was in some respects one of the pleasantest of Isabel's life. Her book
had come out, and was a great success; she had been _feted_ by all her
friends and relations; and though her efforts to obtain promotion for
her husband had not met with the success which they deserved, yet the
kind encouragement which she received from influential friends, who,
though not members of the Government, were yet near the rose, made her
hope that better days were soon to come.
In December Burton, finding that he had still six months' leave, asked
his wife where she would like to go best. She answered, "India." It
had long been her desire to go there with her husband, and get him to
show her all the familiar spots which he had described to her as having
visited or lived at during his nineteen years' service in India. Burton
was delighted with the idea. So they got a map, cut India down the
middle lengthways from Cashmere to Cape Comorin, and planned out how
much they could manage to see on the western side, intending to leave
the eastern side for another time, as the season was already too far
advanced for them to be able to see the whole of India.
NOTES:
1. Lady Burton thus describes her visit to the Austrian Court:
"I was very much dazzled by the Court. I thought everything was
beautifully done, so arranged as to give every one pleasure, and
somehow it was the graciousness that was in itself a welcome.
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