One night on coming home from
dinner he was attacked by a band of roughs, who hit him over the head
from behind with a sharp instrument. It was supposed to be foul play
with a motive, as the only thing they stole was his divining-rod for
gold, which he carried about with him, and they did not take his money.
He kept the loss a secret, in order that it should be no hindrance to
him if he had the chance to go back to work the Mines of Midian. But
that chance never came. He returned to Trieste, and did not let his
wife know of the assault until she joined him there on her return
from London.
In the meantime she had not been idle. Despite her ill-health when in
London she had been agitating for her husband's promotion, and had built
high hopes on the kind interest of Lord Beaconsfield and Lord Salisbury.
Unfortunately for her Lord Beaconsfield's last Administration collapsed
in April with a crash, and her hopes were buried in the ruins. Lord
Granville, who had recalled Burton from Damascus, succeeded Lord
Salisbury at the Foreign Office, and she knew that she could not hope
for much from Lord Granville. When she saw the turn the General Election
of 1880 had taken, she made a last despairing effort to induce the out-
going Government to do something for her husband before the Ministers
gave up their seals. She received the following kind letter from Lady
Salisbury:
"HATFIELD HOUSE, HATFIELD, HERTS, April 18.
Pages:
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265