Still,
so impressed was Isabel that the winter in Trieste did not agree with
her husband, that she said, "You must never winter here again"; but he
said, "I quite agree with you there--we will never winter here again;
but I won't throw up the Service until I either get Morocco or they let
me retire on full pension." She then said, "When we go home again, that
is what we will try for, that you may retire on full pension, which will
be only six years before your time." Henceforth she tried for only two
things: one, that he might be promoted to Morocco, because it was his
pet ambition to be Consul there before he died, the other, failing
Morocco, he should be allowed to retire on full pension on account of
his health. Notwithstanding that she moved heaven and earth to obtain
this latter request, it was never granted.
In the meantime they were busy writing together the index to _The
Arabian Nights_. On Thursday, February 12, she said to him, "Now
mind, to-morrow is Friday the 13th. It is our unlucky day, and we
have got to be very careful."
When the morning dawned, they heard of the death of one of their
greatest friends, General Gordon, which had taken place on January 26
at Kartoum; but the news had been kept from them. At this sad event
Isabel writes, "We both collapsed together, were ill all day, and
profoundly melancholy."
NOTES:
1. Letter to Miss Bishop from Opcina, January 17, 1881.
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