In
fact, my dear Mrs. Burton, I have done for myself with this Government,
and you may count me a feather, for I am worth no more. Will you send
this on to your husband? He is a first-rate fellow, and I wish I had
seen him long ago (scratch this out, for he will fear I am going to
borrow money); and believe me, my dear Mrs. Burton (pardon me about
Suez),
"Yours sincerely,
"C. G. GORDON."
"HOTEL TAUCAN, LAUSANNE,
"12.3.80.
"MY DEAR MRS. BURTON,
"Excuse my not answering your kind note of 5.3.80 before; but to be
quiet I have come abroad, and did not have a decided address, so I
only got your letter to-day. I will come and see you when I (D.V.)
come home; but that is undecided. Of course your husband failed with
Tewfik. I scent carrion a long way off, and felt that the hour of my
departure from Egypt had come, so I left quietly. Instead of A (Ismail),
who was a good man, you have B (Tewfik), who may be good or bad, as
events will allow him. B is the true son of A; but has the inexperience
of youth, and may be smarter. The problem working out in the small
brains of Tewfik is this: 'My father lost his throne because he scented
the creditors, I may govern the country as I like.' No doubt Tewfik
is mistaken; but these are his views, backed up by a ring of pashas.
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