She writes about
this time: "I am unable to take anything which might be called a walk.
Driving was sometimes very painful to him, and it would not have been
safe to let him go alone." It was one of her sorest trials that she
could not minister to her husband as formerly; but disease had laid
its hand on her too. Their life at Trieste at this time was naturally
uneventful. Instead of getting up, as they used to do, and beginning
their labours in the small hours of the morning, the Burtons now rose at
seven, and did as much literary work as they could until nine, when the
doctor would come in. At twelve o'clock they had breakfast, and after
that the time was devoted either to more literary work or recreation.
At four they would receive any friends who came to see them. At half-
past seven they dined no longer at the hotel as formerly, but at home;
and at nine o'clock they retired to rest. It was about this time that
Sir Richard finished the last volume of his "Supplemental" _Arabian
Nights_. The weather was so bad at Trieste, and his health so uncertain,
that the Foreign Office again gave him leave.
He and his wife came by a roundabout route to England, and saw many
old friends. On October 15 they went down to Folkestone, where they
stayed a few days with his relatives. They crossed on October 26 to
Boulogne. It was Sir Richard's last visit to England; he never saw
his country again.
At Boulogne they visited once more the old haunts where they had met for
the first time years ago, and renewed acquaintance with the scenes of
their vanished youth.
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