" The man she had been talking to was
the clockwinder.
From Montreux they toured about Switzerland for some few weeks, and in
March they returned again to Trieste, where they remained off and on
until November.
During the summer Burton's health, fortified by continual change of air
and scene, improved a good deal. The Foreign Office was most indulgent
in the amount of liberty which it gave to him. Lord Salisbury was now
at the head of affairs; and though the Government did not see their way
to allowing Burton to retire on full pension, they granted him what was
almost the same thing--frequent and extended leaves; and it must be
remembered too the time of his Consular service was now fast drawing
to a close. Lady Burton always said that, next to Lord Derby, Lord and
Lady Salisbury were their best friends. About this time Lady Salisbury
wrote to her:
"HATFIELD HOUSE, HATFIELD, HERTS, July 21, 1880.
"MY DEAR LADY BURTON,
"I am very glad to hear so good an account of you and Sir Richard. We
are here as busy as usual at this time of year. We have had great doings
for the Shah, who is still in this country. He dined and slept here one
night about a fortnight ago, and we had a garden-party for him next day.
He behaved very well, and gives me the idea of being an able man; though
whether he will think England a stronger friend than Russia remains to be
seen. I sometimes fear he will carry away a greater idea of our riches
and luxury than of our strength, but _qui vivra, verra_.
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