She
left New Hall much refreshed and invigorated in mind and body, and for
the next month was busy arranging a house which she had taken in Baker
Street. She moved into it in September, 1891, and so entered upon the
last chapter of her life.
NOTES:
1. Letter to Madame de Gutmansthal-Benvenuti, from London, March 1, 1891.
CHAPTER III. THE TINKLING OF THE CAMEL'S BELL. (1891-1896).
Friends of my youth, a last adieu! haply some day we meet again;
Yet ne'er the self-same men shall meet; the years shall make us
other men:
The light of morn has grown to noon, has paled with eve, and
now farewell!
Go, vanish from my Life as dies the tinkling of the Camel's bell.
RICHARD BURTON (_The Kasidah_).
The next few months Lady Burton mainly occupied herself by arranging in
her new house the things which she had brought with her from Trieste.
When all was finished, her modest quarters in Baker Street were
curiously characteristic of the woman. Like many of the houses in her
beloved Damascus, the one in Baker Street was unpretentious, not to say
unprepossessing, when viewed from without, but within totally different,
for Lady Burton had managed to give it an oriental air, and to catch
something of the warmth and colouring of the East. This was especially
true of her little drawing-room, which had quite an oriental aspect.
Eastern curtains veiled the windows, the floor was piled with Persian
carpets, and a wide divan heaped with cushions and draped with bright
Bedawin rugs ran along one side of the room.
Pages:
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388