Pouring rain till 11 ― & very dark, then fine.

Too dark to paint. Outlined & arranged Grenfell’s Philæ & finished Mrs. Craven’s Alphabet.

Called on them at 3 ― & declined dining again.

Downstairs, and found Geoff & tiresome Capt. Clifford, with whom to the Casino: where Geoff & I called on Mrs. De Vere ― the 2 Decies there. They want me to dine on board tomorrow.

Geoff & I walked beyond Alipù ― & returned by 6.

I shall miss him dreadfully: he is so completely superior to the generality of men here.

[When I came back at]1 6 ― G. was out, & I had to wait till he came; when, saying ― “if you go out so, I had better take the key” ――― he replied sulkily & very loudly,

Si Signor, meglio.2

But this was the 3rd time he had been out today ― & twice without asking or telling me.

Dined at 7 & immediately after ― G. said ― “Vado fuori.”3 ― Dove?4 Said I ― “Far un servizio, vado a Spiro.”5 ― & forth he went: & as yet ― past 10 ― (when I have done penning out [],) he cometh not. What’s in the wind?

It really will be highly of the absurdest, if, after taking the 3rd floor here for a year ― I find that G. is going to leave me, & then, hardly caring about ˇ[trying] a new servant, ― that I should go altogether? ―

Not that it would signify a bit ― barring the bother of “packing” again.

Quiet abounds: the Maudes are out.

No sleep

XX8

[Transcribed by Marco Graziosi from Houghton Library, Harvard University, MS Eng. 797.3.]

  1. Blotted. [↩]
  2. Yes Sir, better. [↩]
  3. I’m going out. [↩]
  4. Where? [↩]
  5. To do a service, I’m going to Spiro’s- [↩]