Perfectly clear & fine. ― Rose at 7 ― & at 10 walked to Macbeans ― but news there were none. Giorgio having made a patto1 for 15 pauls & a 1 paul “baksheesh,” we locked up, & went off in a one horse shay, thro’ their dreary “Satanic” town, to the Posta Maggiore, where one began to breathe. At the Bridge opposite the long Alexandrian Acqueduct at 11¼ ― & then, I went south, & soon began to work hard, working on till 3 ― & so, after gathering various bits of interest διὰ stones & weeds, till 4 ― & 4½. ― The long dotted lines of sheep, & the pure pink hues of the Lionessa ― & the simple colours of the Campagna are beautiful ― yet, it seems to me, petite, & wanting in great interest.

[However], we came to the road, but no “one horse shay.” So we waited in sight of the Palestrina hill=descent till 5, & then came on. (For I thought a 1 horse shay I had seen passing might have been ours.) A mile from Rome, that 1 horse shay repassed us, & on my asking him if he had passed at 3 PM ― (he said, yes.) & on my saying then the man who had made a patto to bring me here & back is very false & “senza vera idea di affari,”2 ― the 1 horse shay incumbent said in the loveliest way ― “on the contrary, he has doubtless found a better bargain since he left you![”] ― This I said is not right. “Si ― si doveva dar una caparra.”3 ―― Canaglia futtuta! ―4

So we walked on. Near the Gate came the original man: who made many excuses: ―― I got in at last, & arrived at 6½.

Dined alone. ― Afterwards ― a note from I.a Knight ― asking me there tomorrow ―― but I answered ― No.

A letter from W. Nevill: kind good dear old Will, little in it of himself: but JOHN CRAKE IS DEAD.

Later ―: for I could not work. Piano. ―

X4

4th Spillman dinner

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

  1. Contract. [↩]
  2. He has no understanding of business.” [↩]
  3. You’re right, you should have paid him a deposit. [↩]
  4. Fucking scoundrel! [↩]