Further indiscretions

Chapter I

Beautiful Women of the Eighties — Mrs. Langtry as a Girl — The Dean of Jersey Fights Some Neighbours — Mr. Abingdon Baird — At a Dinner Party — His "Damned Lawyers" — Mrs. Langtry on the Stage — A Cruel Riddle — The Marquess of Hastings — His ' ' Pocket Venus ' ' — Donington of Yesterday and To-day — Rtmaway German Prisoners — Captured — The Late Colonel North's Picture Gallery — Durham and Chetwynd Row — Wood versus Cox — Sir Frank Lockwood's Sketch in Court — Sir George Chetwynd — The Jubilee Plunger — Some Bets I

Chapter II

Dr. Godson's Deal with an Earl — What He Did with His Fees — His Words with the Dowager Lady Lonsdale— Dr. West's Idea of Tact — Lord Lister Mends Some Broken Bones — Author Introduces Him to Sir Monier Williams — Ansesthetics in Pharaoh's Time — Sir William Jenner and His Son — Sir William Visits the King — Sir James Paget's Views of Duty — Dr. Wilkie Collins in Trouble — Some Awkward Moments — A Country Practitioner's Goodness — His Reward — Dr. Yorke- Davies and the Prince of Wales (King Edward VII) — The Prince Has Tea with the Author — Meets with a Slight Accident — Sir Maurice Fitzgerald — Cardinal Vaughan Mistaken for Someone Else — The Fate of Dr. Lavis of Beaulieu . . 28

Chapter III

I Make a List of People's Kinks — And Lose It — Lord Exmouth's Peculiarities — A Dinner with a Professor — His Feelings Are Hurt — A Colonel Gets Kicked — A Tactful Official's Un tactful Wife — A Lady with a Religious Mania — She Speaks Her Mind in Church — An Organ-Grinder Viscount — Lord Poulett's Dream — Some Varieties of Fabricators 54

Chapter IV

The Tempers of Sporting People — " Heel-Tap " Days in the Northumberland Yeomanry — Mr. Camaby Forster as Master of the Ledbury — His Hunt Servants' Awe of Him — Lady Mary Hamilton's Popiilarity — The Duke of Hamilton's Cure for Gout — The DuJfe at Oxford, His Generous Nature — Starts a Money-lending Business — Why He Relinquished It — The Grand National of 1867 — A Bet the Night Before — How He vi CONTENTS

PAGE

Paid It — A Mistake over a Horse's Weight at Newmarket — His Grace's Sporting Garments — One of His Favotirite Jockeys — The Duke Gives Custance a Present of a Horse — It Objects to Physic and Custance Has to Hide — The Duke's Harriers at Easton — A Favourite Horse Named "Safe Coach" — He Carries a Foreign Guest Who Does Not Enjoy His Ride — The Duke's Generosity to a Sporting Parson — A West Country Master's Eccentricities — The Health of a Welsh M.F.H. — A Little Tragedy in the Hunting Field 75

Chapter V

Mr. Comey Grain at Home and Elsewhere — He and Captain Beaumont Perpetrate a Joke — With the Fire Brigade in Southwark Bridge Road — An Accident to Captain Beaumont — A Labouchere and Lawson Row — How It Ended — Mr. Labouchere at Home — How He Treated a Guest — Asked Why He Called His Paper Truth — His Reply — After-dinner Tableaux — Mr. Augustus Harris Personates Royalty — Mr. Comey Grain as "Rags and Chatters" — A Mock Court- Martial — Execution Effected on a Princeling — Mr. Joseph Chamberlain as I Knew Him — In a Toy-shop — Fond of Children — Letty Lind and Her "Wages " — Marion Hood and Her Hair 96

Chapter VI

A Long-forgotten Law Case — An Anomalous Finding — A Mock Marriage — Ruin — The Attitude of the Church — Reparation, Too Late — Sudden Death and a Suicide — Lord Cathcart Goes Lame, Explains the Reason — Lord Greenock Admires the Fair Sex — Lady Sykes' Peculiarities — Contretemps at a Dinner Party — She Drives White Donlceys Tandem — Sir Tatton Sykes and His Greatcoats — Mr. Glynn Vivian Objects to Coloured Grasses and Locks up the Silver — Lady Caroline Maddon and Her Daughter — A Search for Eligible Young Men — An After-dinner Recitation 122

Chapter VII

The Duchess of Montrose — Her Three Husbands — Pigeon Shooting at Hurlingham — Queen Victoria's Veto — The Duchess Has a Toss — She Speaks Her Mind — The Prince of Wales an Eye-witness — The Prince Tries to Avoid a Racing Rumpus — Too Late — Some Curious Betting Transactions — The Duchess Expresses Her Opinion of V/omen — Women's Clubs — Why They Are Not More Successful — Some Soap-lifters 142

Chapter VIII

Some Racing Ladies — Stakes Given to the Red Cross Fund — Prince Soltykoff a Faithful Friend — Lord Alfred Paget Patron of the Theatre — Queen Alexandra's Interest in Racing — Her Sympathy and Enjoyment of a Joke — In Her Home at Sandringham — The Fatigue of Ladies-in- Waiting — -Lady Maccles-

CONTENTS vii

PAGE

field and Bishop Wilberforce — Lady Ely Asked Her Favourites at Court — The German Emperor at Osborne — Queen Victoria and John Brown — The Duke of Connaught's Early Speech-making — Mr. Bolckow the Duke's Host at Marton — Starving Amidst Plenty — A Tactful Host i6o

Chapter IX

Some of the Author's Loves — Old Joseph and His Ewe-Lamb — Homeless Ruben Stride — His Temperament and Philosophy — Brusher Mills, the Snake Charmer — His Home-made Abode — A Temple of Romance — A Storehouse of Treasures — A Lovish Baptist Minister — His Love Letter — Author's Vanity Receives a Rude Shock — Her Successor 177

Chapter X

From My Sketch Book — Some BrUliant Conversationalists — Hostesses and Fascinating Women — Curious Proceedings During a Divorce Case — Sir Eyre Shaw Decollete — Peculiarities of the Late Duchess of Cleveland — An Historic House in Grafton Street — Mr. A. J. Balfour Reviews Himself as Undergraduate and Prime Minister — He Does Not Love the Crowd — Colonel Burn, King's Messenger — His Farewell Bouquet — Major Slade's Many Fiancees — The Maharajah of Cooch Behar — As Sportsman, Ruler, and Ladies' Man — A Sikh Gentleman's Disgust — Sir Charles Monro's Views of Whatis Good for India — The Prime Minister of Rewar Wants Something but Does Not Get It — Prince Bismarck and the Author — A Curious Introduction 193

Chapter XI

The Waterloo Ball — Lady Sophia Cecil Revisits Goodwood — Lady de Ros Buckles on the Duke of Wellington's Sword — Lady Sophia's Christmas Dinner — The "Poor Yellow Puppy!" — A Fishing Expedition — An Exciting Drive — Tea with the Minister — His Housekeeper is Piqued with Him — A Struggle with a Salmon — Cawnpore as It Was — A Drive in a Bullock Cart — A Thieving Crow — Sir Owen Bume — Pained with the Duke of Cambridge — Some Appointments — Sir Owen's Den — His Difficulties with the Shah of Persia — Lord Shaftesbury Scolding — A Contretemps between Bishop and Prize-fighters at Buckingham Palace 2H

Chapter XII

The Pantechnicon on Fire — Caught in the Crowd — Unpleasant Experiences — A Goat to the Rescue — Another Alarm on Board Ship; Nearly Wrecked — A Calcutta Merchant Loses His Head — Author Helps Him to Save His Soul — King Edward VII's Coronation — A Long Wait — The Procession — Archbishop of Canterbury Overtired — The King Helps Him — The King Kisses His Son — Emotional Moments — A Funeral at Sea — Some Love Affaii s — How They Were Arranged-»-One viii CONTENTS

of the Saddest Sights in Life — A General and His Son Aspire to the Hand of Same Lady — Bishop Warburton's Views of Life 230

Chapter XIII

The Marquess of Queensberry Has a Row with a Pugilist — What Sir Claude de Crespigny Thought of Him — A Row on a Racecourse — A Friend for Life — A Long Ride — Breeches and Boots Cut Off — The Queensberry Rules Drawn up by Someone Else — A Steeplechase on Foot with Fred Cotton — A Swim in the Night — Journey Minus Clothes — Ferryman's Surprise — Lady Queensberry — England Going to the Dogs — Some Capable Women — The First Duke of Westminster — Some of His Race-horses — A Tragedy — And a Rumpus — Lord Brampton to the Rescue — Some of the Duke's Economies — "Ormonde" at a Garden Party 245

Chapter XIV

The Late Earl of Guildford — Has a Difference with Civic Officials — Curious Racing Arrangements — A Scared Showman — Twelfth Earl of Winchelsea Makes Friends with Moses — Lord Btilwer Lytton — His Appearance — Work — And Treatment of His Wife— A Story of His Son— The Rev. E. Bumaby and the Late Marquess of Exeter — A Primrose Ball — "The Ruffian" — Mr. Bumaby Falls Out with Lord Kainnaird — What They Said — A Little Faux-pas in "The House" — Arthur Orton's Tichborne Signature — His Promises — Gives Himself Away — Mr. Hawkins Changes His Mind — Lord Brampton in Court and on the Race-course — Lady Harborough's Complacency — Mr. Bumaby at Longleat — Prays for Departed King — Guinea-pig Jack — An Exciting Drive — Lord Beaconsfield — In His Bath — His Wife's Advice — His Last Moments — His Rudeness — Mr. Coningsby Disraeli 263

Chapter XV

Victor Hugo on Our Judicial System — Sir Howard Vincent and Sir Fitzjames Stephens' Opinions — "Apple-pip Kelly" Goes to Make Love — Lord Chief Justice Tindal Is Funny — A Bombay Official Makes an Ass of Himself — A Prudish Man Doing War Work — A Nurse Teases Him — Poking Fun at Authorities and Result — A Youthful Bride in Zeppelin Raid — A Bigwig's Views on Duty — Chummy Canadians and Their Colonel — A Puzzling Accent — General Sir Julian Byng on the Dardanelles Question — Mr. Labouchere Wanted — Mr. Gibson Bowles Busy in "The House" 385

Chapter XVI

Some Celebrated Women — Lady Ely, Lady Molesworth and Skittles — The Prince of Wales — Lady Molesworth and Paddy Green at Evans' Supper Rooms — A Row in the Quom Country — Skittles Has the Last Word — Belgravian Mother's La-

CONTENTS ix

PAGE

ment — Lady Stamford, Girton, and Robert Peck — Lady Cardigan Is Surprising — Mrs. Postlethwaite and Her Friends — Mr. Gladstone and Beaconsfield — She Gives Him the Kiss of Peace — No Old Ladies — Sad Memories — Three First-class Misdemeanants — HoUoway Jail — Flora Annie Steel and Helen Mathers — Their Writings — A Dunce or Two — Different Etiquettes — The Rev. Evelyn Burnaby and Mrs. Whyte- M«lville — He Prescribes for Her 301

Chapter XVII

General Macbean and His Royal Playmates — A Sporting Essex Baronet and a Neighbouring Peer — A Difference of Opinion — Uninvited Wedding Guests — Shopping Under Difficulties — Mr. Graham Gilmour — Some of His Prophecies — How They Were Fulfilled — In Trouble with the Aero Club — A Clergyman's Curious Attitude — A Fatal Accident — Trophy-laden Officers — " Chauffeurines " — Their Work, Food, and Some Experiences — A Changed World — H.H. Prince Alexis Dolgorouki and His Bride — A Dolgorouki for the Russian Throne — Prince Charlie at Braemar Castle 320

Chapter XVIII

General Sir Francis and Lady Lloyd — Lord D'Abemon Hard at Work in Egypt — The Rev. George Wilkinson in Eaton Square — His Principles and a Royal Command — A Naughty Clergyman — Ate His Poultices — The Duchess of Devonshire's Ball — People Still Paying the Bills — Madame de Falbe at Luton Hoo — One of Her Guests and a Comforter — An Official View of Lord Kitchener's Conduct versus the Author's — An Official's View of Sir Ian Hamilton's Work — Sir Charles Douglas Lectures Sir Ian Hamilton — Mothers of Men 339

ILLUSTRATIONS

Sir Frank Lockwood's Sketch during the Wood v. Cox ,

Case Frontispiece

TO FACE PAGE

Mrs. Langtry 8 ^

The Late Marquess of Hastings Explaining His Betting ,

Book to his Bride 14 *^

DONNINGTON HalL l8 ^

Sir George Chetwynd of Newmarket Heath 24 v^

Sir William Tenner 34 '

Sir James Paget 36 ^

Dr. Nathaniel Yorke-Davies 46 v^

The Sixth Earl Poulett 68 ^

The Twelfth Duke of Hamilton 78 ^

Mr. Corney Grain 98

Mr. Inderwick, Q.C 108 '

Sir Augustus Harris no V

The Third Earl Cathcart i34 ^

The Duchess of Montrose . . . . , 142 v

The Earl of Coventry 148 ^ ,

Lady Nelson 160

Reuben Stride, a Nineteenth-Century Philosopher . . 182 •

Brusher Mills of the New Forest 186

Brusher Mills' Home in the New Forest 188

Sir William Harcourt in his Young Days 200 ■

Sir William Harcourt AS A " Retired Leader " .... 202 V

The Maharajah of Cooch Behar 204 y

The Well at Cawnfore; photographed during the Mutiny 220 v

xi xii ILLUSTRATIONS

TO FACE PAGE

The Eighth Marquess of Queensberry 246 ^

The Rev. Evelyn Burnaby 272 ■

The Claimant's Letter, taken from the Original . . . 274 ■.

Mr. Graham Gilmour 324 '

Chapter I

Beautiful Women of the Eighties — Mrs. Langtry as a Girl — The Dean of Jersey Fights Some Neighbours — Mr. Abingdon Baird — At a Dinner Party — His "Damned Lawyers" — Mrs. Langtry on the Stage — ^A Cruel Riddle — The Marquess of Hastings — His Pocket Venus — Donington of Yesterday and To-day — Runaway German Prisoners — Captured — The Late Colonel North's Picture Gallery — ^Durham and Chetwynd Row — Wood versus Cox — Sir Frank Lockwood's Sketch in Court — Si George Chetwynd — The Jubilee Plunger — Some Bets.

I HAVE made a discovery! To write a book is in itself injudicious, but when you call it, as I did, Memories Discreet and Indiscreet, by a Woman of no Importance, it becomes a blazing indiscretion.

My friends cavil at my nom de guerre and my discretion, and in return I have tried to meet their wishes.

It is from the unknown that the greatest surprises spring. Amongst the shoal of letters my book has brought me there are many of kindness, others of reproach from those who were omitted and think they should have been included (although they do not know even who I am). Others who complain that while discretion is the better part of valour it should have no place in Memories. They expected apparently "confessions" — stories, that would shake the thrones of Europe — such as are left: anecdotes about celebrities via the butlers' pantry and the back-stairs.

It seems to be the general opinion that the word Discreet and what it stands for is superfluous and, in consequence, I have left it out. I have striven to compose my little concerts in the brighter keys.

Each successive generation thinks there never has been and never will be such soldiers, sailors, actors, actresses, and beautiful women again as they have seen in their day. We grew impatient with our old folk when they told us there were none to compare with the people of their time, and lo! in the autumn of our days we say exactly what they did, and no doubt we shall be ridiculed in much the same way as we ridiculed our elders and betters. History has a way of repeating itself.

For instance, I feel sure that never again will there be so many beautiful women as there were in the eighties ; certainly I have seen nothing at the present time to compare with the "Professional Beauties," as they were called.

Mrs. Langtry's name was at one time on everybody's lips, and her photograph in many shop windows, on every hand we heard of her beauty, charming manners and other stories. Her golden brown hair, violet-blue eyes and classic features surmounting a perfect neck and shoulders, threw up by contrast the dark-haired, sad and pathetic brown eyed Mrs. Wheeler the more striking.

Mrs. Brown-Potter, Mrs. R. Webster, Mrs. Cornwallis West were also "professional beauties" at that time. The latter was perhaps the most discreet, as she was seldom seen without her husband, as often as not leaning on his arm.

She was immensely admired about the time I was married. Lord Rossmore writing from Ireland to a friend said he had been in a seventh heaven at a ball the night before as Mrs. Cornwallis West had condescended to dance with him. Indeed, he had been so happy that he had failed to notice the floor was empty, and not until he had collided with another couple did he become aware they were the Princess of Wales and her partner. The fact that she was dancing of course accounted for the emptiness of the floor.

Many years later, when Mrs. West's daughters had grown up and married, she drove over with them from Newlands, their place in Hampshire overlooking the Solent, to spend a Sunday afternoon at Milford-on-Sea, which Colonel West had turned into a popular resort for holiday makers by building villas. They decided to have tea at an hotel there, and while it was being prepared. Princess Henry of Pless and the Duchess of Westminster climbed down to the sea and began to paddle, calling to their mother on top of the cliff to take off her shoes and stockings and follow their example.

The hotel proprietor was much incensed at this unSabbath-like conduct, and made audible remarks about cheap-trippers being bad for the hotel until he found out who his visitors were. Then his Sabbath-like feelings underwent a change. He at once became servile and crawling.

Truly one may steal a horse and another must not look at it over the wall.

Another handsome woman of that time was Louise Duchess of Manchester. What astonishing stories there used to be flying about; but, being a personage, even the very straight-laced thought it wise to be charming to her face. The late Lady Bessborough, however, was the exception that proves the rule, and one day as she drove through Great Stanhope Street she espied the Duchess at one of her windows waving a white pocket handkerchief at her. Lady Bessborough kept her moral head erect, pretending she did not see, but managing to observe everything perfectly all the same.

When she alighted from her carriage she remarked in what I think was a most undignified

manner to her footman, ''Robert, was that

(searching for some words severe enough) wicked Duchess waving at me!"

But far and away more beautiful in my eyes than any of these were Georgina Countess of Dudley, the Duchess of Leinster, and Gladys Lady Lonsdale, the latter beautiful as a picture in her youth.

but if possible more beautiful as Lady Ripon with her picturesque white hair.

It is not given to all of us to be beautiful in our youth, but I think it is our own faults if we are not beautiful in our old age, when time and experience have taught us to cease striving after the impossible, when we no longer kick against the pricks, but fold our hands with faces towards the setting sun, "glad we came, nor sorry to depart," waiting patiently for the Great Audit, not with hope, for that has died, nor with fear, that also has died, but with calm content, knowing we have worked out our salvation here through storm, tempest and bitter tears.

I remember Mrs. Langtry as a girl in Jersey. She was older than I and I looked up to her with some of the respect I reserved for any grown-ups or playmates bigger than myself. Her name was not Lily at all, but Emily Charlotte le Breton, daughter of the Very Reverend the Dean of Jersey, a man with a great appreciation of beauty in the fair sex.

One year when we were wintering in Jersey for my mother's health, though I was only eight years old at the time, I remember a number of people who visited my parents, the De Carterets, Pipons, le Bretons, de Saumerez, Hemerys, KnatchbuUs, etc.

The Dean of Jersey was a great ladies' man. He used to come often to our church in St. Heliers and sit in our pew in order to admire and hear sing a very handsome Mrs. Knatchbull, who sat in front of us. Her voice was beautiful and cultivated. There was also a Mrs. de Saumerez he greatly admired, whose pew was somewhere near. The husband of this lady was a certain well-known admiral (he may have been a lord, I have forgotten) de Saumerez, possessed of a violent and ungovernable temper and exceedingly jealous. It was almost as much as a man's life was worth to look at his wife. Colonel Knatchbull also was jealous, but did not show it in so pronounced a manner. Neither of these husbands accompanied their wives to church, but came to meet them when the service was over.

One Sunday as we came out from, what I considered a long and tedious service, we found the devoted husbands waiting outside the church, and we all proceeded down the rather narrow path to the main road. The Dean was walking with Mrs. Knatchbull, my father and Mr. Pipon one on each side of Mrs. de Saumerez, all of us more or less grouped together and the conversation fairly general. Suddenly Colonel Knatchbull struck the Dean and told him he was something-something, and he would not have him dancing about his wife making eyes at her. In a minute there was a free fight, for Admiral de Saumerez joined in, saying; yes, it was disgraceful the way the Dean made ladies conspicuous. He had been observing it for some time. I was so frightened I climbed up a wall dividing the churchyard from the highroad from St Heliers to St. Aubins.

From this point of vantage I observed a curious thing happen. The row had begun by Colonel Knatchbull scolding and striking the Dean, but suddenly the cleric was left out in the cold, when the two irate husbands, for some reason I did not hear or understand, fell upon one another, the Admiral jumping up and down with passion, hitting above the belt, below the belt, and any accessible place, while in return his face was well pounded. The womenkind held on to the coat tails of the fighting men and, with the help of my father and Mr. Pipon, separated them while they continued shouting something about blood and pistols. It was only through the endeavours and influence of the Governor of the island, de Carteret by name, that a duel was averted between the Dean and Colonel Knatchbull in the first place, and the two irate husbands in the second.

When Admiral de Saumerez became angry, which was not infrequent, all in his vicinity trembled in their shoes, for there was no knowing what he would do. I remember hearing my people talking a good deal about this row and others in connection with the Admiral.

My father said he had at times seen the Admiral running along the road from sheer temper, talking loudly to himself and gesticulating as he ran.

After this row peace reigned for a while, or perhaps I should say armed neutrality was the order of the day.

When Mrs. Langtry first arrived in England she was a very quiet, unpresuming little person, but her beauty and fascinating manners turned the heads of everybody, both men and women. I have seen them standing on chairs in the Park to get a glimpse of her. Her Hfe would be a wonderful story if it were ever written. High and low admired her, the Prince of Wales, Lord Dudley, Mr. Abingdon Baird, and heaps more.

A man of great wealth and a certain position, Mr. Baird had become mixed up with an undesirable crowd consisting of the rag- tag and bob-tail of the ring and race-course. Mrs. Langtry, Sir Frederick Johnstone, and his cousin Mr. Douglas Baird tried to wean him from his unlovely friends. This process included charming dinner parties, at which the reluctant Mr. Abingdon Baird met highborn and refined ladies, whose charms and cultured minds were calculated to lure him from his disapproved companions and perhaps turn his mind to higher thoughts. Everybody had to admit it was uphill work, as Mr. Baird was very difficult to awaken to "culture."

At one of these dinners a very high-browed dame sitting next to him tried to draw Mr. Baird into conversation. He had looked unutterably bored throughout the greater part of the dinner. She began :

"Do you like music?"

"No," grunted Mr. Baird, shaking his head and not lifting his eyes from his plate.

"Then perhaps you have not been to the opera lately?"

An impatient shake of the head.

*'But you should really, Madame Trebelli Bertini is wonderful! Have you never heard her?"

"No and don't want to. Have you ever heard Bessie Belwood?"

Sir Frederick Johnstone sighed and said, "Hopeless!"

Poor Mr. Baird was a rough diamond, but a great admirer of the Jersey Lily, as Mrs. Langtry was called, but I do not think he liked the way she tried to keep him from prize-fighting.

In the spring of 1893 Mr. Abingdon Baird, in company with his friend Charles Mitchell, the pugilist, left this country for America. Mitchell had been matched to fight James J. Corbett, but it did not come ofif until January, 1894, Mitchell getting the worst of the contest. "The Squire" was, however, present at a battle between Bob Fitzsimmons and Jim Hall at New Orleans, in March, 1893, where he caught a chill and died of pneumonia in that city ten days later. Before he started his solicitors, Messrs. Lumley and Lumley, persuaded him to make a will, add a codicil or some such thing, I do not know exactly what, but as soon as his solicitors had gone he rang his bell and sent for one of his chosen friends and particular pals, who arrived to find Mr. Baird sitting at his writing-table holding his head and looking very miserable. His pal (I am not sure it was not his valet), asked, "What's up. Squire?" this being always what his intimates called him. "Oh, those damned lawyers have been here and made me sign something I know nothing about. / don't know what the devil it's all about." Then seizing a large silver inkstand he flung it at the head of his interrogator, saying, *To hell with the lot of you!"

The man ducked, but the inkstand hit him in the eye and continued its flight through a mirror at the end of the room. The portion of injured eye was paid for by a ten-pound note.

I saw Mrs. Langtry when she made her first appearance on the English stage, under the guidance and management of Mrs. Bancroft. This was in 1 88 1. She took the part of Kate Hardcastle in "She Stoops to Conquer."

We were all greatly disappointed with her at first on the stage; she looked insignificant and not particularly good looking. We could not understand what had happened to her. Later we discovered the reason. She would not paint her face and make up as all are bound to do for the stage. In consequence, under the glaring and trying light on the stage she looked absolutely colourless. It is easy to understand she did not wish to spoil her beautiful skin, but she found it was a necessity to get up in the ordinary and approved fashion of theatrical people. I never thought her a great actress.

There was rather a cruel riddle in vogue in the '8o's: "What is the difference between Madame Modjeska and Mrs. Langtry? — the answer being: "One is a Pole and the other a Stick !"

FURTHER INDISCRETIONS ii

The most wonderful acting I ever saw was that of Sarah Bernhardt in "Fedora," in Paris. Her voice alone in the love scene as she cooed on the sofa was enough to coax the birds off the trees, and in the poison scene was painfully marvellous. I remember the theatre was very hot, and there were two or three in our box, and as I felt rather faint the door was opened, but an attendant at once came and closed it, saying the light scene through the door would be annoying to madame on the stage. The attendant was told through the closed door that there was a lady in the box who did not feel very well and wished to go out. The attendant was adamant and suggested it would be quite all right if the lady fainted on the floor, and when the scene was over they would come and fetch her ! This conversation was carried on in the tiniest whispers with many "sh's," but the door was locked on the outside. Under the circumstances I refused to faint.

Not feeling very well rather spoilt the evening's pleasure for me, but I have never forgotten Sarah's acting, and I think the theatre authorities are quite right to consider the actors and actresses in every possible way. Such a little thing might throw them out of their stride, besides movements and noise are exceedingly annoying to those who are enjoying every little movement and every word on the stage.

I was at the opera in London the night Madame Adelina Patti appeared after the Nicolini episode. The house was cram full and large prices had been paid for boxes. When she appeared no doubt expecting her usual ovation, there was a silence that was oppressive. I felt the tears rising to my eyes with grief for her, but after looking in what might have been bewilderment round the house for a moment she sang as no other that I have ever heard could sing, "Home, Sweet Home."