314 Pierre Loti at Constantinople [tSqq 



in good parliamentary style, but without eloquence, the Tories applaud- 

 ing him. [He had become Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs under 

 Rosebery.] 



" 26th Feb. — Morley's speech reads well in the ' Times,' and is 

 founded for the most part on my letter published a fortnight ago. 

 There is to be a separate debate about the desecration of the Mahdi's 

 tomb. 



" 1st March. — Gave a dinner to the two Ambassadors, Cambon and 

 Staal — with Margot, Lady Windsor, and Mrs. Benson for other 

 guests ; it was very gay, thanks to Margot, who talked imperfect French 

 with great courage and volubility, and amused us all. Staal was as 

 usual witty and charming, and after dinner Cambon, who is a bit of a 

 poseur, sat on a sofa between two of the ladies, telling stories of Pierre 

 Loti and his fabulous love adventures. Loti, when at Constantinople, 

 had made the acquaintance of an Armenian lady of the half world, and 

 on that slender foundation of romance built up his tale of an intrigue 

 with the Turkish inmate of a harem of the Eyub quarter who died of 

 jealousy for his sake. So successfully had he done it that he had con- 

 vinced himself of its truth, and to the point that when he returned to 

 Constantinople, and was staying at the French Embassy, he came in 

 one day from a walk, and assured Cambon, who knew the true story, 

 and Loti knew that he knew it, that he had just been to weep in the 

 spot in the Eyub quarter where he had been so happy. He had found 

 the quarter burnt, and the house reduced to ashes. Cambon assured 

 us that Loti did this in all good faith, having been able to persuade him- 

 self to believe in these bonnes fortunes as things that had actually 

 happened. 



" 8th March-. — Lunched at the French Embassy. Staal, Maxse and 

 his daughter, Margot and others. I asked Staal, who sat next to me, 

 how it was that Tolstoy managed to remain on in Russia, untroubled 

 by the Government. He said it was entirely due to the great literary 

 position he held in Europe. It was thought wiser to tolerate him at 

 home than to send him away to exile. 



" gth March. — George Wyndham came to see me this morning, and 

 I lunched with him and Madeline Adeane later at Belgrave Square, 

 where we saw the first sketching in of Pamela's head which Sargent 

 had just done in a couple of hours' work. It is wonderful as a likeness 

 and as a bit of rapid execution, giving just her playful prettiness, and 

 the peculiar wave of her hair, a sketch in the manner of Velasquez, 

 with exactly his strong touches, unintelligible when looked close into, 

 but alive when seen at a distance. Mary, too, has been sketched in not 

 unsuccessfully, and Madeline less well. It should make a remarkable 

 picture, probably Sargent's best. He is to be allowed no licence with 

 the magentas and mauves he loves. I met him on the doorstep as he 



