1893 COSTEBELLE 351 



With our united kindest regards to Mrs. Paget, 

 whose messages to me are of more benefit than all 

 my doctor's drugs (now that is a thing I ' would 

 rather have expressed otherwise ' !) and yourself, 

 I remain, ever your affectionate friend, 



G. J. KOMANES. 



For a while all went well, he liked the place, and 

 was able to work a little, and to have many books read 

 to him. He had taken out Dr. Martineau's < Study 

 of Keligion,' and other philosophical books, and he 

 also plunged into poetry, reading Wordsworth chiefly. 



In December came what seemed to be a severe 

 gastric attack, with other alarming symptoms, and for 

 a few hours he seemed to be dying. But this passed 

 off, and although he was kept in bed for three weeks 

 he grew better, and in some ways there seemed 

 grounds for fresh hope. 



For a few days in January he was under the care 

 of a cousin with two trained nurses, and his letters 

 home were surprisingly bright. 



His wife's maid, of whom he was very fond, was 

 terribly ill in January, and he writes : 



Give Jane my love, and tell her I never forget 

 how good she was to me when I thought I was dying 

 in her arms at Boar's Hill. 



And again he wrote : 



So glad to hear the operation has been successful. 

 Congratulate her from me. Tell her I heartily wish 

 I were in her place as to this, but that neverthe- 

 less I have not * lost heart.' I am now certainly 



