380 LIFE OF PROFESSOR HUXLEY CHAP, xvi 



HOTEL DE LONDRES, VERONA, 

 Nw. 18, 1884. 



DEAREST BABS 1. Why, indeed, do they ask for 

 more ? Wait till they send a letter of explanation, and 

 then say that I am out of the country and not expected 

 back for several years. 



2. I wholly decline to send in any name to Athenaeum. 

 But don't mention it. 



3. Society of Arts be bothered, also 



4. Write to Science and Art Club to engage three of 

 the prettiest girls as partners for the evening. They 

 will look very nice as wallflowers. 



5. Penny dinners ? declined with thanks. 



6. Ask the meeting of Herts N.H. Society to come 

 here after next Thursday, when we shall be in Bologna. 



Business first, my sweet girl secretary with the curly 

 front ; and now for private affairs, though as your mother 

 is covering reams with them, I can only mention a few 

 of the more important which she will forget. 



The first is that she has a habit of hiding my shirts 

 so that I am unable to find them when we go away, and 

 the chambermaid comes rushing after us with the garment 

 shamefully displayed. 



The second is that she will cover all the room with 

 her things, and I am obliged to establish a military 

 frontier on the table. 



The third is that she insists on my buying an Italian 

 cloak. So you will see your venerable pater equipped 

 in this wise. 1 Except in these two particulars, she 

 behaves fairly well to me. 



In point of climate, so far, Italy has turned out a 

 fraud. We dare not face Venice, and Mr. Fenili will 

 weep over my defection ; but that is better than that we 

 should cough over his satisfaction. 



1 Sketch of a cloaked figure like a brigand of melodrama. 



