6 APRIL 



he means Bubble and Squeak; I see behind the 

 door shadows half figures like the mysterious 

 woman in the corner of the Wiertz Museum in 

 Brussels. They are all waiting for an audience, 

 and rupees ; more than all rupees. One is hold- 

 ing a broken lamp-chimney, another broken har- 

 ness, the doorkeeper has letters in books to be 

 signed for, or answered immediately, and bills to 

 be paid, and all stand there waiting for money. 

 Having disposed of all these, then there is an 

 interview with Penelope, who sits flat upon the 

 floor of the verandah, and unpicks each day what 

 he sewed yesterday. Not only that, but often 

 after making some garment too small, he care- 

 fully and neatly cuts off all redundant turnings, 

 without first presenting it for approval. This 

 language fails one on such an occasion. There is 

 no word in it that expresses all one's disappoint- 

 ment, worry, and vexation, in sufficiently forcible 

 terms ; or, if there is, I do not know what it is ! 



So out into the garden I go for relief; straight 

 down to the thick green shade by the south wall, 

 where my experimental gardening goes on. Here 

 there are two old mango trees, and a large Brownia, 



