Sᵗᵃ BRIGIDA,
MONTE,
G. CANARY.
_9 Jan. 1899._
I won't pretend but that I am disappointed by your decision, the
more so because my hopes of your advent stood higher than Florence's
and I had endeavoured to argue that your half-promise was a valuable
security. However, I know that we are far from England, and that you
are unwilling to leave your household for any long time. Also the two
last boats that have come here suffered much in the Bay of Biscay and
were very late. So I forgive, though I badly want someone to walk with.
The time has come when I feel that walks are pleasant and do me good,
but that I am very tired of the contents of my own head. But even a
solitary tramp is better than a day in bed, and I am really grateful
to this magnificent climate and to those who sent me here. To those
who cannot speak Spanish, and I cannot and never shall, the remoter
parts of this island are not very accessible. I sometimes find myself
beset by a troop of boys who take a fiendish pleasure in dogging the
steps of an Englishman who obviously is deaf, dumb and mad. Attempts to
reason with them only lead to shouts of Penny! or Tilling!--I cannot
even persuade them that Tilling is not an English word. Still at times
they leave me in peace and then I can be happy until the next crowd
assembles.