_Thursday, June_ 9_th._
Cunninghame went to Welbeck Street and saw the doctor. He says there is
every chance of his recovery. Apparently the danger was in having to do
the operation at once, while there was still inflammation. It was not
exactly appendicitis, but Cunninghame's report was too technical for my
comprehension.
I dined with Cunninghame to-day to meet Mrs Caryl. I had not met her
husband before. He is, I thought, slightly stiff. Lady Jarvis was there
also. She was much disturbed about A.'s illness.
_Friday, June_ 10_th_.
Gertrude and Edmund Anstruther arrived yesterday. I dined with them
to-night. Edmund said the way diplomats were treated was a scandal. The
hard-working members of the profession were always passed over. The best
posts were given to men outside the profession. No conscientious man
could expect to get on in such a profession. If he was passed over this
time he would not stand it any longer, but he would leave the Service
altogether. The Foreign Office, he said, was so weak. They never backed
up a subordinate who took a strong line. They always climbed down. I
wondered what Edmund had been taking a strong line about in Buenos
Aires. Gertrude agreed. She said they had been there for three years
without leave, and if they did not get a good post she would advise
Edmund to retire and get something in the City. There were plenty of
firms in the city who would jump at getting Edmund. She mentioned the
Housmans and said she knew they were friends of mine, and didn't want to
say anything against them, but she had met many people in Buenos Aires
who knew Mrs Housman intimately, and said she was rather a dangerous
woman. I asked in what way she was dangerous. Gertrude said: "Perhaps
you do not know she is a Roman Catholic." I said I had known this for
years, but she never talked of it. "That's just what I mean," said
Gertrude; "they are far too subtle, and I am afraid too underhand to
talk of it openly. They lead you on." I asked Gertrude if she thought
Mrs Housman wished to convert me. She said most certainly. Her friends
in Buenos Aires had told her she had made many converts. It was the only
thing she cared for, and even if she didn't, Roman Catholics were
obliged to do so. It was only natural, if they thought we all went to
hell if we were not converted.
I said I was not sure Roman Catholics did believe that. Gertrude and
Edmund said I was wrong. I could ask anyone. Gertrude repeated she had
no wish to say anything against Mrs Housman, and she was convinced she
was a good woman according to her lights.
Edmund said there had been many conversions in the Diplomatic Service.
He was convinced this was part of a general conspiracy. If you wanted to
get on in the Diplomatic Service you had better be a Roman Catholic. Of
course those who did not choose to sacrifice their conscience, their
independence, their traditions, and were loyal to the Church and the
State, suffered. I said I didn't quite see where loyalty to the State
came in. Edmund said: "How could you be loyal to the State when you were
under the authority of an Italian Bishop?" I must know that the Italian
Cardinals were always in the majority. I said that, considering the
number of Catholics in England, compared with the number of Catholics in
other countries, I should be surprised to see a majority of English
Cardinals at the Vatican. I said Edmund wanted England to be a
Protestant country, and at the same time to have the lion's share in
Catholic affairs. Edmund said that was not at all what he meant. What he
meant was that an Englishman should be loyal to his Church, which was an
integral part of the State.
I said there were many Englishmen who would prefer the State to have
nothing to do with the Church. Edmund said there were many Englishmen
who did not deserve the name of Englishmen. For instance, Caryl, who was
now Second Secretary at Paris, had been promoted over his head three
years ago. What was the reason? Mrs Caryl was a Roman Catholic and Caryl
had been converted soon after his marriage. I foolishly said that the
Caryls were now in London, and when Edmund asked me how I knew this I
said that Aunt Ruth had told me.
This raised a storm, as it appears that Aunt Ruth does know the Caryls
and asks them to dinner when they are in London. Edmund said he would
talk to Aunt Ruth about them seriously. I asked him as a favour to do no
such thing. And Gertrude told him not to be foolish, and added
magnanimously that Mrs Caryl was a nice woman, if a little fast.
For a man who has lived all his life abroad Edmund Anstruther is
singularly deeply imbued with British prejudice.
They are staying in London until the middle of July. Then they are going
on a round of visits. Edmund is confident that he will get Christiania.
I feel that it is more than doubtful.
Riley went back to Shelborough to-day.
_Saturday, June_ 11_th._
Received a telegram from Housman, asking me to go to Staines. I went
down by the afternoon train, and found Lady Jarvis, Miss Housman and
Carrington-Smith. Housman was anxious for news of A. I told him I
believed he was now out of danger, but that it would be a long time
before he was quite well again. Housman said he must certainly come to
Cornwall. I said he had intended to go to Canada for a Conference, but
would be unable to do so now. Housman said that was providential.
_Sunday, June_ 12_th._
A fine day, but the river was crowded and hardly enjoyable. I sat with
Mrs Housman in the garden in the evening. The others went on the river
again. Mrs Housman asked me if I had seen A. I said he was not allowed
to see anyone.
_Monday, June_ 13_th._
A. is getting on as well as can be expected. There appears to be no
doubt of his recovery. Cunninghame is going to see him to-day.
_Tuesday, June_ 12_th._
Cunninghame says that A. wants to see me. I am to go there to-morrow.
Dined with Hope, who was at Oxford with me. He is just back from Russia,
where he has been to make arrangements for producing some play in
London. He thinks of nothing now but the stage, and a play of his is
going to be produced at the Court Theatre. I promised to go and see it.
He spoke of Riley, and I told him he had become a Roman Catholic. Hope
said he regarded that as sinning against the light. He said no one _at
this time of day_ could believe such things.
_Wednesday, June_ 15_th_.
I went to see A. at Welbeck Street. He has been very ill and looks white
and thin. His sister was there, but I had some conversation with him
alone. I told him all the news I could think of, which was not much. He
said he liked seeing people, but was not allowed more than one visitor a
day. He had got a very good nurse. Housman had sent him grapes and
magnificent fruit every day. He said he would like to see Mrs Housman,
but supposed that was impossible, as she never came to London now. He
said Cunninghame had been very good to him, and had put off going to
Ascot to look after him.