First, I have to report that I received your letter with much pleasure.
Secondly, that the weather has entirely changed. It is so cool that we
have not only a fire in the drawing-room regularly, but another to dine
by. The delicious freshness of the air is charming, and it is generally
bright and windy besides.
Thirdly, that ----'s intellectual faculties appear to have developed
suddenly. He has taken to borrowing money; from which I infer (as
he has no intention whatever of repaying) that his mental powers are
of a high order. Having got a franc from me, he fell upon Mrs. Dickens
for five sous. She declining to enter into the transaction, he
beleaguered that feeble little couple, Harry and Sydney, into paying
two sous each for "tickets" to behold the ravishing spectacle of an
utterly-non-existent-and-there-fore-impossible-to-be-produced toy
theatre. He eats stony apples, and harbours designs upon his
fellow-creatures until he has become light-headed. From the couch
rendered uneasy by this disorder he has arisen with an excessively
protuberant forehead, a dull slow eye, a complexion of a leaden hue, and
a croaky voice. He has become a horror to me, and I resort to the most
cowardly expedients to avoid meeting him. He, on the other hand, wanting
another franc, dodges me round those trees at the corner, and at the
back door; and I have a presentiment upon me that I shall fall a
sacrifice to his cupidity at last.
On the Sunday night after you left, or rather on the Monday morning at
half-past one, Mary was taken _very ill_. English cholera. She was
sinking so fast, and the sickness was so exceedingly alarming, that it
evidently would not do to wait for Elliotson. I caused everything to be
done that we had naturally often thought of, in a lonely house so full
of children, and fell back upon the old remedy; though the difficulty of
giving even it was rendered very great by the frightful sickness. Thank
God, she recovered so favourably that by breakfast time she was fast
asleep. She slept twenty-four hours, and has never had the least
uneasiness since. I heard--of course afterwards--that she had had an
attack of sickness two nights before. I think that long ride and those
late dinners had been too much for her. Without them I am inclined to
doubt whether she would have been ill.
Last Sunday as ever was, the theatre took fire at half-past eleven in
the forenoon. Being close by the English church, it showered hot sparks
into that temple through the open windows. Whereupon the congregation
shrieked and rose and tumbled out into the street; ---- benignly
observing to the only ancient female who would listen to him, "I fear we
must part;" and afterwards being beheld in the street--in his robes and
with a kind of sacred wildness on him--handing ladies over the kennel
into shops and other structures, where they had no business whatever, or
the least desire to go. I got to the back of the theatre, where I could
see in through some great doors that had been forced open, and whence
the spectacle of the whole interior, burning like a red-hot cavern, was
really very fine, even in the daylight. Meantime the soldiers were at
work, "saving" the scenery by pitching it into the next street; and the
poor little properties (one spinning-wheel, a feeble imitation of a
water-mill, and a basketful of the dismalest artificial flowers very
conspicuous) were being passed from hand to hand with the greatest
excitement, as if they were rescued children or lovely women. In four or
five hours the whole place was burnt down, except the outer walls. Never
in my days did I behold such feeble endeavours in the way of
extinguishment. On an average I should say it took ten minutes to throw
half a gallon of water on the great roaring heap; and every time it was
insulted in this way it gave a ferocious burst, and everybody ran off.
Beaucourt has been going about for two days in a clean collar; which
phenomenon evidently means something, but I don't know what. Elliotson
reports that the great conjuror lives at his hotel, has extra wine every
day, and fares expensively. Is he the devil?
I have heard from the Kernel.[19] Wa'al, sir, sayin' as he minded to
locate himself with us for a week, I expected to have heard from him
again this morning, but have not. Beard comes to-morrow.
Kindest regards and remembrances from all. Ward lives in a little street
between the two Tintilleries. The Plornish-Maroon desires his duty. He
had a fall yesterday, through overbalancing himself in kicking his
nurse.
Ever faithfully.
[Sidenote: Mr. Frank Stone, A.R.A.]