In the Gad's Hill matter, I too would like to try the effect of "not
budging." _So do not go beyond the_ L1,700. Considering what I should
have to expend on the one hand, and the low price of stock on the other,
I do not feel disposed to go beyond that mark. They won't let a
purchaser escape for the sake of the L100, I think. And Austin was
strongly of opinion, when I saw him last, that L1,700 was enough.
You cannot think how pleasant it is to me to find myself generally known
and liked here. If I go into a shop to buy anything, and give my card,
the officiating priest or priestess brightens up, and says: "_Ah! c'est
l'ecrivain celebre! Monsieur porte un nom tres-distingue. Mais! je suis
honore et interesse de voir Monsieur Dick-in. Je lis un des livres de
monsieur tous les jours_" (in the _Moniteur_). And a man who brought
some little vases home last night, said: "_On connait bien en France que
Monsieur Dick-in prend sa position sur la dignite de la litterature. Ah!
c'est grande chose! Et ses caracteres_" (this was to Georgina, while he
unpacked) "_sont si spirituellement tournees! Cette Madame Tojare_"
(Todgers), "_ah! qu'elle est drole et precisement comme une dame que je
connais a Calais._"
You cannot have any doubt about this place, if you will only recollect
it is the great main road from the Place de la Concorde to the Barriere
de l'Etoile.
Ever faithfully.
[Sidenote: Monsieur Regnier.]
_Wednesday, November 21st, 1855._