For my part, I would much rather be here, but RUSTEM ROOSE,
He-who-is-to-be-Obeyed, has ordered me to Marienbad, and I go. 'But,'
like ATKINSON and another ancient Roman (of whom you may have read in
school-books), 'I return.' In the meanwhile, take care of Mr. G. Don't
let him overwork himself, or ruthlessly endanger his health. It is
precious to all of us, more especially to some of his colleagues on
the Front Bench. I often think of what will happen when he retires
from the scene. I fancy there will be a kind of Suttee. There are
quite a lot of old wives in his political establishment, who cannot
resist, what must, indeed, be their natural inclination, the call to
immolate themselves on the funeral pyre. There's ----, and ----, and
---- ----." (Wild horses couldn't drag these names from me. Anyone
interested should write to the SAGE, _Poste Restante Marienbad_.)
"They could not think of lingering on the political scene after the
retirement of the head of the family. I shall certainly attend the
Suttee. It will be an interesting and ennobling spectacle. It will,
moreover, make some room on the newly constructed Treasury Bench."
_Business done_.--SAGE goes off by the Club train. The two muffled-up
figures seen in the background of the station are emissaries of
AKERS-DOUGLAS charged with the mission of ascertaining whether he's
really gone.
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