* * * I leave on Tuesday, but stop on the way. The children go direct and join me in Paris, when we go on together on Friday or Saturday to Houlgate. The trains don’t fit, and one has some way to drive from Trouville.
Houlgate, July 25th.
* * * This place is quite charming—real country, so green, so picturesque—a beautiful coast; the nicest sea-place I have been at yet. Our house is “wee” for so many, and the first days it was very noisy; and it was so dirty. The maids and nurses had to scrub and sweep; the one French housemaid was not up to it. All is better now, and quite comfortable enough. The air is doing me good, and the complete change. I have bathed twice, and the sea revives me.
I follow as eagerly as any in England the advance of the Russians, and with cordial dislike. They can never be redressers of wrongs or promoters of civilization and Christianity. What I fear is, even if they don’t take Constantinople, and make no large demands as the price of their victories now, the declaration of the independence of Bulgaria will make that country to them in future what Roumania has been for Russia now, and therefore in twenty years hence they will get all they want, unless the other Powers at this late hour can bring about a change. It is bad for England, for Austria, for Germany, if this Russian Slav element should preponderate in Europe; and the other countries must sooner or later act against this in self-preservation.
What do the friends of the “Atrocity Meetings” say now? How difficult it has been made for the Government through them, and how blind they have been! All this must be a constant worry and anxiety for you!
The children are so happy here—the sea does them such good. I am very glad I brought them.
Houlgate, July 28th.
* * * Though we have rain off and on, still the weather is very pleasant, and we are all of us charmed with the place, and the beautiful, picturesque, fertile country. The life is so pleasant—real country—which I have never yet found at any bathing-place abroad yet. I have bathed every other day—swim, and it does me good. I feel it already. Ella is getting her color back, and the little ones look much better.
I send you the last photos done of the children; Ella’s is not favorable, nor Irène’s, but all in all they are a pretty set. May has not such fat cheeks in reality; still it is very dear. The two little girlies are so sweet, so dear, merry, and nice. I don’t know which is dearest, they are both so captivating.
I have been to an old tumble-down church at Dives—close by here—where William the Conqueror is said to have been before starting for England. His name and those of all his followers are inscribed there—names of so many families now existing in England. It was very interesting.