My dear ——
You must not think that I am ungrateful, or that the interest I felt in your concerns is in the least diminished, although I am less anxious about you, knowing you to be in the midst of friends who love you. I received your kind letter written at different periods, just as I was about to leave Mount Lebanon for Balbeck. I returned to my convent the end of January, having made a long tour. Upon the very night of my arrival there, the great person mentioned in the enclosed paper paid me a visit, indeed took up his abode in my comfortable mansion for some time. Then I proceeded to Acre, to pay my respects to the pasha, and my guest from the Porte accompanied me to Ascalon. Therefore you see that from last October I have never had a quiet moment I could call my own; and besides, occasions either by sea or land are scarce and unsafe in the winter season, and, intending to send a person to England when all my business was over, I have deferred answering most of my letters to profit by this conveyance.
I have at last decided upon sending for James to take me away from this country; for I know so little of the state of the Continent, and feel in my own mind so doubtful of its remaining quiet, or, if it does, that I shall like it as formerly, that, before I break up a comfortable establishment to form another at random, I wish to have the opinion of one who knows my taste, and whom I can depend upon.
If Lord Mulgrave ever mentions me, pray remember me kindly to him: for I really believe he had a friendship for Mr. Pitt, though artful Canning formerly used to take great pains to make me believe it was all affected; but, since he has turned out himself a perfect political chameleon, one may be permitted to mistrust a few of his opinions. How unhappy it makes me to hear that the dear duke of —— is over head and ears in debt. With such a fine family just coming into the world, it must hurt him very much, not to be in a situation to give them all those advantages which they are born to.
The Pasha of Acre and all the leading people in this country continue to be vastly kind to me, even more so than before, if possible; and I am upon the whole as comfortable as a hermit can be.
Believe me,
Yours sincerely and affectionately,
H. L. S.
On or about the 1st of May, we reached Acre, having, on our route back, enjoyed very fine weather. The same honours were paid Lady Hester on her return as when going.
The night we arrived at Um Khaled I had well nigh embroiled myself with Derwish Mustafa Aga in the following manner. A servant happening to be very impertinent, I had recourse to the usual remedy for this in Turkey, which was laying my stick about his shoulders. The man was one Ayd, a muleteer, who, it will be recollected, was dismissed from Lady Hester’s service on a former occasion, and who had been afterwards taken back for the purpose of this journey. Upon being beaten, he flew to the tent of the Zaym, claiming protection. I desired the Zaym’s servants to send him out, which they refused to do, saying that no gäûr (or infidel) should touch those whom Moslems protected. The Zaym took the part of his servants, and kept Ayd in his tent the whole evening; which assumption of so extraordinary a right led to a warm discussion between him and Lady Hester, who took my side in the dispute.