a doctor. He never
leaves me during the reading now, but sits at the side of the platform
and keeps his eye upon me all the time. Ditto George, the gasman,
steadiest and most reliable man I ever employed. I am the more hopeful
of my not having to relinquish a reading, because last night was
"Copperfield" and "Bob"--by a quarter of an hour the longest, and, in
consideration of the storm, by very much the most trying. Yet I was far
fresher afterwards than I have been these three weeks.

I have "Dombey" to do to-night, and must go through it carefully; so
here ends my report. The personal affection of the people in this place
is charming to the last.

[Sidenote: The Hon. Mrs. Watson.]

GAD'S HILL PLACE, _Monday, May 11th, 1868._

MY DEAR MRS. WATSON,

I am delighted to have your letter. It comes to me like a faithful voice
from dear old Rockingham, and awakens many memories.

The work in America has been so very hard, and the winter there has been
so excessively severe, that I really have been very unwell for some
months. But I had not been at sea three days on the passage home when I
became myself again.

If you will arrange with Mary Boyle any time for coming here, we shall
be charmed to see you, and I will adapt my arrangements accordingly. I
make this suggestion because she generally comes here early in the
summer season. But if you will propose yourself _anyhow_, giving me a
margin of a few days in case of my being pre-engaged for this day or
that, we will (as my American friends say) "fix it."

What with travelling, reading night after night, and speech-making day
after day, I feel the peace of the country beyond all expression. On
board ship coming home, a "deputation" (two in number, of whom only one
could get into my cabin, while the other looked in at my window) came to
ask me to read to the passengers that evening in the saloon. I
respectfully replied that sooner than do it, I would assault the
captain, and be put in irons.

Ever affectionately yours.

[Sidenote: Mrs. George Cattermole.]

GAD'S HILL PLACE, HIGHAM BY ROCHESTER, KENT,
_Saturday, May 16th, 1868._

MY DEAR MRS. CATTERMOLE,

On my return from America just now, I accidentally heard that George had
been ill. My sister-in-law had heard it from Forster, but vaguely. Until
I received your letter of Wedn