g the little I can for
my mother; but even that little involves a great deal of
business--the least valuable sort of help. I will not attempt to tell
you now all that this involves in connection with my deeper feelings
and intentions; for I only send you this interim scribble as an
excuse for delaying the letter I had already begun; and which nothing
less than this catastrophe would have prevented me finishing. I hope
to finish it in a few days. I am not sure whether I shall then be
back in Beaconsfield; but if so it will be at a new address:

Top Meadow
Beaconsfield.

Yours in haste,

G. K. CHESTERTON.

DEAR FATHER KNOX,

I feel horribly guilty in not having written before, and I do most
earnestly hope you have not allowed my delay to interfere with any of
your own arrangements. I have had a serious and very moving talk with
my wife; and she is only too delighted at the idea of your visit in
itself; in fact she really wants to know you very much.
Unfortunately, it does not seem very workable at the time to which I
suppose you referred. I imagine it more or less corresponds to next
week; and we have only one spare bedroom yet, which is occupied by a
nurse who is giving my wife a treatment that seems to be doing her
good and which I don't want to stop if I can help it. I am sure you
will believe that my regret about this difficulty is really not the
conventional apology; though heaven knows all sorts of apologies are
due to you. Touching the other idea of Lady Lovat's most generous
invitation I am not so sure, as that again depends at the moment on
the treatment; but of course I shall let Lady Lovat know very soon in
any case; and make other arrangements, as you suggested. In our
conversation my wife was all that I hope you will some day know her
to be; she is incapable of wanting me to do anything but what I think
right; and admits the same possibility for herself: but it is much
more of a wrench for her, for she has been able to practise her
religion in complete good faith; which my own doubts have prevented
me from doing.

I will write again very soon.

Yours sincerely,

G. K. CHESTERTON.

P.S. I am ashamed to say this has been finished fully forty-eight
hours after I meant it to go, owing to executor business. Nobody so
unbusinesslike as I am ought to be busy.

DEAR FATHER KNOX,