MRS. GENERAL TALBOYS

by Anthony Trollope




Why Mrs. General Talboys first made up her mind to pass the winter
of 1859 at Rome I never clearly understood. To myself she explained
her purposes, soon after her arrival at the Eternal City, by
declaring, in her own enthusiastic manner, that she was inspired by
a burning desire to drink fresh at the still living fountains of
classical poetry and sentiment. But I always thought that there was
something more than this in it. Classical poetry and sentiment were
doubtless very dear to her; but so also, I imagine, were the
substantial comforts of Hardover Lodge, the General's house in
Berkshire; and I do not think that she would have emigrated for the
winter had there not been some slight domestic misunderstanding.
Let this, however, be fully made clear,--that such misunderstanding,
if it existed, must have been simply an affair of temper. No
impropriety of conduct has, I am very sure, ever been imputed to the
lady. The General, as all the world knows, is hot; and Mrs.
Talboys, when the sweet rivers of her enthusiasm are unfed by
congenial waters, can, I believe, make herself disagreeable.

But be this as it may, in November, 1859, Mrs. Talboys came among us
English at Rome, and soon succeeded in obtaining for herself a
comfortable footing in our society. We all thought her more
remarkable for her mental attributes than for physical perfection;
but, nevertheless, she was, in her own way, a sightly woman. She