to see as social and political _ciceroni_; but the former is at Paris, in
the deepest affliction at the death of her daughter, and the latter is just
gone to Italy, as I heard two days ago from Howden. Of course you know that
clever, agreeable little fellow Comyn, who was _charge d'affaires_ here,
and is now under-secretary at the F.O. in Madrid? If not, I will send you a
letter to him.

I wound up at Wiesbaden by a severe attack of gout, which seemed to please
my Esculapius more than it did me; for when I showed him my misshapen
scarlet claw of a foot, he rubbed his hands and said, 'Oh dat is a
beautiful manifest podagra.' It came just at the same time as the
Skelmersdales, and prevented my going about with them. Wasn't that just
like the gout?

I never doubted that as soon as the guerillero business was over and civil
organisation began, Garibaldi would prove a mischievous, spoiled child....
The French Government and their friends want the Pope to remain at Rome,
thinking that _la France Catholique_ would resent his evasion, as a proof
of mistrust of the Emperor; but the Emperor wants him to go; as he would
then withdraw his garrison and let Rome take its chance, which he thinks
would close his accounts with the followers of Orsini; and he dislikes
having to reinforce his garrison, which he must do if the Pope decides on
remaining.

I have brought the amethyst beads you desired to have for Mme. Van de
Weyer, and I dare say somebody will be going up to-morrow or next day by
whom I can send them to you. The man wanted rather more than 5 L for them,
but on my walking away from his shop, he, of course, gave them for that
sum.