we marched to another room where there were cigars and brandy and
soda, but Arthur Pollen and I had to go and take coffee with the Master
of Balliol, the only individual of whom Pollen stands in the least awe.
He was a dear old man who said, "O yes, you're from India," and on my
saying "No, from America"; he said, "O yes, it's the other one." I
found the other one was an Indian princess in a cashmere cloak and
diamonds, who looked so proud and lovely and beautiful that I wanted to
take her out to one of the seats in the quadrangle and let her weep on
my shoulder. How she lives among these cold people I cannot
understand. We were all to go to a concert in the chapel, and half of
the party started off, but the Master's wife said, "Oh, I am sure the
Master expects them to wait for him in the hall. It is always done."
At which all the women made fluttering remarks of sympathy and the men
raced off to bring the others back. Only the Indian girl and I
remained undisturbed and puzzled. The party came back, but the Master
saw them and said, "Well, it does not matter, but it is generally
done." At which we all felt guilty. When we got to the chapel
everybody stood up until the Master's party sat down, but as it was
broken in the middle of the procession, they sat down, and then, seeing
we had not all passed, got up again, so that I felt like saying, "As
you were, men," as they do out West in the barracks. Then Lord
Coleridge in taking off his overcoat took off his undercoat, too, and
stood unconscious of the fact before the whole of Oxford. The faces of
the audience which packed the place were something wonderful to see;
their desire to laugh at a tall, red-faced man who looks like a bucolic
Bill Nye struggling into his coat, and then horror at seeing the Chief
Justice in his shirt-sleeves, was a terrible effort--and no one would
help him, on the principle, I suppose, that the Queen of Spain has no
legs. He would have been struggling yet if I had not, after watching
him and Lady Coleridge struggling with him, for a full minute, taken
his coat and firmly pulled the old gentleman into it, at which he
turned his head and winked.

I will go back to town by the first to see the Derby and will get into
lodgings there. I AM HAVING A VERY GOOD TIME AND AM VERY WELL. The
place is as beautiful as one expects and yet all the time startling one
with its beauty.

DICK.

When the season at Oxford was over Richard returned to