second thought.

_Thursday, 29th._--I had two priests to luncheon yesterday: the Bishop
and Pere Remy. They were very pleasant, and quite clean too, which has
been known sometimes not to be--even with bishops. Monseigneur is not
unimposing; with his white beard and his violet girdle he looks
splendidly episcopal, and when our three waiting lads came up one after
another and kneeled before him in the big hall, and kissed his ring, it
did me good for a piece of pageantry. Remy is very engaging; he is a
little, nervous, eager man, like a governess, and brimful of laughter
and small jokes. So is the bishop indeed, and our luncheon party went
off merrily--far more merrily than many a German spread, though with so
much less liquor. One trait was delicious. With a complete ignorance of
the Protestant that I would scarce have imagined, he related to us (as
news) little stories from the gospels, and got the names all wrong! His
comments were delicious, and to our ears a thought irreverent. "_Ah! il
connaissait son monde, allez!_" "_Il etait fin, notre Seigneur!_" etc.

_Friday._--Down with Fanny and Belle, to lunch at the International.
Heard there about the huge folly of the hour, all the Mulinuu
ammunition having been yesterday marched openly to vaults in Matafele;
and this morning, on a cry of protest from the whites, openly and
humiliatingly disinterred and marched back again. People spoke of it
with a kind of shrill note that did not quite satisfy me. They seemed
not quite well at ease. Luncheon over, we rode out on the Malie road.
All was quiet in Vaiusu, and when we got to the second ford, alas! there
was no picket--which was just what Belle had come to sketch. On through
quite empty roads; the houses deserted, never a gun to be seen; and at
last a drum and a penny whistle playing in Vaiusu, and a cricket match
on the _malae_! Went up to Faamuina's; he is a trifle uneasy, though he
gives us kava. I cannot see what ails him, then it appears that he has
an engagement with the Chief Justice at half-past two to sell a piece of
land. Is this the reason why war has disappeared? We ride back, stopping
to sketch here and there the fords, a flag of truce, etc. I ride on to
Public Hall Committee and pass an hour with my committees very heavily.
To the hotel to dinner, then to the ball, and home by eleven, very
tired. At the ball I heard some news, of how the chief of Letonu said
that I was the source of all this trouble, and should