His son, Minotti Garibaldi, came to our house, and his visit recalls
an amusing episode in connection with one of my father's pictures. An
eccentric old art critic, a low churchman, who, as such, cultivated a
modesty in dress and a deep humility of demeanour that consorted oddly
with his rubicund feature (which had roused our housekeeper to remark
"Mr. So-and-so, 'e's got a nose to light a pipe"), was calling upon my
father to view his picture of "Anne Boleyn at the Queen Stairs of the
Tower." Anne Boleyn is represented in the picture as having sunk down
from exhaustion and fear on the lower step leading to the place of
execution. After remarking upon the masterly manner of the painting,
the old man paused, and looking up under his eyes he placed a
thoughtful finger upon his forehead and said in mournful accents,
"_The hutter 'elplessness_!" A little later young Garibaldi called
and was introduced to our pious critic, who, not quite knowing what to
say, but feeling he should rise to the occasion, made a spasmodic
attempt at tact and ejaculated "_'Ow's yer pa?_"
[Illustration: THE MARQUIS OF WINCHESTER, 1904.]
The late Lord Crewe comes to my mind now as one of my parents'
friends; he cultivated the society of artists and ... bishops! He was
very absent-minded, and there is a story told of him, which, although
far-fetched, is very typical. Suddenly recollecting his duties as host
of a large house party, he approached his guests one afternoon and
asked them if they would care to go riding, and finding several
agreeable, made arrangements with each one to be at the hall door at
2.30, when he would supply them with an excellent white horse. At the
appointed hour, guest after guest arrived booted, breeched, and
habited, until nearly the whole party had assembled. They waited, and
finally had the satisfaction of seeing Lord Crewe ride away, quite
oblivious, on the white horse.
My parents, after staying there some time, arrived home to find a
letter inviting them to Crewe Hall and written in a way that suggested
an absence of years. Lord Crewe's extraordinary absent-mindedness was
proverbial, and, since he was not aware of it, caused him to be
considerably taken advantage of. He used to dine at the "Athenæum,"
and usually at the same table. Another member came rushing in one day
to obtain a place for dinner for himself. All being engaged, the
waiter was obliged to refuse the extra guest, when the flurried member
pointed to an empty seat.
"Oh, sir," said the waiter with apologetic deference, "That's Lord
Crewe's."
"Never mind," said the urgent would-be diner. "Tell him when he
comes--that he's dined!"
It is to be supposed the waiter found his deception worth while, for
when Lord Crewe arrived, he was met with surprise and quiet
expostulation.
"You dined an hour ago, my lord," said the unscrupulous waiter.
"So I did," murmured the poor victim, as he retraced his steps.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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