I did not comprehend at first what it meant. My father was a very bad sailor, and it was quite possible that Mrs. Gladstone had merely telegraphed the little news that he was comfortably back in England. For one or two or three long seconds which seemed like hours, I tried to think that this was what she meant. But then my father had crossed not “this morning” but on Friday: and why should I “come with Maggie”? I suppose that the comprehension of the real meaning of this message was only a matter of a moment, and I think the envelope of the telegram was scarcely crumpled up in my hand before I knew. Just then, Beth, having seen my entry from the window of her room, came down to tell me that she had got tea ready. And she saw that something had happened, for her hands made a quivering motion, and then were clasped. “Is there any trouble?” she asked. * * * * * I could get up to London that night, but not to Chester. I slept in the Euston Hotel and went on by an early train next morning. My father and mother had arrived at Hawarden on Saturday: he was very well and in tremendously good spirits, and sat up late that night talking with Mr. Gladstone. They had all gone to early communion on Sunday morning, returned for breakfast, and walked again to church for the eleven o’clock service. Mrs. Gladstone and they were in a pew together, and during the Confession, my father sank back from his upright kneeling, and did no more than sigh.... He bowed himself before his Lord, as he met Him face to face.... INDEX Addington, Easter holidays at, 179 last family gathering at, 321 liberty and leisure at, 251 non-ecclesiastical ritual at, 102 Sunday routine at, 183 Aix-les-Bains, Maggie Benson at, 321 Algeria, a tour in, 276 Algiers, visits to, 254, 276 “American nouns” and how played, 93 Anderson, Mary, a tribute to, 235 author’s meeting with, 235 Archæological researches in Greece and Egypt, _et seq._, 286 studies at Cambridge, 255 Athens, a representation of the _Duchess of Bayswater_ at, 301 author in, 279, 303 royalty at a theatrical performance in, 304. Athleticism, benefits of, 149 _Babe, B.A., The_, 301, 302 Bambridge, Mr., as pianist, 145 his part in a performance of Haydn’s Toy Symphony, 201 Beaconsfield, Lord, offers Bishopric of Truro to author’s father, 62 Beesly, A. H., classics master at Marlborough, 155 _obiter dicta_ of, 160 Benson, Arthur Christopher, (brother), 22 a mystical “Chapter” and its warden, 99 a nursery reminiscence of, 25 and his brother Hugh, 128 as actor: a hilarious kitchen-maid, 177 as author, 178, 320 as butterfly collector, 95 at Eton, 87, 123, 251 contributes a poem to _Cambridge Fortnightly_, 231 gains an Eton scholarship at King’s, 126 holiday activities of, 92 house-master at Eton, 318 piscatorial exploits of, 54 schooldays at East Sheen, 30