"England's arm was paralyzed, and has _been for some time_, by the nightmare and bugbear of Russia. Bismarck, to clear himself and his own country, had been pointing _Russia to India_; but when _this_ occurred, and it became clear that at last we had secured ourselves in India by this Chinese alliance, Russian bother at Afghanistan's frontier ceased. Germany hastened to offer thirty-five millions loan to China. France stopped her war and sent a deputation after the German with proposals for trade, and Russia at Merv, and France at Tonquin, were both paralyzed and powerless for harm. Burmah was taken and our future secured, and, what is more, England was again free to declare, as Lord Salisbury did at the last Mansion House banquet, that if any of England's interests are imperilled, her own right arm is quite powerful enough to right them at once, without assistance from any European Power. "Without this arrangement with China dared he to have said so? No! However, whatever the facts are, one thing is certain, that what has happened is for the best. "I hope you will get the pension.[2] If you think I could do anything towards it I will gladly try, so long as _I am not doing any harm_ by interfering. I ought to say I sent the book to Mr. Gladstone two months before I sent it to Lord Salisbury, when Gladstone was in. He returned it. I suppose the reference to Gordon was too much for him. Of course he may have initiated what Lord Salisbury carried out with China. "With kind regards, believe me "Yours sincerely, "G. H----." * * * * * "31st January, 1887. "MY DEAR LADY BURTON, "I enclose you a little scrap from to-day's paper about Germany and China. The jealousy shown all round by the different Powers since our agreement with the latter one, is clear proof what a great thing _they think it is for us_. One thing is certain, that those two pages of yours have done more to '_make history_,' as it is called, than many wars could do, and without blood-shedding. The more I think of it, and the more I view the convulsion which must come very soon from all these armed men, the more I am satisfied that it is a grand thing for Lord Salisbury that, having India secure, he can now do as he feels he can best secure the future in accordance with the spirit of our old traditions. "With kindest regards, believe me "Yours sincerely, "G. H----. "P.S.--I conclude you received the _Asiatic Review_ article _in Paris_ by the Marquis Tseng. I sent it there to you." * * * * * "June 28th, 1887. "MY DEAR LADY BURTON, "I have not heard one word from you or any one else since the earthquake, and have often wondered what had become of you, and how you fared. "What a time you had! much worse than any one would think who had not himself known and seen in others what _a serious matter nervous suffering is_.