Palace Hôtel, Rome. - Has not been reading "The Brothers Karamazov"; was amused by the first two chapters, but they support Robert's observations about 'the hysterical character'; Caroline was also 'stuck' for the same reason. Has seen much of the 'unusually clever and well read American Secretary of Legation' [Arthur Frazier, acting Secretary?], who says the 'three great epochs in foreign novels' are that of Balzac, the Russian epoch (especially 'Tolstoi and Turgenieff') and the Jean Christophe [by Romain Rolland] epoch. The American ambassador, Page, is also a 'man of letters and means', of the same family as the American ambassador in England. Caroline has now been in bed with bronchitis for almost five weeks, and the doctors cannot say when she will be better; she is 'wonderfully patient'.
Wallington, Cambo, Morpeth. - It is a 'sign of the times' that Robert noticed [Thomas] Nelson Page in Piccadilly because he was wearing a top hat; fancy Robert 'meeting him over Loeb!'. What Robert says about the foxes is 'curious and disgusting; most unjust and selfish as a usurped class privilege'. Thornton Trevelyan once saw a fox catch a pheasant quite high up in the air. Interested and 're-assured' by what Robert says about Julian.
Rome. - Apologises for not having written for a while; she can only manage a letter a day and knew Sir George was keeping them informed of her slow recovery. She is now free of fever and beginning to feel better; she 'never felt so bad' in her life and found it hard to maintain a 'show of cheerfulness'. Annie's offers of help have been very touching. Thinks they will stay in Rome until she is totally recovered, then return home; the alternative is to stop at the Riviera for a while, but in either case Sir George will stay and bring her home. He will probably do some work soon, and is cheerful now he is no longer anxious about her. They will stay another three or four weeks. Could not enjoy C[harles] and M[ary]'s visit, but they had a good time sight-seeing. Hopes Julian's nurse is still satisfactory; thinks it is good she 'gets him out early & makes him walk'. Glad that Mr [Gordon] Bottomley is a little better this winter; hopes their new home in the north suits him. Not many English in Rome, but many Americans; Sir George likes the American Ambassador, [Thomas Nelson] Page, and sometimes 'goes about with him'; they have gone this morning in Page's car to the Ponte Nomentano and the Campagna. He also finds Sir Rennell Rodd [the British Ambassador] 'pleasant', but has met no English friends here. Sends love to Julian, and asks them to tell him she likes watching the Italian children playing on a terrace across the road; they 'talk & shout a great deal, & everything they say ends in "a a a ah"'.