Pièce 204 - Letter from R. C. Trevelyan to Sir George Trevelyan

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The Shiffolds, Holmbury St. Mary, Dorking. - Was glad to hear his parents had reached Rome on Saturday, and that his mother is well again; hopes she will now 'keep well', and that they are having good weather. Reached home on Wednesday, and found Bessie and Julian well. The 'nurse problem' seems to have been solved 'quite happily': Julian 'seems to take to the new nurse, and she seems a strong, sensible young woman'. The Bottomleys are staying with them, and are 'cheerful guests'.

Had a 'wonderful five days at Aulla with his friends [Lascelles Abercrombie and W. W. Gibson] at [Aubrey] Waterfield's castle'; thinks it is the 'finest country' he knows in Italy, 'or anywhere almost'. They went one day to Lerici and visited the Casa Magni [the Shelleys' house]; some 'quite terrible houses' have recently been built just beyond it, but 'the bay is too lovely to be really spoiled'. They walked three miles south along the coast to Fiascherino, 'a tiny village where a friend was staying', which was 'as beautiful as anything I have seen on the rocky part of the Mediterranean coast, in France or Italy'. Then they walked back about four or five miles over the hills to catch the train at Sarzana.

His parents will have Charles and Molly with them by now; sends them his love. Bessie saw them in London the day he returned; he fears they 'had a stormy crossing', as he did. Bessie says she will write to Caroline tomorrow; he expects 'chiefly about the new nurse', who came yesterday. Julian woke up at five this morning and asked her to light a candle, as he said he wanted to 'see her face'. Then he said "' Yes, I like your face. That's all right. You can put the candle out now, and try to go to sleep again'. He 'certainly seems satisfied with her, and so does Bessie so far'. Sends love to his mother.