Page:The Romance of Isabel, Lady Burton.djvu/705

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Gordon and the Burtons
667

and now they cannot imagine why I am so well received by the new Khedive.
"Believe me,
"Yours sincerely,
"C. G. Gordon."

Gordon was not the only one who suffered by the change of Khedive. Burton, as Gordon had foretold, came to grief over the Mines of Midian, for Tewfik declined to be bound by any promise of his father; and though Burton went to Egypt to interview the Khedive, to see if he could do anything, his efforts were of no avail. Meanwhile Isabel, who had come to London mainly for medical treatment, was moving heaven and earth to see if she could induce the English Government to stir in the matter; but they naturally declined. Isabel wrote to Gordon, who had now come home from Egypt, on this and other matters. She received from him the following letters in answer to her request and inquiries concerning the state of affairs in Egypt:

"U.S. Club, Pall Mall,

"4.2.80.

"My dear Mrs. Burton,

"You write to an orb which is setting, or rather is set. I have no power to aid your husband in any way. I went to F. O. to-day, and, as you know, Lord—— is very ill. Well! the people there were afraid of me, for I have written hard things to them; and though they knew all, they would say naught. I