said, 'Who is the personification of Foreign Office?' They said, 'X is.' I saw 'X '; but he tried to evade my question—i.e. Would F. O. do anything to prevent the Soudan falling into chaos? It was no use. I cornered him, and he then said, "I am merely a clerk to register letters coming in and going out." So then I gave it up, and marvelled. I must say I was surprised to see such a thing; a great Government like ours governed by men who dare not call their souls their own. Lord rules them with a rod of iron. If your husband would understand that F. O. at present is Lord (and he is ill), he would see that I can do nothing. I have written letters to F. O. that would raise a corpse; it is no good. I have threatened to go to the French Government about the Soudan; it is no good. In fact, my dear Mrs. Burton, I have done for myself with this Government, and you may count me a feather, for I am worth no more. Will you send this on to your husband? He is a first-rate fellow, and I wish I had seen him long ago (scratch this out, for he will fear I am going to borrow money); and believe me, my dear Mrs. Burton (pardon me about Suez),
"Yours sincerely,
"C. G. Gordon."
"Hôtel Taucan, Lausanne,
"12.3.80.
"My dear Mrs. Burton,
"Excuse my not answering your kind note or 5.3.80 before; but to be quiet I have come abroad, and
