The Henson Journals

[3]

Friday, June 3rd, 1921.

The Dean of York with his wife & daughter left after breakfast. I motored into Durham, & I had an interview with Harold Begbie, who had asked for an opportunity of discussing the coal stoppage. He is not at all like the man I had expected to see. He "takes himself very seriously", & is over–filled with the cant about "crusades" etc. etc. I invited him to lunch at Auckland, & carried him back with me there. Lord and Lady Barnard came to the lunch, [the first shy, the last pretty, both distressingly commonplace!] Prof. Howe also came to lunch. Afterwards, I motored How to Durham, and Begbie to Newcastle. Ryle & I had tea in the Hotel, visited the Cathedral, and on the way back called at Lumley Castle, which was obligingly shown to us by the care–taker. It is a noble pile and was seen to the best advantage in the brilliantly fine weather. We got back to the castle just in time for dinner. The sunset was so beautiful that, after dinner, we sate on at the Western window & feasted our eyes with the evening lights. Before going to bed, I wrote a letter to Carissima. This pious duty can only be neglected at the price of a grievous wound to my conscious, but its adequate performance can only be secured by a larger sacrifice of my time than I can easily make. Ryle has been a delightful guest, invariably cheerful and appreciative. I think he has enjoyed his visit: and, certainly, if he has not, his power of concealing his sentiment is far greater than I could have imagined! But even the most welcome guests are a woeful hindrance to an efficient performance of one's duties.