The Journal of a Disappointed Man

At the "Ring of Bells" had a long yarn with the landlord, who, as he told us the story of his life, was constantly interrupted but never disconcerted by the exuberant loyalty and devotion of his wife--a stout, florid, creamy woman, who capped every story with: "Ees quite honest, sir; no 'arm at all in old Joshua." June 5. A half-an-hour of to-day I spent in a punt under a copper beech out of the pouring rain listening to Lady ----'s gamekeeper at A---- talk about beasts and local politics--just after a visit of inspection to the Heronry in the firs on the island in the middle of the Lake. It was delightful to hear him describing a Heron killing an Eel with "a dap on the niddick," helping out the figure with a pat on the nape of his thick bull neck. July 22. Am reading Huxley's Crayfish. H---- brought me in that magnificent aculeate Chrysis ignita. August 15. Met her in the market with M----. I just lifted my hat and passed on. She has the most marvellous brown eyes I have ever seen. She is perfectly self-possessed. A bad sign this. August 18. When I feel ill, cinema pictures of the circumstances of my death flit across my mind's eye. I cannot prevent them. I consider the nature of the disease and all I said before I died--something heroic, of course! August 31. She is a ripping girl. Her eyes are magnificent. I have never seen any one better looking.