From Emma Darwin to G. H. Darwin [11 July 1881]

My dear George

We had an agitating Sunday, but it all turned out pleasant— At 1.45 when luncheon, consisting solely of a very underdone piece of beef was quite over, appeared Leo's friend the Baron de Constant & his friend a D^r— having mistaken the day for next Sunday. We made much of them (Leo was away) & I was relieved to see them get up & help themselves twice to the beef so that it was not too "saignant" for a French man. No wonder they were hungry, as they had been more than 2 hrs walking from Orpington, missing their way I suppose— but the day was lovely & they enjoyed their walk & admired it. The Baron was agreeable & merry & handsome all but his hair w. was perpendicular & cut like the little boys in Punch. The friend a D^r was a sensible man & talked to R. about the English Hospitals, in w. he seemed to think the operating surgeons were very superior to the French. esp. in rapidity. The Baron sat under the fir tree in the fields & sketched the house, after F. left them. They w^d not stay dinner & we went them off after p.m. tea in the Veranda. Your soldier & aid-de-camp still does a g^t deal of duty— I painted the one you drew in the train which B. assured me kindly many times, I did quite as well as Mim c^d have done—

We were so handsome as not to open Fr—so no doubt you will send it us—

Yours may dear Old man | E. D. Horace & Ida will like to know about our yesterday, event—