To return to my diary: 

“Queen Victoria took a great interest in my confinement, and wrote Henry a charming letter.  She sent messengers constantly to ask after me and I answered her myself once, in pencil, when Henry was at the Home Office.

“I was convalescing one day, lying as usual on my bed, my mind a blank, when Sir William Harcourt’s card was sent up to me and my door was darkened by his huge form.

I had seen most of my political and other friends while I was convalescing:  Mr. Gladstone, Lord Haldane, Mr. Birrell, Lord Spencer, Lord Rosebery, the Archbishop of Canterbury, John Morley, Arthur Balfour, Sir Alfred Lyall and Admiral Maxse; and I was delighted to see Sir William Harcourt.  When he came into my room, he observed my hunting-crops hanging on the wall from a rack, and said: 

“I am glad to see those whips!  Asquith will be able to beat you if you play fast and loose with him.  That little tight mouth of his convinces me he has the capacity to do it.

“After my nurse had left the room, he expressed surprise that I should have an ugly woman near me, however good she might be, and told me that his son, Bobby, had been in love with his nurse and wrote to her for several years.  He added, in his best Hanoverian vein: 

“’I encourage my boys all I can in this line; it promises well for their future.’”

“After some talk, Mr. John Morley’s card was brought up and, seeing Sir William look rather subdued, I told the servant to ask him to wait in my boudoir for a few minutes and assured my guest that I was in no hurry for him to go; but Harcourt began to fidget about and after a little he insisted on John Morley coming up.  We had a good talk a trots, starting by abusing men who minded other people’s opinion or what the newspapers said of them.  Knowing, as I did, that both of them were highly sensitive to the Press, I encouraged the conversation.

“John Morley:  ’I can only say I agree with what Joe once said to me, “I would rather the newspapers were for than against me."’

“Sir William:  ’My dear chap, you would surely not rather have the daily chronicle on your side.  Why, bless my soul, our party has had more harm done it through the daily chronicle than anything else!’

“Margot:  Do you think so?  I think its screams, though pitched a little high, are effective!’

“John Morley:  ’Oh, you like Massingham, of course, because your husband is one of his heroes.’

“Sir William:  ’Well, all I can say is he always abuses me and I am glad of it.’

“John Morley:  ’He abuses me, too, though not, perhaps, quite so often as you!’

“Margot:  ’I would like him to praise me.  I think his descriptions of the House of Commons debates are not only true and brilliant but fine literature; there is both style and edge in his writing and I rather like that bitter-almond flavour!  How strangely the paper changed over to Lord Rosebery, didn’t it?’