look forward to such a life with any lively pleasure. And so it was that some time before his History finals were in sight he was contemplating a preferable alternative in the Egyptian Civil Service, the posts in which were to be filled for the first time by a system of limited competition wherein mere ‘bookish theoric’ was to count for less than the qualities of leadership and savoir faire which he possessed in so marked a degree.
‘I am working like hell – eight hours a day,’ he writes early in 1906, ‘and also putting in for the Egyptian touch, but as there are about eighty applicants from either ‘Varsity and about twelve berths, the chances of success are not rosy. I spent a very merry ten days with the Fields at Leamington. The rest of the vac. I did about four hours a day.’
A little later he writes:
‘UNION SOCIETY, OXFORD.
‘Sunday, March 11th, 1906.
‘Dear Ric,
‘Thanks frightfully for your frequent letters. I’m sorry I have not answered them before.
‘I suppose you have fixed it up all right with Mrs Honey? I am looking forward to it very much. I go down to Pains wick (Glos.) on 17th, immediately after collections, to stop with Brucie for a few days, but I shall be home before 30th.
‘How goes it with you? Your letters tell me so little about yourself. H— and I are almost amicable
now, as I took a pure a on a collection of Stubbs’s Charters. We have two more at end of term, one on my Foreign Period, which I know, and the other on my Special Period, which it will take all the cunning I possess to survive, without betraying the fact that my knowledge of it, if not elementary, is still very superficial.
‘I have been rather North-Oxfording it this term: progressive bridge, whist, etc. Result – acquaintance with one really nice girl, but she, alas! has now departed for Portugal.
‘Adieu,
‘Yours ever,
‘P. S. N.
‘P.S. My application for E.C.S. is now awaiting consideration. Pray for me.’
Nairn did not obtain the Egyptian appointment. On coming down from Oxford, in order to occupy his time profitably and improve his knowledge of German, pending his entering on a definite career, he went, under an arrangement then in force between the British and the German Education Departments, as English master to the Schiller Gymnasium at Stettin in Prussia, where he was to learn German in exchange for English. Here he spent many pleasant months, and here as elsewhere he was popular with the professors and the students. The following extracts from his diary kept in 1907 give a picture of his life in Germany. They cover the last six weeks or so of his time there:
‘January 3rd. – Bundled out of the train [at Berlin] at 5.30 this morning feeling very sleepy. This wore off after a cup of coffee at the station. Drove to “Hotel Stadt London”, deposited my bag, and then explored Berlin in the half-light. Night was like day. Berlin life is continually looping the loop; it is like a cat chasing its own tail. Visited the market early. Very interesting. Then came back, shaved, dressed and washed. Saw the Schloss, Dom, statuary, and modern pictures before lunch, which I had “Unter den Linden” about 3. Later went to Café Opera: good music. Met a very decent German – travelled, and dressed in London – with whom I spoke for about two hours. Then went to Kleine Theatre, and saw Oscar Wilde’s “Idealer Gatte” very fairly well played – 150th time. Had supper “Unter den Linden” and then walked in Friedrich Strasse for some time. At about two turned in. Feeling tired.
‘January 4th. – Made a thundering good breakfast, and then armed with a map sallied forth to see the sights. In evening went to Winter Gardens – a huge music-hall with a starred room which made one feel one was à la belle étoile. Met a very decent American here, a full head taller than myself, an opera-singer anxious to learn German, very travelled, and the last ten years in Italy. Afterwards we went to the Westminster Café, excellent music. Then I had supper at Scandinavia, and eventually turned in about 3 a.m. In true British fashion the American and I never exchanged names, though we were together for about three hours.
‘January 5th. – Had my chocolate rather late. Then went to the Friedrich Museum, and saw the Dutch, Spanish, and Italian Masters, staying there till closing time at 3. A really grand collection. At about 4 I then lunched at the Luitpold Restaurant in the Friedrich Strasse.
‘Left by the 7.30 train for Stettin, reaching there at 9.30. Frau — like an owl had lighted no fire. It was cold and cheerless. I had some supper in my diggs, and not feeling very well went to bed soon.
‘A city where one does not know a soul is no better than a desert, and I was glad to get away. It is so dreary to walk unendingly through a crowd of unknown faces.
‘January 6th (Sunday). – After lunch I slept for the first time since I’ve been here, conforming to the general German custom. In the evening went to Sauft’s where they jumped all over me.
‘January 9th. – This morning I received a letter from Edith, enclosing one from the Editor of the Pall Mall Magazine. He has accepted my Sonnet “In the Buchheide” and offers me £l 1s.
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