[Venice—Thursday, 8 October 1891]
Mr & Mrs W. W. Story lunched with us at Po Barbaro. Story asked why I did not write & print about Browning & I read to them some of this book—on wh. he urged me to print it—as representg R.B.’s ideas & talk as we knew them. Mrs Paran Stevens showed Story a telegram from Mrs B. Moore “I am engaged to marry Robt Browning”! Told B. who said “She is stark mad.” Story sd RB could not say No to a woman—& was victimized & bored by several. Mrs. BM, Lady A & Mrs. Orr, whose book he thinks gives no real portrait of Browning[.]
