Page 621 - Belgrave Diaries(N)_Neat

none of them would do, returned by launch. Parke came in after tea. Dined at the Bank and played bridge.
Walker was the fourth. Had a very good dinner and a very pleasant evening. They talked a lot about the de
Grenier wedding which provides much gossip and many very comic stories. I have never known of a wedding
which was so talked of and discussed.

Friday [19 December]

Went down the bazaar in the morning again looking for boxes but didnt find any and then to the Bank.
Tennis at the Agency in the afternoon. None of the people have paid out the advances to the divers. I think
there still may be trouble about it.

Saturday [20 December]

Court. Went out for a drive in the afternoon and then called for Walker and went round with him to de
Grenier's house. We did a lot of tidying up and chucked a lot of rubbish out of some of his shelves. The
house is not bad but all arranged with absolutely no taste. From there we went up to the Fort and played
Bridge with Parke.

Sunday 21st [December]

Meeting of the Wakf Meglis in the morning, always a long show, I didnt get away till lunch time. After lunch
we drove out to meet the Shaikh at a place called Seddad, about 12 miles along the coast, rather a nice drive
and one we very rarely take. He has sunk a well and got a very big water supply which I suppose he will
probably waste. He has built a very pleasant little summer house out there and we sat in it for a long time
talking to him, discussed the wedding and the question of the divers and various things. Parke came in in the
evening after we got back. The Shaikh was in very good form and very talkative. Took the agriculturist with
me as the Shaikh wished him to see the place.

Monday [22 December]

Court. Took James out in the car, he likes it very much and when we do not take him we try not to let him
see us going out as he gets so disappointed. Finally bought a box for de Grenier, quite a nice one but not very
big. It is seisan wood studded with brass nails and pieces of brass, they are very decorative. Prior came
round in the evening.

Tuesday December 23rd 1930

Office, no Biladya as Shaikh Abdulla is still away hunting. M went to lunch with the bride of Ali bin Hussein
the Secretary of the Municipal Council. There were a lot of women there, they were all talking about the
doings of a man who lives near us called Khalil Bakr, his wife went to a wedding without asking him which
made him very angry so he took all her clothes and boxes and all her belongings except what she wore and