{London, May 8+, 1887. Several of the London F.T.S., notably Dr. Archibald and Bertram Keightley, had long been urging H.P.B. to move to London. At length she consented and on May 2 moved to Mabel Collins's (Mrs. Keningale Cook) home, "Maycot," in Upper Norwood. There she remained until early September, moving to a larger house taken by the two Keightleys at 17 Lansdowne Road, for her accommodation and to serve as a headquarters for T.S. work}
Sunday, God's Day.
Beloved Sister
Emily Knowles I myself answered, she is a friend. But this is what happened last night about 6 p.m. As Mrs. Cook was with me, Mrs. Cooper Oakley was announced! As I knew you had refused giving her my address I was disagreeably surprised — but ——. Well, she came in smiling — beaming, her very hat raising its blooming arms heavenward in glee and joy. "Take care!" I heard my inner voice say, and I did. Then perceiving Mrs. Cook whom she hates and with whom she had a big fight some months ago she wanted to shake hands with her — though her face became gloomy as night. The lovely atmosphere and aura spread by this brotherly theosophic feeling was a caution! Then she begged Mrs. C. to allow her to talk with me alone a minute or two, and when alone asked me abruptly "Why did you force me to come H.P.B.?" I humbly retorted I never had. "I saw you in a vision three nights running she said and Dugpas too. You said you wanted me"! I suggested that probably it was a Dugpa who had personated me for I never wanted her, nor had I visited her. But she insisted. She said you had no time to answer her, therefore she did not have my address, never knew where she was going when taking her ticket on the railway. Let herself go intuitionally. Arrived at Upper Norwood never knowing where she is going. Got out and went dream-like and stopped before the door of my house and here she was, "brought by a mysterious power." I meekly listened and said I was charmed at such an evolution of psychism in a theosophist but, that I still knew no more than the man in the moon, what it was for. Then she informed me that Master had sent a very favourable and kind message to "Alf" through Subba Row and to her too, telling thusly: — "Say to Isabel Cooper Oakley so and so" — text suppressed for my profane ears — and she feeling very happy after this message. I answered that I was happy to see Subba Row relinquishing his usual reticence. "Oh don't speak ill of Subba Row, I pray you" she exclaimed. "I do love and respect him so." So do I, I said, and I never meant to say anything bad of him, etc. Well she went on producing psychic plants for half an hour — and though upon entering she only shook hands with me, now took me tenderly under the chin and looked lovingly into my eyes. And now I see some new villainy against me at Adyar. Sure to. Keep this letter to compare and make notes at a future day. Oh my prophetic soul! She left and then Bert and Mrs. Cook came downstairs and began talking of her and I said "Take care, she will return." Oh, no she went up the street — they said, those Philistines. And we talked; and presently we heard a rap at the door and it was she, and she had listened at the door — you bet your bottom dollar. She had forgotten something.
Well — the moral of the fable I leave to your personal sagacity. My feelers tell me it will develop in some pretty shaped piece of mud that will be thrown at and stick on the walls of the T.S.
Your "Lord and Master" must have lost his quiescent state of mind and the calm placidity of his intellectual status; he sent an Answer to Subba Row — instead of "Gods, Monads and Atoms" needed. If he mixes up in the same way the plaintiff and the defendant in his divorce suit, somebody's Karma will be the worse for it.
Bowaji, I hear, is with Hubbe Schleiden, Munich, hiding, and dressing the T.S.'s chignon. The Sphinx will improve and our chances along with it.
Yours, in a bog of brotherly love and a swamp of Theosophy,
"O.L." alias H.P.B.
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