Shortly after this I returned to Melbourne, and in another week the
sad catastrophe became public beyond all further doubt. The
intelligence had reached Melbourne on a Saturday night. I was
staying at that time at the house of my kind friend Mr. Orkney. He
had gone to the opera with Mrs. Orkney and another lady, and came
home about half-past ten. I was surprised at their early return,
and thought something unpleasant must have happened. A servant came
to say that he wished to speak with me privately, and then I
received the terrible communication which had been announced at the
theatre during an interval between the acts. As soon as I had
sufficiently recovered the shock, we proceeded in a car to the
residence of Dr. Wilkie, the treasurer of the Committee. He had
heard a report, but was rather incredulous, as nothing official had
reached the Committee. At this moment, Dr. Macadam, the Honorary
Secretary, came in. He was perfectly bewildered, believed nothing,
and had received no telegram. "But," said I, "when were you at your
own house last?" "At seven o'clock," was the reply. "Good God!" I
exclaimed, "jump into the car." We proceeded to his house, and
there indeed was the telegram, which had been waiting for him some
hours.
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