On the evening of the third day after the conversation narrated¹ in the last chapter, Sergeant² Hardy³ sat in an easy-chair on the verandah of the Soldiers’ Institute at Alexandria, in the enjoyment⁴ of a refreshing⁵ breeze, which, after ruffling⁶ the blue waters of the Mediterranean⁷, came like a cool hand on a hot brow, to bless for a short time the land of Egypt.

 

Like one of Aladdin’s palaces the Institute had sprung up—not exactly in a night, but in a marvellously short space of time. There was more of interest about it, too, than about the Aladdin buildings; for whereas the latter were evolved magically out of that mysterious and undefinable region termed Nowhere, the Miss Robinson edifice⁹ came direct from smoky, romantic London, without the advantage of supernatural assistance.

 

When Miss Robinson’s soldier friends were leaving for the seat of war in Egypt, some of them had said to her, “Three thousand miles from home are three thousand good reasons why you should think of us!” The “Soldiers’ Friend” took these words to heart—also to God. She did think of them, and she persuaded other friends to think of them, to such good purpose that she soon found herself in possession of funds sufficient to begin the work.

 

As we have seen, her energetic servant and fellow-worker, Mr Thomas Tufnell, was sent out to Egypt to select a site for the building. The old iron and wood Oratory¹⁰ at Brompton was bought, and sent out at Government expense—a fact which speaks volumes for the Government opinion of the value of Miss Robinson’s work among soldiers.

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