remarking, not without a certain bitterness, that our silver 'was probably

unrivalled'. I recall also watching Mr George Bernard Shaw, the renowned

playwright, at dinner one evening, examining closely the dessert spoon before

him, holding it up to the light and comparing its surface to that of a nearby

platter, quite oblivious to the company around him. But perhaps the instance I

recall with most satisfaction today concerns the night that a certain

distinguished personage - a cabinet minister, shortly afterwards to become

foreign secretary - paid a very 'off the record' visit to the house~ In fact,

now that the subsequent fruits of those visits have become well documented,

there seems little reason not to reveal that I am talking of Lord Halifax.

 

As things turned out, that particular visit was simply the first of a whole

series of such 'unofficial' meetings between Lord Halifax and the German

Ambassador of that time, Herr Ribbentrop. But on that first night, Lord Halifax

had arrived in a mood of great wariness; virtually his first words on being

shown in were: "Really, Darlington, I don't know what you've put me up to here.

I know I shall be sorry."

 

Herr Ribbentrop not being expected for a further hour or so, his lordship had

suggested to his guest a tour of Darlington Hall - a strategy which had helped

many a nervous visitor to relax. However, as I went about my business, all I

could hear for some time was Lord Halifax, in various parts of the building,

continuing to express his doubts about the evening ahead, and Lord Darlington

trying in vain to reassure him. But then at one point I overheard Lord Halifax

exclaiming: "My goodness, Darlington, the silver in this house is a delight." I