August 1, 1831

 1831 August

Monday 1

(Got up at) 8  /  (Went to bed at) 1 1/2

Fahrenheit 72°, and fine morning at 8.  Breakfast at 9 1/2.  Mrs. Duffin gone at 6 1/4 on horseback to spend the day at Newton Kyme with her brother and his family at the Fairfaxes.

Off at 11 10/.. with Mr. Duffin over the bridge. Went direct to Mrs. Belcombe’s.  Sat some time with her and Mariana and Stephens and Rose Bagshaw and little Mariana.  Then left Mr. Duffin there and went home with Steph to look at his German grammars. etc.  Render’s, and Exercises and Grammar by Monsieur Bernays. George had just brought back Christison on Poisons of which I had read the 1st 92 pages out of  pages 697.  Very interesting work, worth my buying.  Left Mr. Duffin’s manuscript book on cholera morbus etc. with Steph till tomorrow.  He thought the subject sensibly treated, and that ‘Mr. Duffin must have been a clever man in his middle life.’

Mariana soon came and Mrs. H. S. B.  Steph went away, and Mariana and I remained some time, then sauntered up Coney Street and bought gloves.

Then called and sat a long while with Mrs. H. S. B at their lodgings (Stephenson’s Coney Street).  All the business of whether little Mariana should stay another year or not at her present school at Leamington talked over.  I favor her staying another year, when she will only be 11.

Off from there (Mrs. Gilbert Crompton had called while we were there). Went into the Minster,  then sauntered up and down near Mrs. Belcombe’s settling what to do.  Mariana will go with me tomorrow. All the votes but Steph’s for Holland.  Fixed upon it in preference to the Giant’s Causeway. Then Mariana and I sat a little tête-à-tête and then with Mrs. Milne talking it over.

I think Mariana looked as if she thought Mrs. Milne and I understood each other pretty well.  So we did, much better than Mariana would have liked had she known.  She left us for a moment and I said something about her keeping me in order and scolding me.  Said she had just been doing so (we had been laughing, and I had somehow taken the opportunity of saying, when we were talking of debts and my owning to one hundred, and her saying I had two hundred of hers that I had left her, but it was not quite done yet – one hundred a year after my aunt’s death and as long as she was Charles’s widow, which she laughed and said was very hard), and Mrs. Milne replied with a significant look, then come to me; I won’t scold. Oh, oh, thought I, but I am not quite so simple, I’m afraid.  [Stayed] behind a moment to wish goodbye, and kissed her with a gentle pressure.  She then drew me to her again, and I kissed her again with a little stronger pressure, and darted off.  I might have her easily enough, but we are fairly matched now, for I have as little real feeling in the business as she can have. I don’t care a farthing for her, and she will have her work set to get hold of me.

Walked home pretty quickly and came in at 5 1/2.  Dinner at 5 3/4. Afterwards, wrote and sent at 7 1/2 2 pages 1/2 sheet note paper to my aunt, Shibden, to say Mariana would be my companion, we should arrive between 7 and 8 to dinner, are going a little tour for a fortnight or 3 weeks, and should be off the next day, Wednesday. 

Then sat a little in my room, looking over map of Ireland and favorite work on ditto that Todd had sent me to look at.  Tea at 8 1/2.  

Mrs. Duffin returned at 9 – all the Fairfaxes and Marshes coming to luncheon tomorrow at 1, about the time I shall be off.  Offered to change the hour for fear of inconvenience to the Duffins by removing my things and the bustle of departure and Mariana’s not being able to get out to stay more than a few minutes – on which Mrs. Duffin got huffy and I too.  ‘Did I not think Mariana would be delighted to see Mrs. Marsh and Ana?’ etc. etc.

Then went to Mrs. Duffin’s room at 10 10/.. and she kept me till 11 1/2, sparring at 1st and threatening a quarrel, so that Miss Greenup wisely went off.  At last, when this would not do, Mrs. Duffin got into tears.  Sure I should never forget Saturday, etc. etc. and I got mollified, saying to myself, well, I am completely talked out, and we parted the best friends in the world.

Fine day, F 70 1/2 ° now at 12 1/2 tonight when had just done the whole of the above of today.

WYAS Finding Number  SH:7/ML/E/14/0094