Saturday, July 25, 1829

1829 July

Saturday 25

(Got up at) 6  /  (Went to bed at) 2 1/2

Wrote the last 21 lines of yesterday.  Got my traveling bag ready for Rambouillet.  Dawdling over one thing or other. Breakfast at 8 3/4.  At 9, very dark and heavy rain and thunder and lightning.

At the Jardin des Plantes per fiacre in 32 minutes from my own door at 10 25/60.  28th lecture on the mollusques from 10 38/60 to 11 52/60, then lecture at 12.   

Returned the manuscript book my neighbor lent me on Thursday having copied from it the 9th and 10th families of  M. Cordier’s classification of rocks, which having missed the lecture when they were treated of, I had not got.  Observed that the gentleman seemed to have studied geology.  Yes! He had a collection.  I said it was difficult to make much progress without one.   Yes! But one could get a very nice one for 200 or 300 francs at Heidelberg, which would be expedié here par roulage – no difficulty at all about it.  

Said I had some thought of going to Heidelberg this autumn, but should be sorry to miss M. Cordier’s lectures.  The gentleman thought eight or ten months might finish the course, but if I was going to Heidelberg, begged me to apply in his name to M. le conseiller Leonhard, one of the best geologists of the day, de la part du commandant Deleros.  But he should be very happy to give me a letter.  Thanked him.  For 700 or 800 francs, might have a very sufficiently complete collection.  The classification would be that of Werner, but could easily be changed to that of M. Cordier.

Could not stay till the lecture was over, but came away at 1 3/4, and home per fiacre in 33 minutes.  Had my hair done, had a basin of peas soup, and off to the embassy at 3 5/60.

Miss Hobart ready.  Off from the embassy at 3 1/4.  Fine afternoon and all on very smoothly till we got to within about a mile of Saint Cloud, when at 4 5/60, by sheer carelessness, the man drove too near a large wagon and broke all the spokes but 2 two of our offhind wheel.  Of course, we could not proceed.  Luckily, were close to a new looking building where were advertised ecurie et remise.  Got the carriage into an open coachhouse there.  Sent the man for a remise.  Left George to change the luggage, and Miss Hobart and I (at her instigation, for I should have sat in my own carriage till the other came, never liking on these occasions to lose sight of people and things) walked slowly forwards.

At Sèvres we bought a quartron (26) plums for 2 sols and a pound of white currants for 2 sols, and ate them as we walked along.  At last, when no remise appeared after 2 1/2 hours, I began to be anxious.  We had literally walked to Versailles, when in just 3 hours from sending the man off for the remise, we got into it at 7 1/4.  Would have staid all night at Versailles, but Miss Hobart must be back tomorrow night.  Our job horses already almost tired.  Drove à la poste, took a pair of posters, and at Loignières (2 postes) in about 1 3/4 hour.  Another pair of posters thence to Rambouillet, 1 3/4 ? drove à la poste.  No Inn there, returned and drove to the hotel Saint Martin.  The rooms so dirty and bad, drove off to the Lion d’Or.  A tolerably good room there, though dirty, clean compared with the other, with 2 two beds shut up in a cabinet.  Here we arrived at 11 p.m. It had lightened incessantly and rained incessantly for the last hour and the storm still continued.  Miss Hobart had said she was not at all afraid of thunder and lightning, and we had just sat down to eat our biscuits, having just got a bottle of Chablis and hot water when such a tremendous crash came over our head that Miss Hobart burst into tears from fright, and was very nervous afterwards.  She said she thought the house was coming down. 

She just slipt her clothes off and got into bed at twelve. I stood by, then kneeled at her bedside above an hour almost lovemaking, speaking of the interest I felt for her etc. etc.  Hoped whatever she did she would be happy etc. etc.  She cried a good deal, yet when I apologized and hoped I had said nothing to annoy her she said no, she liked it. I feared my staying so long and keeping her awake was quite unpardonable. Oh no, she liked it.  Held her hand in  mine most of the time and kissed her several times, she certainly shewing no dislike.  As we came along from Versailles, I had said how great would be the disappointment if I could not go with them to the Rhine if I could not leave my aunt.  Then at last, after having told her that all I wanted was someone with me, said if anything should happen to Lady Stuart, and if anything to Sibella, and if she, Miss Hobart, should not marry, perhaps she would go with me to Switzerland.  Then joked about the three ifs, and she called them les trios ifs.  That, said I, would mean three yew trees, and would make a pretty seal. Yes, said she, and we can seal with it when we write to each other. I to get one and she to get [one]also. But wait, said I, till I have got mine, thinking in my mind to give it to her.  Said I had a presentiment she would marry within twelve or eighteen months of her getting back to England.  Talked a little of Lord Douglas. She said others wished her match as well as I, but he was fifty-six, too old.  She might be so soon left.  Ah, said I, he may live twenty years and then you can go with me to Switzerland.  And thus we joked.  Very good friends. Left her about one and a half or a few minutes later and soon heard her asleep.

Heavy rain at 9 a.m. (vide line 2 of today and vide line 9 of this page).  Felt a little sore throat on getting up this morning.

  

WYAS Finding Number SH:7/ML/E/12/0062