Friday, December 22, 1826 (Partial Entry)
1826
December
‘I was not aware of having given you to understand that, in the event of anything happening to my aunt, I should positively and immediately return to England – She has desired to be interred here; and this might, or might not, according to circumstances, make some little difference – Be this as it might, you would probably see me soon – At present, however, I have not, as before, this to muse upon, for my aunt, though very infirm, appears in no sort of danger – It is extraordinary that my 2 letters should give such opposite accounts – But such is the fact, a fact certainly beyond my calculation when I wrote to you last –
‘I am happy McDonald still pleases’ – This sentence struck me at the time, and strikes me now – ‘were we on terms more formal, I should still be cautious what I replied to this, grateful always for the trouble you took for us; but, as it is, I shall write exactly what I think at present – It was difficult to find such a person as we wanted without some fault or other, or if not a fault, some failing in what we wished for – I begrudge spending much paper on such a subject, especially as, on the whole, we go on pretty well – My aunt sometimes complains of carelessness on the part of McDonald, and that she seems as if she did not always know what she was about –
'There are 2 things I have never named to my aunt, Miss Reed’s last letter (on her return from Bath), and a circumstance that occurred at Shibden – I have more than once spoken severely to McDonald – I abominate what looks like prevarication – and since a talkation last Monday, I have had less confidence in her than ever – Her head is certainly not clear at all times – Whether she has anything on her mind, or anything in her blood to confuse it, I know not – She is always very obliging, and cooks for us very nicely and can do quite well for my aunt – Had she never the appearance of being so oddly confused, she might be invaluable – I shall probably speak to her no more – She is not in my province –
'Enough – It is probable you do not give me much credit for knowing how to manage woman servants – Mrs. Lawton – could no more understand her than myself – Perhaps if you were here, you might excuse us both – But breathe not a word of all this – We shall go on as we do, – well enough – and you shall give me a practical lesson 1 of these days in housekeeping, which, by the way, pothers me not a little just now’ – . . . . . .
Breakfast at 10 20/60, read about 1/2 the paper, and had done all the above of today at 11 1/4 –
‘How do you and Mr. Lawton agree? ‘I thought you did not at all like him’ there was a time when we did not agree; but we both thought better of it, and agreed to agree in future – He does not like York, so never goes there’ –Say we shall change our apartment – On account of a kitchen 2 stories above us – Bells that the servants cannot hear, etc. etc.’ –
Altogether a very long, kind letter
– Sent it off at 11 1/2 to ‘Miss Maclean of Coll, Tobermory, North Britain Ecosse” –
Settled my accounts – Dawdling
over 1 thing or other – Took George and went out at 1 3/4 – Went to the pot
shop, rue St. Honoré No. 357. Ask 5/.
for exactly the same style of dish my woman in rue du Marché St. Honoré would
let me have for 2/90 – Then bought a knife –
Basket panier de couteaux,
rue du Marché St. Honoré No. 42. The woman asked George 3/. for it the other
day – asked me 1/50, and I could get it for no less, but could have had the
same got for 1/25 at another shop nearer the rue des Petit Champs where I
bought the large vegetable basket some time since –
Thence to Bertrand, rue Neuve
des Petit Champs No. 33 – nice little pot of marmalade d’abricots, very good à 1/50,
but did not buy it – Roquefort cheese 2/ a pound, very good – fromage de Parma
(Parmesan) 2/40 a pound –
Thence to Berthellemot,
Palais Royal, for bonbons – Chinois etc. 6/. a pound, all things of this kind
6/. a pound – Said I had paid only 5/. – They declared it could not be – Bonbons
6, 8, 10, 12/. a pound – They said at last ‘Nous arrangerons,’ but I walked off,
determined to try elsewhere – Bonbons 8, 10 and 12/ in the rue de Richelieu – Just
before coming to St. Roch, very nice figs in a little box at 2/. a pound. Might have the box for 3/., allowing 2 ounces
for the weight of the box –
Stopt at No. 334. and bought
the plaqué tea-pot (vide line 7 page 60) for 29/. then got a little porcelaine
sucrier à l’Anglais. Made me pay 1/75 though
she had only asked me 1/50 in the morning, and another blue finger glass at the
cheating pot-shop, No. 357 (rue St. Honoré) and then some oranges and marons, No.
353, and sent George home –
I called at Mellerios about
the plate, and bought some bonbons à 8/. à la Belle Angelique No. 25 Boulevard
des Italians –The boy followed me home with them – Came upstairs at 4 –
Dawdling over 1 thing or other (seeing that my money was right) till 4 20/60,
then through the gardens to the Faubourg St. Germain to order wine chez Meunier
No. 21 rue des Petit Pères – went up the rue des Augustine almost to the end of
the street then turned back and got right –
Ordered 2 dozen Mâcon for the
servants at 1/05, and 1 dozen for ourselves (red Beaune) and 1 bottle white
Beaune à 2/. a bottle and 1 bottle Champaîgne à 4/. and 1 ditto Bordeaux
Lafitte à 4/. To come tomorrow morning –
Got home (through the place du Carrousel) at 5 1/4 – Dawdling over 1 thing or other till dinner exactly at 6 –
Shewed the teapot etc. – She hoped I could afford it – On telling the cost, she was satisfied – She speaking afterwards of the dessert, she said it was all for Mrs. Barlow. I said I would have as much every day for only myself with my own consent, and if π [Mariana] came and I hoped she would manage it, so we might have nine plates of dessert without costing very much.
My aunt only hoped that whatever I did I should manage to have a few franks for her to go out airing in the summer. I said this struck me exceedingly. She should always have as many franks for this purpose as she chose. I would order no more about the table. I had meant to agree for her to have the carriage twice a week. It was she who prevented me.
She saw she had touched a tender cord and began to lament her always saying what she thought, it was all for my sake, and she was crying, but I told her what she had said she would know must strike me if she thought about it a minute. I would rather go without dessert all my life than abridge her of the carriage or anything else. I would rather be hundreds more in debt.
She dried up her tears and we talked of MacDonald, our now frequent subject. Thought I to myself, well, no more thought beyond what is absolutely necessary. I will save my money. Said I would not interfere about the table. I see I had best make up my mind to a little more hugger-mugger than necessary. To enter into society is out of the question. Remember. Save my money and do not fidget my aunt by attention to desserts and appearances of this sort. I had thought of getting better teacups. I shall give it up and will spend as little as I can.
Begged my aunt to order the
carriage whenever she liked – But we were harmonious afterwards –
At Michel’s this morning, as
my eye easily glanced over the order book, I saw an order for the Tasburghs rue
Royal No. 13 –
From 9 1/4 to 10, wrote the
last 38 lines – Wrote a little note this morning to Mrs. Barlow to ask her to
order more charcoal for us – George took the note after leaving me – The charbonier
chanced to call this evening to inquire if we wanted any – Ordered it for
tomorrow – We consume a sack i.e. 12 boisseaus in 3 weeks – Charcoal 9/., charbonier
for bringing, 14 or 15 sols –
Made minutes of what I have
to do tomorrow. No time to settle my
accounts tonight – Go to my room at 10 1/2 –
Very fine day –
O with 2 dots [venereal complaint, “middling”
discharge]. Extraordinary my cousin does not come. Ought to have been with me Wednesday week –
WYAS Finding Number SH:7/ML/E/10/0034
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