Sunday, October 18, 1829

1829

October

Sunday 18

8 35/60

1 20/60

Packing – Breakfast at 10 1/2 – Miss Hobart settled all – Lord Graves, the Blatchfords, and Madame Zamoyska came just before we were off –

The horses came at 12 10/60 – Off at 1 10/60– Stopt in the town at 1 20/60 for Lady Stuart’s sac – Went back off again in 20 minutes –

At 1 40/60 – Neat little town of Assche and stop at the post at 3 8/60 –

Off again at 3 18/60 – Stop at the nice, neat, good town of Alost at 3 25/60.  Sunday, and all the people about – Went into the church – Full – Pictures not therefore to be seen –

Stop at the posthouse at 4 3/4 – Talk about paying – Miss Hobart obliged for 5 horses, so pay her and off at 5 5/60 –

Alighted at the Poste at Ghent at 6 40/60 – Very totally good piano in the room – Miss Hobart played.  Dinner at 8 3/4 – Coffee at 19 1/4 – Came to my room at 11 25/60 –

At twelve, I just went to her room.  She in bed and good-humoured, and wished her good night. I was somehow very low this morning.  She seemed to feel nothing, yet still she went to Lady Stuart’s room and returned, saying she utterly forgot what she went for, and another such forget she made afterwards, and I smiled.  Perhaps she did in reality feel something.

Lady Stuart came the 2 first stages with me, and Miss Hobart the 2 last – I talked sense and no pother, such sort of sensible talk as she always professes to prefer.  Yet at last I said I feared I should be at one end of the house here and she at the other.  She said that did not depend on her. Mr. Proft had not consulted my comfort in putting us so near together.  No, said I, and he certainly did not consult yours. ‘I say nothing about that’ was her answer, in a manner which led me to say thank you, that is the civillest you have ever said to me.  You may be cross now for a day or two. I am too unhappy to complain. 

Speaking as to general agreeableness, it seemed she would always like me to make an agreeable impression upon people.  I talked as if I was too indifferent about those who did not interest, but said she should find me much more agreeable when she saw me next  When people felt most, they had least to say, and were most stupid.

Speaking of getting on well last night with Lord Graves, she was glad of it.  Said I had asked him his favorite hero of antiquity.  Said she, you would puzzle him.  You asked Sir Charles Bagot yesterday why he disliked Petersburgh.  People cannot always answer such leading questions.  Said if people express a decided opinion, they subject themselves to a decided question as to why and wherefore, but, thought I, there is a good hint.  Never ask a too decided or abrupt question.

She little thinks how much I have had to learn when to talk and when not.  I was too new among such society to quite know how to manage for the best.  I was anxious not to appear too familiar.  My manner wants to be more easy and liante without being too much so, but I do not fancy people see through the real reason.  Better think me stupid and reserved and cold than the contrary.  But Lord Graves said this morning he begged to be permitted to see me in Paris, and Lady Isabella said something of seeing me there,  and I told Madame Zamoyska I should see her there, and Lady  Stuart in the carriage begged I would call on her, for she would like to know how I had left her, Lady Stuart.  

I must set about dressing well and having everything nice, and reading all the works of the day and studying at the same time.  Nothing but this to bear me through.  I must see, too, about having a carriage.  I can then be useful to people, and this will do something.

Wrote the whole of  the crypt which took me till 12 20/60 –

Fine, rich, well-cultivated drive from Brussels here – Assche full of little oysters baskets in the shop windows – Lady Stuart bought one – Excellent little thin, crisp, tender shortcakes, something like the pain à la Grecque at .   .   . 

Alost very good town.   Large, handsome church cathedral, and 2 or 3 other churches? Handsome grande place and good hotel de ville with spire –

 

WYAS Finding Numbers SH:7/ML/TR/4/0006 and SH:7/ML/TR/4/0007