Tuesday, October 20, 1829 Travel Journal

1829

October

Tuesday 20

9 5/60

11

Somehow could not get her out of my head, but swore in my mind at her.  La premiere bonne chose is to hate her etc., and thought myself very composed and vow schemes of indifference, when she tapped at my door to say she was ready and somehow the sight of her set me wrong. The tears came to my eyes.  I tried cold water.  They look terribly red.  This almost seems as if I really cared for her.  What folly.

Wrote this of this morning while Cameron did my hair – Ready at 10 20/60 – Breakfast at 10 40/60 – Spoke to lady Stuart in her room, and went out at 11 5/60 – Not more than 10 minutes at breakfast – Ate very little –

Out an hour with Miss Hobart – Saw the Cathedral, a plain, whitewashed church – Nave and aisles and little transepts, all same height – Saxon Gothic arched groined plafond – Old – before the time of the pointed Gothic – Then went into another church in a different style – Modern arcades surmounted by Ionic cornice –

Walked along the river a little, and then along the streets – 2 round towers near one of the bridges – At the good bookseller’s shop next door to our Inn by myself for 10 minutes, and home at 12 1/4 – Good town enough – Picturesque, irregular grande place – The Inn more auberge-like than any we have been at –

Off at 12 50/60 – Flat country – Well cultivated – Good husbandry – At 1 20/60, very English-like brick 1 story-house village – Very fine sunny day – at 1 3/4 pass 3 bridges (good, new looking brick fortifications) into the goodish walled town of Menin and stopt at the post at 1 50/60 –

Off again at 2 5/60 – Fine drive from Menin to Ypres – Much through wood, avenue all the way of good beeches or poplars, sometimes horse chestnuts –

At Ypres at 3 55/60 – Ordered dinner.  Lady Stuart meaning to go afterwards to Rousbrugge, 2 3/4 postes, which I thought to myself would fall through –

Went out with Miss Hobart at 4 1/4 – (dinner to be ready in an hour) Saw the cathedral – Large, handsome Gothic, large square tower in the middle – but rez de chaussée in wine cellars and beer shops –

Out 1/4 hour alone – Inquired at 2 shops – No print of the cathedral or hotel de ville to be had –

Came in at 5 20/60 – dinner immediately – Rousbrugge only a village – A mere cabaret there – Determined to sleep here.

Miss Hobart and I to have a double-bedded room, much to her annoyance.  I have been gravish and very low at heart all the day, several times almost in tears in the carriage.  Lady Stuart with me all today.

Miss Hobart was dressed before me and out, and on coming in, seeing me so grave, asked if I was angry at her going out.  Oh no, certainly not, but I never attempted to kiss her.  She said four o’clock had seen me out of bed.  Perhaps, said I.

In walking, I agreeableized pretty well.  She asked for my arm.  I looked surprised, but gave it and said nothing.  In walking out here, I talked pretty well, but we walked apart –

After dinner I asked to nap a little and put my head in my hand.  She came and kissed me very gently.  Of course I never stirred, but somehow it affected me and my eyes filled and I was obliged to get the tears away as I could.  Lady Stuart has asked if I was well.  Said a little headache, the blood in my head.  I wonder if she suspects me out of spirits.  I wonder what Miss  Hobart thinks.  Do I really care for her? Oh, that I hated her! –

Some very curious old gable-ended houses here – Full of windows with finely carved old wood mullions – A large, good town – Well fortified – One Inn, Hotel de la Chatelleine, the best but not good accommodations – Not as if the town was the great English thoroughfare – Lady Stuart and her maid are rez de chausée below the level of the street, close to the post cochère – Miss Hobart and I and Cameron have an apartment at the other end of the court or stable yard, quite a journey to it –

Coffee at 7 – Afterwards wrote all but the first 23 lines of today – All sat in Lady Stuart’s room – Came to my room at 10 20/60.  Very fine day – sunny – the finest day we have had for very long –

Hurried into bed to be there when she came.  What, said she, are you in bed, you who sit up so late?  I merely answered yes.  She came up and kissed me, saying, have you always your night cap over your eyes?  Yes.  I said to her when she was in bed, you will never know I am here.  ‘What does that signify, when we are both in bed?’ and not another word passed –

Lady Stuart, seeing Miss Hobart did not like the arrangement, had said I should sleep in her room.  I laughed and said that would do very nicely.  Miss Hobart coloured and said no, she would have nobody with aunt but Wyatt –

 

WYAS Finding Numbers SH:7/ML/TR/4/0010 and SH:7/ML/TR/4/0011