My dear Cassandra,—I am so good as to write to you again thus speedily, to let you know that I have just heard from Frank. He was at Cadiz, alive and well, on October 19, and had then very lately received a letter from you, written as long ago as when the "London" was at St. Helen's. But his raly latest intelligence of us was in one from me of September 1, which I sent soon after we got to Godmersham. He had written a packet full for his dearest friends in England, early in October, to go by the "Excellent;" but the "Excellent" was not sailed, nor likely to sail, when he despatched this to me. It comprehended letters for both of us, for Lord Spencer, Mr. Daysh, and the East India Directors. Lord St. Vincent had left the fleet when he wrote, and was gone to Gibraltar, it was said to superintend the fitting out of a private expedition from thence against some of the enemies' ports; Minorca or Malta were conjectured1 to be the objects.
Frank writes in good spirits, but says that our correspondence cannot be so easily carried on in future as it has been, as the communication between Cadiz and Lisbon is less frequent than formerly2. You and my mother, therefore, must[34] not alarm yourselves at the long intervals3 that may divide his letters. I address this advice to you two as being the most tender-hearted of the family.
My mother made her entrée into the dressing-room through crowds of admiring spectators yesterday afternoon, and we all drank tea together for the first time these five weeks. She has had a tolerable night, and bids fair for a continuance in the same brilliant course of action to-day....
Mr. Lyford was here yesterday; he came while we were at dinner, and partook of our elegant entertainment. I was not ashamed at asking him to sit down to table, for we had some pease-soup, a sparerib, and a pudding. He wants my mother to look yellow and to throw out a rash, but she will do neither.
I was at Deane yesterday morning. Mary was very well, but does not gain bodily strength very fast. When I saw her so stout4 on the third and sixth days, I expected to have seen her as well as ever by the end of a fortnight.
James went to Ibthorp yesterday to see his mother and child. Letty is with Mary[3] at present, of course exceedingly happy, and in raptures5 with the child. Mary does not manage matters in such a way as to make me want to lay in myself. She is not tidy enough in her appearance; she has no[35] dressing-gown to sit up in; her curtains are all too thin, and things are not in that comfort and style about her which are necessary to make such a situation an enviable one. Elizabeth was really a pretty object with her nice clean cap put on so tidily and her dress so uniformly white and orderly. We live entirely6 in the dressing-room now, which I like very much; I always feel so much more elegant in it than in the parlor7.
No news from Kintbury yet. Eliza sports with our impatience8. She was very well last Thursday. Who is Miss Maria Montresor going to marry, and what is to become of Miss Mulcaster?
I find great comfort in my stuff gown, but I hope you do not wear yours too often. I have made myself two or three caps to wear of evenings since I came home, and they save me a world of torment9 as to hairdressing, which at present gives me no trouble beyond washing and brushing, for my long hair is always plaited up out of sight, and my short hair curls well enough to want no papering. I have had it cut lately by Mr. Butler.
There is no reason to suppose that Miss Morgan is dead after all. Mr. Lyford gratified us very much yesterday by his praises of my father's mutton, which they all think the finest that was ever ate. John Bond begins to find himself grow old, which John Bonds ought not to do, and unequal to much hard work; a man is therefore[36] hired to supply his place as to labor10, and John himself is to have the care of the sheep. There are not more people engaged than before, I believe; only men instead of boys. I fancy so at least, but you know my stupidity as to such matters. Lizzie Bond is just apprenticed11 to Miss Small, so we may hope to see her able to spoil gowns in a few years.
My father has applied12 to Mr. May for an ale-house for Robert, at his request, and to Mr. Deane, of Winchester, likewise. This was my mother's idea, who thought he would be proud to oblige a relation of Edward in return for Edward's accepting his money. He sent a very civil answer indeed, but has no house vacant at present. May expects to have an empty one soon at Farnham, so perhaps Nanny may have the honor of drawing ale for the Bishop13. I shall write to Frank to-morrow.
Charles Powlett gave a dance on Thursday, to the great disturbance14 of all his neighbors, of course, who, you know, take a most lively interest in the state of his finances, and live in hopes of his being soon ruined.
We are very much disposed to like our new maid; she knows nothing of a dairy, to be sure, which, in our family, is rather against her, but she is to be taught it all. In short, we have felt the inconvenience of being without a maid so long, that we are determined15 to like her, and she will[37] find it a hard matter to displease16 us. As yet, she seems to cook very well, is uncommonly17 stout, and says she can work well at her needle.
Sunday.—My father is glad to hear so good an account of Edward's pigs, and desires he may be told, as encouragement to his taste for them, that Lord Bolton is particularly curious in his pigs, has had pigstyes of a most elegant construction built for them, and visits them every morning as soon as he rises.
Affectionately yours,
J. A.
Miss Austen,
Godmersham Park, Faversham.
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1
conjectured
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| 推测，猜测，猜想( conjecture的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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2
formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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3
intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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5
raptures
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| 极度欢喜( rapture的名词复数 ) | |
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6
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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7
parlor
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| n.店铺，营业室；会客室，客厅 | |
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8
impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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9
torment
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| n.折磨；令人痛苦的东西(人)；vt.折磨；纠缠 | |
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10
labor
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| n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦 | |
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11
apprenticed
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| 学徒，徒弟( apprentice的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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12
applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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13
bishop
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| n.主教，（国际象棋）象 | |
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14
disturbance
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| n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调 | |
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15
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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16
displease
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| vt.使不高兴，惹怒；n.不悦，不满，生气 | |
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17
uncommonly
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| adv. 稀罕(极，非常) | |
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