Rowling, Sunday (September 18).

My dear Cassandra,—This morning has been spent in doubt and deliberation, in forming plans and removing difficulties, for it ushered¹ in the day with an event which I had not intended should take place so soon by a week. Frank has received his appointment on board the "Captain John Gore²," commanded by the "Triton," and will therefore be obliged to be in town on Wednesday; and though I have every disposition³ in the world to accompany him on that day, I cannot go on the uncertainty⁴ of the Pearsons being at home, as I should not have a place to go to in case they were from home.

I wrote to Miss P. on Friday, and hoped to receive an answer from her this morning, which would have rendered everything smooth and easy, and would have enabled us to leave this place to-morrow,[23] as Frank, on first receiving his appointment, intended to do. He remains⁵ till Wednesday merely to accommodate me. I have written to her again to-day, and desired her to answer it by return of post. On Tuesday, therefore, I shall positively⁶ know whether they can receive me on Wednesday. If they cannot, Edward has been so good as to promise to take me to Greenwich on the Monday following, which was the day before fixed⁷ on, if that suits them better. If I have no answer at all on Tuesday, I must suppose Mary is not at home, and must wait till I do hear, as after having invited her to go to Steventon with me, it will not quite do to go home and say no more about it.

My father will be so good as to fetch home his prodigal⁸ daughter from town, I hope, unless he wishes me to walk the hospitals, enter at the Temple, or mount guard at St. James'. It will hardly be in Frank's power to take me home,—nay, it certainly will not. I shall write again as soon as I get to Greenwich.

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