1831 Monday 3 October
8 1/2 3 3/4
Reading life of Rabelais - breakfast at 9 55/.. - afterwards changed my dress and went out at 11 1/4 with the girls and Miss Hyriott - walked along the cliff to Tuton Burry pretty enough (burry what the Scotch call den) in 35 mins. [minutes] - then went down upon the sands, and sauntered along picking fossil shells from out of the clayey cliff - near Barton (the preventive service station) large nodules of indurated clay which when broken shew a cristallization in the middle and sometimes remains of water - got rather uncertain about the tide - hurried on - not at first seeing the track up the cliffs to Barton, went a little too far, then returned, found the track, and hardly stopt till we had got to the top - Mrs. Dent has a good collection of fossil shells near there - had not time to ask to see it - it suddenly came in foggy, and soon turned to small rain which the highish wind drove against us -
Home in 3/4 hour at 2 1/4 - rather wet - changed my dress - at 3 1/4 went with Lady S- de R- [Stuart de Rothesay] in the chariot to Xst.chch. [Christchurch] to the post and to Mrs. Ridout's multifarious shop - in returning Lady S- [Stuart de Rothesay] left her card for old Lady Londonderry (ætatis 70 and very deaf) at Belvidere, a nice little place very near here -
Home at 4 1/2 - sat reading a little of Miss Berry's book and talking to Lady S- de R- [Stuart de Rothesay] dressed - dinner at 6 1/2 - coffee - tea - afterwards the girls danced Miss Hyriott or danced with or played for them - Lady S- [Stuart de Rothesay] too played for them and they did not leave us till 10 1/2 - then asked her to sing which she did from book and memory till twelve I standing over the whole time no occasion to say much I merely looked all attention said if one learnt life from songs how pretty it would she smiled and answered yes then by and by said how pretty Mores songs were how much of constancy yes but some were contradictory and all for inconstancy 'but I dont think inconstancy makes half so pretty a song' she smiled and said nothing and I made no further attempt
On going into the other room she took her work and I sat by we talked of Vere and all the offers she might have had but somehow did not have and about her being from illness overly little touchy I complained as usual of her closeness but tho she some times seemed cross was by no means bad tempered on the contrary and kind and affectionate hearted but would not shew it she had seemed rather cross the morning I came away this Lady S de R [Stuart de Rothesay] attributed to the idea that V [Ver]e had of Lady S de Rs [Stuart de Rothesays] attempting to change the Hastings plan
Owned I thought there was a time when Miss Macl [Maclean] might have made or married the match with Henry Yorke yes said Lady S de R [Stuart de Rothesay] and she married it said last night V [Ver]e had no expectation from Sir Hector which perhaps Lady S de R [Stuart de Rothesay] was not prepared I said there was young Coll and all Scotch people left to the state but did not explain more - a little was said of Lady Gordon as the person to help to first make Vere sensible of her independence and mention of Lady Gs [Gordons] liking of fine people but never a word of her as a companion for me and when I hinted at it the other night it was put off with oh no she could not go farther than Paris I dont fancy it is at all in Lady S de Rs [Stuart de Rothesays] plan for Lady G [Gordon] and me to get together nor does she at all dream of Lady Gs [Gordons] seeming to play for it
Thus we talked on never the least opportunity for me to make any speech to Lady S de R [Stuart de Rothesay] or I should have done it I tried the thing by saying I should count upon her coming to see us at Hastings and bringing the girls she said perhaps she might for two or three days (she had before said she might in February) and then as if suddenly recollecting herself rang the bell and lighted her candle and we both hurried off to bed a distant good night on the landing as usual -
I cannot quite make her out she cannot dislike me her manner is confidential and yet the excessive distance she keeps at is so striking to myself that I fancy she could not so manage it at unawares to herself she would not for worlds let me enter her bedroom if she was in it she is very particular before me speaking at breakfast this morning of Madame Galvanis prowess and strength and knocking a man down Charlotte said but I myself had knocked a man down (it seems she alluded to the man I swung round when he tried to trip me up by catching hold of my ankle) I said no I did not consider myself very strong but was very active and could run away oh said she that would not be your plan and she thought I was strong 'you once gave me your hand at Hieres and I would much rather have your arm than Madame Galvanis' I took no apparent notice of this but oh oh thought I then you noticed my manner of giving my hand and do not think me a coward I wonder if after all she rather likes me or not or has she not heart enough or does she merely want me for some purpose or other? she certainly does not seem as if she would help on anything with Lady Gordon and when I laughed and joked about taking east Highcliff if she would it me quite furnished Charlotte said something to which Lady S de R [Stuart de Rothesay] said Miss Lister means living furniture but I dont know whether it must be a gentleman or lady said I the other would be far more trouble somehow I fancy her manner would not be the same to all ladies it is to me time will shew?
Came upstairs at 1 40/.. - had just done the above of today at 3 1/4 - rain came on between 1 and 2 - and afterwards rainy afternoon and rainy windy stormy evening and night - Fahrenheit 65°. now at 3 1/4 tonight -
Reference: SH:7/ML/E/14/0126
