The plan was to spend one day at Lord Harcourt's, at Nuneham, one at
Oxford, and one at Blenheim; dining and sleeping always at Nuneham.
I now a little regretted that I had declined meeting Lady Harcourt, when
invited to see her at Mrs. Vesey's about three years ago. I was not,
just then, very happy--and I was surfeited of new acquaintances; when
the invitation, therefore, came, I sent an excuse. But now when I was
going to her house, I wished I had had any previous knowledge of her, to
lessen the difficulties of my first appearance in my new character, upon
attending the queen on a visit. I said something of this sort to Mrs.
Schwellenberg, in our conversation the day before the journey; and she
answered that it did not signify for, as I went with the queen, I might
be sure I should be civilly treated.
Yes, I said, I generally had been; and congratulated myself that at
least I knew a little of Lord Harcourt, to whom I had been introduced,
some years ago, at Sir Joshua Reynolds', and whom I had since met two or
three times. “O,” she said, “it is the same,--that is nothing,--when
you go with the queen, it is enough; they might be civil to you for that
sake. You might go quite without no, what you call, fuss; you might
take no gown but what you go in:--that is enough,--you might have no
servant,--for what?--You might keep on your riding-dress. There is no
need you might be seen. I shall do everything that I can to assist you
to appear for nobody.”
I leave you to imagine my thanks. But the news about the servant was not
very pleasant, as I thought it most likely I could never more want
one than in a strange house added to a strange situation. However, I
determined upon assuming no competition in command, and therefore I left
the matter to her own direction.
THE JOURNEY To NUNEHAM: UNGRACious RECEPTION.
Their majesties went to Nuneham to breakfast. Miss Planta and myself
were not to follow till after an early dinner. Princess Elizabeth, in
a whisper, after the rest left the room,--advised me to go and lie
down again as soon as they were gone. And, indeed, I was sufficiently
fatigued to be glad to follow the advice.
My dear Mrs. Delany came to sit with me while I packed up. What a
pleasure to me is her constant society, and the reciprocal confidence of
all our conversations! She intrusts me with every thing in the world--I
intrust her with every thing that now happens to me.
Our early dinner was with Mrs. Schwellenberg and Miss Mawer. We set out
at three o'clock, and took with us Mrs. Thielky, the queen's wardrobe
woman, and the comfort of my life in the absence of Mrs. Schwellenberg,
for she is the real acting person, though I am the apparent one: and
she is also a very good sort of woman,--plain, sensible, clear-headed,
mild-mannered, sedate, and steady. I found her in this journey of
infinite service, for she not only did almost every thing for the queen,
but made it her business to supply also the place of maid to me, as
much as ever I would suffer her. How fortunate for me that the person so
immediately under me should be so good a creature! The other person
we took was a Miss Mhaughendorf, a dresser to the Princesses Royal and
Augusta, a very pleasing young woman, gentle and interesting, who is
just come from the king's German dominions to this place, to which she
has been recommended by her father, who is clerk of the kitchen to the
Duke of York. The princesses have a German in this office, to assist
their study of that language, which, in their future destinations, may
prove essential to them.
Miss Planta's post in the Court-calendar is that of English teacher,
but it seems to me, that of personal attendant upon the two eldest
princesses. She is with them always when they sup, work, take their
lessons, or walk.
We arrived at Nunebam at about six o'clock. The house is one of those
straggling, half new, half old, half comfortable, and half forlorn
mansions, that are begun in one generation and finished in another. It
is very pleasantly situated, and commands, from some points of view, all
the towers of Oxford.
In going across the park to the entrance, we saw not a creature. All
were busy, either in attendance upon the royal guests, or in
finding hiding-places from whence to peep at them. We stopped at the
portico,--but not even a porter was there: we were obliged to get out
of the carriage by the help of one of the postilions, and to enter the
house by the help of wet grass, which would not suffer me to stay out of
it, otherwise, I felt so strange in going in uninvited and unconducted,
that I should have begged leave to stroll about till somebody appeared.
Miss Planta, more used to these expeditions, though with quite as little
taste for them, led the way, and said we had best go and seek for our
rooms. I was quite of the same opinion, but much at a loss how we might
find them. We went through various passages, unknowing whither they
might lead us, till at length we encountered a prodigious fine servant.
Miss Planta, asked him for Lady Harcourt's maid; he bowed slightly, and
passed on without making any answer.
Very pleasant this!--I then begged we might turn back, not caring for
another adventure of the same sort. Miss Planta complied; and we met
two more of the yellow-laced saunterers, with whom she had precisely the
same success.
I think I never remember to have felt so much shame from my situation
as at that time. To arrive at a house where no mistress nor master of it
cared about receiving me; to wander about, a guest uninvited, a visitor
unthought of; without even a room to go to, a person to inquire for, or
even a servant to speak to! It was now I felt the real want of either
a man or maid, to send forward, and find out what we were to do with
ourselves; and indeed I resolved, then, I would not another time be so
passive to unauthorized directions.
The fault of this strange reception was certainly in the lady of
the house, whose affair it was to have given orders, previous to our
arrival, that some of her people should shew us to whatever apartment
she destined for us. The queen herself had sent word that we were to
attend her; and however impossible it was that she could receive us
herself, which her own attendance upon their majesties made really
impracticable, it was incumbent upon her to have taken care that we
should not have been utterly neglected.
We strayed thus, backwards and forwards, for a full quarter of an hour,
in these nearly deserted straggling passages; and then, at length, met
a French woman, whom Miss Planta immediately seized upon: it was Lady
Harcourt's woman, and Miss Planta had seen her at Windsor.
“Pray shew us,” cried Miss Planta, “where we are to go.”
She was civil, and led us to a parlour looking very pleasantly upon the
park, and asked if we would have some tea. Miss Planta assented. She
told us the king and queen were in the park, and left us. As there was a
garden-door to this room, I thought it very possible the royal party and
their suite might return to the house that way. This gave great addition
to my discomposure, for I thought that to see them all in this forlorn
plight would be still the worst part of the business,--I therefore
pressed Miss Planta to let us make another attempt to discover our own
rooms.
Miss Planta laughed exceedingly at my disturbance, but complied very
obligingly with my request. In this our second wandering forth we had
no better success than in the first; we either met nobody, or only were
crossed by such superfine men in laced liveries, that we attempted not
to question them. My constant dread was Of meeting any of the royal
party, while I knew not whither to run. Miss Planta, more inured to such
situations, was not at all surprised by our difficulties and disgraces,
and only diverted by my distress from them.
We met at last with Mhaughendorf, and Miss Planta eagerly desired to be
conducted to the princesses' rooms, that she might see if every thing
was prepared for them. When they had looked at the apartments destined
for the princesses, Miss Planta proposed our sitting down to our tea in
the Princess Elizabeth's room. This was extremely disagreeable to me,
as I was sensible it must seem a great freedom from me, should her royal
highness surprise us there; but it was no freedom for Miss Planta,
as she had belonged to all the princesses these nine years, and is
eternally in their sight. I could not, therefore, persuade her of
the difference; and she desired Mhaughendorf to go and order our tea
upstairs.
A HASTY INTRODUCTION To LADY HARCOURT.
Miss Planta, followed by poor me, then whisked backwards and forwards,
from one of the apartments to another, superintending all the
preparations; and, as we were crossing a landing-place, a lady appeared
upon the stairs, and Miss Planta called out “It's Lady Harcourt,” and
ran down to meet her.
They talked together a few minutes. “I must get you, Miss Planta,” said
she, looking up towards me, “to introduce me to Miss Burney.”
She then came up the stairs, said she was glad to see me, and desired I
would order any thing I wanted, either for the queen or for myself. Cold
enough was my silent curtsey.
She talked again to Miss Planta, who, already knowing her, from seeing
her frequently when in waiting, as she is one of the ladies of the
bedchamber, was much more sociable than myself. She afterwards turned
to me, and said, “If there is anything you want, Miss Burney, pray speak
for it.” And she added, “My sisters will attend you presently;--you
will excuse me,--I have not a moment from their majesties.” And then she
curtseyed, and left us.
We returned to the Princess Elizabeth's room, and there the tea
followed, but not the promised sisters. I never saw Miss Planta laugh so
heartily before nor since; but my dismay was possibly comical to behold.