The last college we visited was Cardinal Wolsey's--an immense fabric.
While roving about a very spacious apartment, Mr. Fairly[212] came
behind me, and whispered that I might easily slip out into a small
parlour, to rest a little while; almost everybody having taken some
opportunity to contrive themselves a little sitting but myself. I
assured him, very truly, I was too little tired to make it worth while;
but poor Miss Planta was so woefully fatigued that I could not, upon
her account, refuse to be of the party. He conducted us into a very neat
little parlour, belonging to the master of the college, and Miss Planta
flung herself on a chair, half dead with weariness.
Mr. Fairly was glad of the opportunity to sit for a moment also; for 'my
part, I was quite alert. Alas! my dear Susan, 'tis my mind that is so
weak, and so open to disorder;--my body, I really find, when it is an
independent person, very strong, and capable of much exertion without
suffering from it.
Mr. Fairly now produced, from a paper repository concealed in his coat
pocket, some apricots and bread, and insisted upon my eating--but I was
not inclined to the repast, and saw he was half famished himself--so was
poor Miss Planta: however, he was so persuaded I must both be as hungry
and as tired as himself, that I was forced to eat an apricot to appease
him.
Presently, while we were in the midst of this regale, the door suddenly
opened, and the queen came in!--followed by as many attendants as the
room would contain. Up we all started, myself alone not discountenanced;
for I really think it quite respect-sufficient never to sit down in the
royal presence, without aiming at having it supposed I have stood bolt
upright ever since I have been admitted to it. Quick into our pockets
was crammed our bread, and close into our hands was squeezed our
fruit; by which I discovered that our appetites were to be supposed
annihilated, at the same time that our strength was to be invincible.
Very soon after this we were joined by the king, and in a few minutes we
all paraded forth to the carriages, and drove back to Nuneham.
I have been very minute in this Oxford account, because it presented
scenes so new to me, and because I concluded that, after you have had a
month or two of general journal, you will have nothing more to be new to
either of us.
This Oxford expedition was, altogether, highly entertaining to me; but
I ought not to close it without telling you the sweetness of all the
princesses, who each made a point of speaking to, Miss Planta and to me
upon entering or quitting every college, as we stood in the ranks, while
they passed.