_Dec. 13._--Our dinner was as usual, the Smelts, Messrs. de Luc and
Turbulent, and Miss Planta; and the last only was gone when Mr. and Mrs.
Hayes arrived. Mrs. Hayes is a really pretty as well as a pretty sort of
woman,[228] and modest, well-bred, and sensible--and the afternoon, with
the assistance of Mr. Smelt, did very well. They went early home, and
both the Smelts were called to the queen's rooms; M. de Luc said he must
retire to write down “some thoughts upon an experiment in his head,”
and only Mr. Turbulent remained.
I found the partner of my confinement a man of uncommon capacity, but
something there was hung about him, or hung about me, that prevented
my assimilating-with him in anything. I saw he was endowed with great
powers of agreeability; but I thought him obtrusive; and that alone is
a drawback to all merit, that I know not how to pass over. He spoke his
opinions with great openness, equally upon people and things; but it
seemed rather from carelessness than confidence, and I 'know him too
little to feel obliged in his trust.
The talk was chiefly upon mere general subjects, till by 'some accident
the approaching birth-day of the queen was mentioned. He then inquired
of me how I should like the state business of that day?
I told him I knew nothing of what I had to expect from it. He undertook
readily to inform me. He said I was to be sumptuously arrayed, to sit
in one of the best rooms at St. James's, and there to receive all the
ladies of the queen in particular, and to do the honours to all the
gentlemen also, belonging to the establishment.
I laughed, and told him he had painted to me a scene of happiness
peculiarly adapted to my taste!
He did not concern himself to examine whether or not I was serious, but
said he supposed, of course, the dignity of such a matter of state could
not be disagreeable to me, and added, he should take the liberty to wish
me joy of the day, among the rest, when it arrived, and to see me in
my glory. After this he said, “You have now nearly seen the whole of
everything that will come before you: in a very short time you will have
passed six months here, and then you will know your life for as many,
and twice and thrice as many years. You will have seen everybody and
everything, and the same round will still be the same, year after year,
without intermission or alteration.”