Letters from India Volume I/To the Hon and Rev Robert Eden 3
My dearest Robert,—This is to be really a short letter, not those double sheets I generally write; for those dear good ships, ‘Larkins’ and ‘Robarts,’ which arrived five days ago, together, brought us such a profusion of letters that I want in a transport of gratitude to write to everybody at once. I had two from you, and your account of your interview with Madame Sophie made us . all laugh; even the poor, dear aides-de-camp thought it their duty to laugh too. But I think it was rather clever of you to write such a good account of my gowns—very much as if I were to try and compound for my tithes, or enforce the new Poor Law. On Saturday the box arrived, and very imposing it looked when we had it opened. Lovely articles! Not but what I think the fashions in real truth hideous, and remarkably unbecoming to me; but still the gowns themselves are beautiful.
George is going to answer Willy’s letter. We have got a good leopard-skin for him, and hope to find a tiger-skin in the course of the week. Those we have seen had been damaged; so if we do not succeed, he must wait till Fanny and bring back one of their own shooting. There is a Captain going home next week who will take them, and I will send by the same opportunity some pocket-handkerchiefs, which presents to you. They are made somewhere up the country, and are very good articles.
Fanny and set off yesterday morning in great glee, for there was on Sunday evening a powerful thunder-storm—I never saw such inky blackness—and then a good pouring rain, the first that has fallen for five months; and that brings back the cool weather for another month, besides laying the dust for their journey, which is no small consideration. It cleared up in the morning, and they went off at seven in the carriage to Barrackpore, had an early dinner there, and at four started in their palanquins. They would overtake their tents at eight this morning, and that is the only fatigue they will have. After that they never go above ten miles a day. I sent three of my servants to Barrackpore with them, as their own are gone on, and my jemadar came back this morning and said they set off at four, and ‘the Choota lady Sahib’ (or ‘la petite miladi,’ as St. Cloud translates it) ‘send her love, and say she have all she want, and she look remarkable comfortable in her palkee;’ and he ended with clasping his hands, and ‘Now, please, may I have leave to go home and see my children; me up at Barrackpore all one whole day,’ which the servants look upon as the extreme of human misery. Nobody knows why; for now we go there regularly, they have each settled a few of their wives there, so as to have a home at both places; so nothing can be more moral or comfortable. George and I are going to take advantage of the roads being watered to get away from the course, and we send on the riding horses and drive to them, and then ride into the lanes by by-roads. I have got a new horse, the last that came from the Cape; my first horse turned out too frisky in the cool weather. Webb says that during the number of years he has managed the Government House stables he has never seen a horse that could not be worked enough in this country, but Selim would take two men to ride him into good behaviour; so, as I have found him more than enough for one woman, I have changed, and this new horse is very quiet. George has one of his scientific parties to-night. Will you come and sit with me in the mean- time?