Part 14 (2/2)

Bro, and a little black kitten runs about the staircase Elizabeth has the apart-room; she wanted my mother to have it, but as there was no bed in the inner one, and the stairs are so er than in Paragon as not to regard the double flight, it is settled for us to be above, where we have two very nice-sized roo coht to have; which is quite as large as our bed-room at home, and e as any at Steventon, and I have a very nice chest of drawers and a closet full of shelves--so full indeed that there is nothing else in it, and it should therefore be called a cupboard rather than a closet, I suppose

There was a very long list of arrivals here in the newspaper yesterday, so that we need not immediately dread absolute solitude; and there is a public breakfast in Sydney Gardens every , so that we shall not be wholly starved

Yours very affectionately, JANE

13 Queen Square: Sunday [June 2, 1799]

Flowers are veryElizabeth has a bunch of strawberries, and I have seen grapes, cherries, plums, and apricots There are likewise alrocers', but I have never seen any of thes; cherries and grapes about five, I believe, but this is at some of the dearest shops

My aunt has told o in quest of so for you I have never seen an old wo with the Mapletons, and was obliged to sub pleased in spite of ht up Beacon Hill, and across soe of Charlecoreen valley, as a village with such a naent, and even Jane, considering how fair she is, is not unpleasant We had a Miss North and a Mr Gould of our party; the latter walked ho man, just entered Oxford, wears spectacles, and has heard that _Evelina_ ritten by Dr

Johnson

There is to be a grand gala on Tuesday evening[101] in Sydney Gardens, a concert, with illuminations and fireworks To the latter Elizabeth and I look forith pleasure, and even the concert will have e enough for et pretty well beyond the reach of its sound In the hby is to present the colours to some corps, or Yeomanry, or other, in the Crescent

13 Queen Square: Tuesday [June 11, 1799]

I would not let Martha read _First Ilad that I did not leave it in your power She is very cunning, but I saw through her design; she means to publish it from memory, and one more perusal et home she shall have it, as soon as ever she will own that Mr Elliott is handsomer than Mr Lance, that fair men are preferable to black; for Iout her prejudices

I alad you liked lad together I have got your cloak hohtful at least as half the circumstances which are called so

I do not knohat is the matter withaway into so very particular to say

fanny desires her love to you, her love to grandpapa, her love to Anna, and her love to Hannah; the latter is particularly to be rerandpapa, to Anna, to little Edward, to Aunt James and Uncle James, and he hopes all your turkeys and ducks, and chicken and guinea fowls are very well; and he wishes you very much to send him a printed letter, and so does fanny--and they both rather think they shall answer it

13 Queen Square: Wednesday [June 19, 1799]

Last Sunday we all drank tea in Paragon; ain

Last night ere in Sydney Gardens again, as there was a repetition of the gala which went off so ill on the 4th We did not go till nine, and then were in very good time for the fireworks, which were really beautiful, and surpassing my expectation; the illuminations too were very pretty The weather was as favourable as it was otherwise a fortnight ago The play on Saturday is, _I hope_, to conclude our gaieties here, for nothing but a lengthened stay will o with Mrs Fellowes

The Austens quitted Bath on Wednesday, June 26, reaching Steventon on the following day, and leaving the Leigh Perrots to an unexpected fate--which they had done nothing whatever to deserve[102]

On Thursday, August 8, Mrs Leigh Perrot went into a milliner's shop at the corner of Bath and Stall Streets, kept by a certain Mrs Gregory (but known as Sht a piece of _black_ lace She paid for it, and took it arapped up in a piece of paper After leaving the shop, Mrs Perrot met her husband and strolled about with him As they re-passed the saory rushed out and accused Mrs Perrot of having in her possession a piece of _white_ lace Mrs Perrot replied that if so it must have been put up in her parcel by ory to examine, when a piece of _white_ lace was found therein as well as a piece of _black_ Mrs Gregory at once accused Mrs Perrot of having stolen it, and, refusing to listen to any protest,piece of lace A little later, as the Perrots were turning the corner of the Abbey Churchyard, Charles Filby, the shop assistant who had actually sold the black lace, came up and asked Mr Perrot his nas, and that his naory and Filby went to the town hall to lay infored in dealing with the excesses of the soldiers ere at that tih Bath, that the inforust 14

Meanwhile, the piece of _white_ lace was lodged--at any rate, for the night of August 8--at the house of a certain printer named Gye