Part 16 (1/2)

[106] If this story were not specially well authenticated, it would be incredible; but we must remember that this all happened before the reforms of Sir Samuel Romilly, when the laas in a chaotic state, and when offences against property were very severely dealt with Any larceny above the value of a 1_s_ was a felony, punishable--nominally by death, and actually by seven years' transportation; though the transportation may frequently have been coistrates had no power of bailing a person committed for a felony, if the stolen article were found in his possession

CHAPTER X

CHANGE OF HOME

1800-1801

Though we can guess as constantly occupying the thoughts of the Austens in the autu re these anxious ed no letters; but had any been written, wethose destroyed by Cassandra When we ain, in October 1800, we find that they have returned to everyday life with its little incidents, its duties, and its pleasures; that Edward and his eldest son have lately left Steventon for God Cassandra with the at ho [October 25, 1800]

MY DEAR CassANDRA,--You have had a very pleasant journey of course, and have found Elizabeth and all the children very well on your arrival at God this evening, I dare say, to find himself once reat while His son left behind hi at God of his ohich he had intended to carry to George; the former will therefore be deposited in the soil of Haned to another elely busy ever since you went away In the first place we have had to rejoice two or three tihtful weather for the whole of your journey, and in the second place we have been obliged to take advantage of the very delightful weather ourselves by going to see alhbours

On Thursday alked to Deane, yesterday to Oakley Hall and Oakley, and to-day to Deane again

At Oakley Hall we did a great deal--eat some sandwiches all over mustard, admired Mr

Braained a promise from the latter of two roots of heartsease, one all yellow and the other all purple, for you At Oakley we bought ten pair of worsted stockings and a shi+ft; the shi+ft is for Betty Dawkins, as we find she wants it rateful of all whom Edward's charity has reached, or at least she expresses herself ht of thanks'

This -room found 'Heathcote and Chute[107]

for ever'--Mrs William Heathcote and Mrs

Chute--the first of who with Mrs Harwood into Lord Carnarvon's park, and fainted away in the evening, and the second walked down frousta Bramston; they had meant to come on to Steventon afterwards, but we knew a trick worth two of that

James called by my father's desire on Mr

Bayle[108] to inquire into the cause of his being so horrid Mr Bayle did not atteies for it; he did not plead his having a drunken self, he talked only of a drunken fore at Steventon on Monday se'nnight next We have had no letter since you left us, except one from Mr Serle, of Bishopstoke, to inquire the character of James Elton

_Sunday_--Our i the _elm walk_ is sloped down for the reception of thorns and lilacs, and it is settled that the other side of the path is to continue turfed, and to be planted with beech, ash, and larch

Steventon: Saturday [Noveh I have received no letter fro London; the post, and not yourself, must have been unpunctual

We have at last heard from Frank; a letter came from him to you yesterday, and I et a ditto (_that_ means a frank), which I hope to do in a day or two _En attendant_, youthat on the 8th of July the _Peterel_ with the rest of the Egyptian squadron was off the Isle of Cyprus, whither they went from Jaffa for provisions, &c, and whence they were to sail in a day or two for Alexandria, there to wait the result of the English proposals for the evacuation of Egypt The rest of the letter, according to the present fashi+onable style of composition, is chiefly descriptive Of his prouiltless

Did you think of our ball [probably at Basingstoke] on Thursday evening, and did you suppose ht very safely, for there I was On Wednesday o together, and shortly afterwards a very civil note of invitation for me came from Mrs Bramston, rote I believe as soon as she knew of the ball I one with Mrs Lefroy, and therefore, with three , I must have been more at the ball than anyone else I dined and slept at Deane; Charlotte and I did my hair, which I fancy looked very indifferent; nobody abused it, however, and I retired delighted with ood than pleasant, for there were nearly sixty people, and sometimes we had seventeen couple The Portsmouths, Dorchesters, Boltons, Portals, and Clerks were there, and all the meaner and eneral, and a still greater scarcity of any that were good for much I danced nine dances out of ten--five with Stephen Terry, T Chute, and Jaweed, and four with Catherine[109] There was coether, but not often any so amiable as ourselves

You were inquired after very prettily, and I hope the whole asseone into Kent, which the fanorance of Lord Portsmouth surpassed the rest in his attentive recollection of you, inquired th of your absence, and concluded by desiring to be 'remeot a different dress on, and Lady Bolton isThe three Miss Terries were there, but no Annie; which was a great disappointirl had not set her heart on her appearance that evening so much as I had Mr Terry is ill, in a very loay I said civil things for Edward to Mr Chute, who a that, had he known ofat Steventon, he should haveupon him to thank him for his civility about the Hunt