An event which would no doubt have made a point of interest in this letter happened the day after it was sent, but is recorded in the log for July 9:
“Received two oxen and fifty-two gallons of wine, being the Peterel’s portion of a present from the Governor of the Island.”
The same letter from Jane to her sister contains news of Charles, who had been at home comparatively lately, and was on the Endymion, which was “waiting only for orders, but may wait for them perhaps a month.” Three weeks later he was at home again.
“Naughty Charles did not come on Tuesday, but good Charles came yesterday morning. About two o’clock he walked in on a Gosport hack. His feeling equal to such a fatigue is a good sign, and his feeling no fatigue a still better. He walked down to Deane to dinner, he danced the whole evening, and to-day is no more tired than a gentleman ought to be. Your desiring to hear from me on Sunday will, perhaps, bring you a more particular account of the ball than you may care for, because one is prone to think more of such things the morning after they happen, than when time has entirely driven them out of one’s recollection.
“It was a pleasant evening; Charles found it remarkably so, but I cannot tell why, unless the absence of Miss Terry, towards whom his conscience reproaches him with being now perfectly indifferent, was a relief to him.
“Summers has made my gown very well indeed, and I get more and more pleased with it. Charles does not like it, but my father and Mary do. My mother is very much resigned to it, and as for James he gives it the preference over everything of the kind he ever saw, in proof of which I am desired to say that if you like to sell yours Mary will buy it.
“Farewell! Charles sends you his best love, and Edward his worst. If you think the distinction improper, you may take the worst yourself. He will write to you when he gets back to his ship, and in the meantime desires that you will consider me as your affectionate sister J. A.
“P.S. Charles is in very good looks indeed....
“I rejoice to say that we have just had another letter from our dear Frank. It is to you, very short, written from Larnaca in Cyprus, and so lately as October 2nd. He came from Alexandria, and was to return there in three or four days, knew nothing of his promotion, and does not write above twenty lines, from a doubt of the letter’s ever reaching you, and an idea of all letters being opened at Vienna. He wrote a few days before to you from Alexandria by the Mercury, sent with despatches to Lord Keith. Another letter must be owing to us besides this, one if not two; because none of these are for me.”
The scenes of home life which these extracts give us form a strong contrast to the readings in the log of the Peterel between the dates of Frank’s two letters.