you
after this. _Now_, I really think he will soon be
made, and only wish we could communicate our
foreknowledge of the event to him whom it
principally concerns. My father has written to
Daysh to desire that he will inform us, if he can,
when the commission is sent. Your chief wish is
now ready to be accomplished; and could Lord
Spencer give happiness to Martha at the same time,
what a joyful heart he would make of yours!

I have sent the same extract of the sweets of
Gambier to Charles, who, poor fellow, though he
sinks into nothing but an humble attendant on the
hero of the piece, will, I hope, be contented with
the prospect held out to him. By what the Admiral
says, it appears as if he had been designedly kept
in the _Scorpion_. But I will not torment myself
with conjectures and suppositions; facts shall
satisfy me.

Frank had not heard from any of us for ten weeks
when he wrote me on November 12 in consequence of
Lord St. Vincent being removed to Gibraltar. When
his commission is sent, however, it will not be so
long on its road as our letters, because all the
Government despatches are forwarded by land to his
lordship from Lisbon with great regularity.

* * * * *

I spent my time [at Manydown] very quietly and
very pleasantly with Catherine. Miss Blachford is
agreeable enough. I do not want people to be very
agreeable, as it saves me the trouble of liking
them a great deal.

Our ball was very thin, but by no means
unpleasant. There were thirty-one people, and
only eleven ladies out of the number, and but
five single women in the room. Of the gentlemen
present you may have some idea from the list of my
partners--Mr. Wood, G. Lefroy, Rice, a Mr. Butcher
(belonging to the Temples, a sailor and not of the
11th Light Dragoons), Mr. Temple (not the horrid
one of all), Mr. Wm. Orde (cousin to the
Kingsclere man), Mr. John Harwood, and Mr.
Calland, who appeared as usual with his hat in his
hand, and stood every now and then behind
Catherine and me to be tal