y happen to prevent
it.

* * * * *

[_Wednesday._]--You express so little anxiety
about my being murdered under Ashe Park Copse by
Mrs. Hulbert's servant, that I have a great mind
not to tell you whether I was or not, and shall
only say that I did not return home that night or
the next, as Martha kindly made room for me in her
bed, which was the shut-up one in the new nursery.
Nurse and the child slept upon the floor, and
there we all were in some confusion and great
comfort. The bed did exceedingly well for us, both
to lie awake in and talk till two o'clock, and to
sleep in the rest of the night. I love Martha
better than ever, and I mean to go and see her, if
I can, when she gets home. We all dined at the
Harwoods' on Thursday, and the party broke up the
next morning.

My sweet little George! I am delighted to hear
that he has such an inventive genius as to
face-making. I admired his yellow wafer very much,
and hope he will choose the wafer for your next
letter. I wore my green shoes last night, and
took my _white fan_ with me; I am very glad he
never threw it into the river.

Mrs. Knight[94] giving up the Godmersham estate to
Edward was no such prodigious act of generosity
after all, it seems, for she has reserved herself
an income out of it still; this ought to be known,
that her conduct may not be overrated. I rather
think Edward shows the most magnanimity of the
two, in accepting her resignation with such
incumbrances.

The more I write, the better my eye gets, so I
shall at least keep on till it is quite well,
before I give up my pen to my mother.

* * * * *

I do not think I was very much in request [at the
Kempshot ball]. People were rather apt not to ask
me till they could not help it; one's consequence,
you know, varies so much at times without any
particular reason. There was one gentleman, an
officer of the Cheshire, a very good-looking young
man, who, I was told, wanted very much to be
introduced to me; but a