| Description | [Diary Transcription]
261
1828
February 10
8 1/2
12 35/60
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Breakfast at 10 1/2 She sewed in two pair of sleeves les Anglais ssont debarques pendant la nuit that is her
cousin is come Madame de Rosny’s cold and sore throat bad — about 11 George brought a letter from Mr. Briggs — a Mr. Wood,
apothecary from Rochdale, wants the house and buildings at Northgate for £50 per annum — Mr. Briggs asked him £60 — and it
seems as if there would be near £100 to lay out though Mr. Wood will pay for ‘the colouring and painting’ — at 1 5/60
went to my aunt — got there at one by her clocks — in 3/4 hour read aloud with my aunt the prayers (leaving out the liturgy and communion) and sermon 3
Alison — then sat talking of Northgate etc. etc. Marian going to Market Weighton in April according to a letter from Cordingley to George —
not much pleased at this — talk more seriously of taking the apartment next to Madame de Rosny’s having MacDonald as cook with
a girl under her, and a maid for Madame de Rosny and myself — my aunt to have Madame de Rosny’s present apartment for herself and MacDonald and George,
and Madame de Rosny and I to to have the other — to dine, of course, in my aunt’s apartment — at 4 40/60 went to Mrs. Barlow very unwell — her
tongue bad as ever, and her breath worse than ever — she went to the French doctor Quin
on Tuesday — he says, he can cure her in 2 months — she is tout à fait desorganisée — she is to take his medicines
for 2 months — gave her 3 powders to be dissolved each in a pint of water — senna predominant — very drastic — voids
quantities of black and yellow bile — looks wretchedly — advised her by all means to hasten off to England — she will go
perhaps in April —In good humour and reasonable enough told her her breath was bad I felt it on my chest ~
got back from Mrs. Barlow’s in 10 minutes at 5 40/60 — Madame de Rosny had been shivering, feverish and unwell while I was away —
dinner at 5 3/4 — sat talking — She went to bed at eight and a half half hour with her put my hand to her she
took up her chemise and I rubbed her moustache told her this morning that it was Mrs Barlow had told me that Mrs
Amiot said the portiene spoke lightly of her said she was always au coins des rues — wrote to Messrs.
Briggs and Parker — right to ask £60 — £50 too little, but if inclined to agree, could give no decided answer at present —
must wait to hear further of an application made lately to myself for the whole of the premises — wrote the substance
of this to Mr. Parker, that I could give no decided answer — begging him to inform Mr. Scatcherd, and let me know if he thought
of attempting to come to terms, or if he had given up all thought of it — wrote the above of today — fine day —
went to my room at 11 20/60 Lady Vavasour sent to inquire after Madame de Rosny about 8 3/4 —
Monday 11
8 1/2
1 20/60
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LL
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Madame de Rosny not all well — at 9 50/60 instead of going to the bois de Boulogne went home to get her some double distilled
vinegar for a gargle, and some Epsom salts — saw my aunt for a few minutes — got back a few minutes before 11 — went to the
boucherie rue du Faubourg St. Honoré, quite near — the piece (entrecotes) I had seen at 12 sols per lb. sold — At twelve gave her two
teaspoonfuls of salts with one and a half ditto brandy because of her cousin which began to work ab
out two four or five times she then took a basin of broth and was better — Breakfast at 12 — afterwards sat
talking — George brought the paper — read it all — little note from my aunt — I had taken her the cambric I bought — 15 3/4 ells
at 102/. = about very nearly 4 shillings 2 1/4d per yard — my aunt compares it with what she got at 7 sols or 7 shillings 6d per yard which is much
finer and better, and therefore what I have bought is dear — between 3 and 4 change my dress feeling my dress a little damp
it rained while I was out this morning, and the least dampness about me gives me cold — took home with me
this morning for the post my 2 letters written last night to Mr. Briggs and Mr. Parker (H-x [Halifax]) — at 4 1/2
wrote the above of today — settled my accounts of last week — Dinner at 5 3/4 — Madame de Rosny though far from well thought she should
be no worse for going to the Vavasours’ — dressed — off at 8 1/2 — rue Castiglione No. [Number] 9 — a 4me. [quatrième] — what Vavasours call a 2nde [seconde] —
pay 700/. per month — a Mr. and Mrs. and Miss Wainewright there who occupy the premier of the same house — in process of time came
a Mr. and Mrs. Goldschimdt and then an invalid lady and her husband? — tea and sponge biscuits and bread and butter handed and lastly hot
red wine negus strong of cloves — stupid little party — talked chiefly to Miss de Capel Brooke — she made a home fetch to get to
walk with me, but it would not answer — then talked to lady Vavasour she had evidently put Mrs. Wainewright and Madame de Rosny together — Mrs. Wainewright
paid court, and begged permission to call on Madame de Rosny which of course could not be refused — got home at 10 55/60 — Madame de Rosny
had evidently increased her cold — Undressed and sat up nursing her got her a bain [de] pied made her gargle etc. Damp rainy
morning and partly afternoon — fair in the evening — the Vavasours know very few people here — have never, said Miss Brooke, occasion to speak French but in the shops —
Sir Henry deaf has some impediment in his speech — can hardly speak English —
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1828
February Tuesday 12
9 50/60
12 1/4
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at 3 1/4 this morning Madame de Rosny called me up — sat by her 1/2 hour — her throat so bad, elle croyait mourir — made
her gargle — cheered her — left her tolerably composed — She wanted to my bed thought herself so ill said I was afraid of her
getting cold or would take her there she had made water in her own bed and wet it ~ Got a little starved — my bed quite
cold — some time before I could get to sleep again, so did not awake till late this morning — [illegible] Sat by her made
her lie in bed made my breakfast she had a small basin of broth and two of my biscuits ~ Breakfast at 12 —
George brought the paper — Mademoiselle Aspasie from Madame Huchez came — brought a blond fichu at 60/. Madame de Rosny said worth
30/. — sat by Madame de Rosny’s bed side — left her likely to sleep, and went out at 4 10/60 — went to Moussu’s, bought Epsom
salts, etc. — then near an hour with Mrs. Barlow sitting in her room — better but far from well or likely to be so — will surely go to
England — More reasonable and in good humour but still as she says madly attached to me only hopes I shall conti
nue good etc. etc. got back at 5 35/60 — Madame de Rosny [illegible] got up to dinner and had a bain [de] pied — Dinner at 5 3/4 — She went to bed at
7 1/2 — sat with her some time — then sat down and finished i.e. wrote the last 9 1/2 lines of yesterday and had just done when at 8 1/2 Dr. Tanchou came unexpectedly —
‘Mrs. Arnold Wainewright and Miss Wainewright’ called on Madame de Rosny this morning — she will send her card in return
and they will find it is not quite so easy as perhaps they imagine to get into good French society — Miss Brooke said she
understood people had only to call upon the French, and it was enough — I thought this was not quite correct — How then, said she, did Madame
de Rosny so easily call upon Lady Vavasour because, said I, I was with her, and happened to know lady Vavasour — this morning came a note to Madame
de Rosny declining to ask the Vavasours to her ball on the 23rd excusing herself on the plea of fearing to have trop de monde!
Perhaps said Madame de Rosny she is à l’Anglaise, and, after seeing the dirty shabby voiture in which lady Vavasour went to court
last Sunday week, does not care to invite her — Madame de Falloux sends a very polite message to me, saying how much
she should gain in gaining my esteem — did she look out of the window the other day when Madame de Rosny called, and did she
like my new English carriage better than lady Vavasour’s old French one? Qu’est ce que cela fait? Madame de Falloux est polie,
et gracieuse, et bien aimable — voilà tout ce qu’il me faut [Does it matter ? Mrs de Falloux is polite, gracious and very kind - that's all I need] — Dr. Tanchou sat near 1/2 hour with Madame de
Rosny — then 1/4 hour with me — said she had a very bad sore throat — I said she would be better in the morning — while the inflammation
lasted better to adoucir, allay it — boil 4 or 5 figs for about 1/4 hour in a little milk, and then gargle with that —
take a bain [de] pied tonight and in the morning — remain in it 1/2 hour — a lavement early in the morning — warm water
with 3 or 4 spoonfuls olive oil — no medicine necessary — said I had given her medicine à l’Anglaise, but owned it had done
her good — but it might have done her harm — better to do by little and little — play a slow game but sure — liked the
ideas of the English physicians sometimes, but sometimes — they played trop gros jeu — quitte or double — Madame de Rosny had asked
him a remedy for the hemorrhoids — he knew of none — she will not gargle with the milk — will take the bain [de] pieds —
it was her intention — And the lavement, but without oil — sat by her 1/2 hour while she took the bain [de] pied — Prepared
it and do all for her wrote the above of today and had just done it at 11 — Fine day — cold — frosty —
Wednesday 13
10 5/60
12 10/60
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A good enough motion and cleaned my teeth and said prayers and then in my dressing gown and shawl sat an hour at her
bedside and then dressed and Breakfast at 12 1/2 at which hour Madame de Rosny came — her jeweller came — will set round my emerald 8 large
good diamonds for 700/. She had her feet in warm water all the time and took a lavement just before I went out
[illegible] sat talking and reading a little of the paper till 3 1/2 — went out at 3 50/60 — Took my emerald ring and the dia
mond one I bought the other day to Mellerio values the stone at 6 napoleons instead of 300/. but cannot tell till it is demontée, and the
damaged ring at 260/. but thought I might have given 280/. for it — Thought I then cheap as is Mrs de Rosnys jeweller I have
probably paid him dear enough to allow her five percent — found 2 of the feather’s of my bird of paradise broken —
sat with my aunt for about 3/4 hour, and got back at 5 40/60 (5 35/60 by the drawing room clock) — dinner at 5 50/60 — about 7 Dr. Tanchou
called 1/4 hour or 20 minutes — Afterwards in joking said I should like to faire un enfant she somehow replied
she had no idea of one woman loving another this sstruck me I became thoughtful and grave she observed it we
nt to bed at eight called me to her we talked it over she put my hand to her said she never meant to make me
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