the_comfortable_courtesan

I am very, very sorry to see dear Sandy go, and also greatly envy him his Twelfth Night party with the S-s, for they are a couple I long to have more acquaintance of, tho' have no notion how this could be managed, especially if Mrs S- is now in the place of chaperone to her young sister.

I receive good reports of an oculist that practises in one of the near-by towns, and arrange for Phoebe to take Prue to consult him. In due course a pair of spectacles is supplied and Prue goes around at her work singing hymns and very diligent. She still goes to Bible-reading (tho' this may be to show off that she has her own very fine Bible) but less often to prayer-meetings.

Tibby very kindly offers to her to dress her hair in a way that will look better with those goggles, and indeed achieves a very pleasing effect. She is a good girl.

I am in much ado in church on Sunday when Mr G- takes it upon himself to preach upon the evils of fornication (there have lately been some instances of unwed motherhood in the parish), and have to bite my lip and force my nails into the palms of my hands with clenching 'em not to walk out. For I should very much like to say to Mr G- that if women are so weak, why does he not cast any blame upon the men, that are suppos'd wiser and stronger-willed, that beguiled them into sin? Indeed I am not even persuaded that poor girls are always seduc'd, rather than ravisht. But I am sure I would have better fortune trying to convince a pig of this matter than Mr G-.

I am quite in fear of fine weather, for this means that he will come visit me to give spiritual counsel, sit too close, pat my hand, and enquire whether I have lately heard from my husband. I reply that 'tis the nature of my husband's occupation that I may not receive letters for many months, and invent some examples. He also goes about rather clumsy to find out more concerning my husband's trusted friends and whether I may incline to one or other of 'em. It is extreme tedious.

In the matter of letters, I receive another epistle from dear Mrs T- in the antipodes, who writes that they remain at Port Jackson, as dear Mr T- is convinced that his duty lies towards the convicts in their desperate state: furthermore, she finds herself in a condition perhaps not most favourable to the exploration of the untrodden wilds. She adds that there are good doctors and surgeons that work for the government of the place though she would greatly desire the counsel of some wise midwife and is asking around in hopes that perchance one may have been transported. Mr C- that was with the expedition is an excellent surgeon but did not undertake obstetrick training.

She goes on to say that they have quite a menagerie in their garden, including two wombatts from which they have hopes of further increase, and several examples of that fascinating creature the kangaru, but are still yearning for a sight of the platypus. She continues to make many observations of natural phenomena and Mr T- is helping her write them up so that they may be communicated to scientifick journals.

It has somehow got about that they are both very fine card-players and they are invited to card-parties by officers in the government service, as well as giving their own. This is extreme useful to Mr T-'s work, by helping them to obtain interest in official quarters. She adds that they are most careful not to seem to be winning over-much, but that this would be very easy to do did they have a notion to it. Even, she adds, tho' she is ever dresst as befits a clergyman's wife and therefore cannot distract gentlemen's attention from their cards with a glimpse of bubbie. There are one or two officers that look familiar - not that they were in our set, but from gaming-hells she us'd to frequent with Sir B- W- - but they do not seem to recognize her, which may be perhaps because in those days their eyes never departed from her bosom long enough to mark her face.

This sounds entirely like my dearest oldest friend, and yet I wonder, now that she is a clergyman's wife, dare I write to her of how matters befall with my dearest F-s? Does Mr T- peruse her correspondence? Sure it was a very long time since that we were girls together and perhaps she forgets our girlish amusements? This is a quandary. For I do dearly long to have a confidante.

Comes in Hector to my meditations, carrying a basket. O, say I, what have you there?

Since you may not climb into the pigeon-loft, madame, and I considered that you might have some curiosity about them I have brought you in one of the pigeons to look at. He lifts the lid of the basket and a bird looks out at me. Really I had not supposed that they would be such pretty creatures, judging from my knowledge of coarse ugly Town pigeons. O, I say, might I hold it a little?

It is soft and it coos in my hands. Thank you, Hector, that was indeed thoughtful.

They are very fine birds, he says with some enthusiasm, and there are those that breed them for racing, though that is not considered a gentlemanly sport. I hand the pigeon back to him and he looks on it fondly before returning it to the basket. But I hope, he adds, that we shall not require their services.