of Bennets and
Darcys.

Sloane Street: [Thursday, May 20, 1813].[246]

MY DEAR CASSANDRA,--Before I say anything else, I
claim a paper full of halfpence on the
drawing-room mantelpiece; I put them there myself,
and forgot to bring them with me. I cannot say
that I have yet been in any distress for money,
but I chuse to have my due, as well as the Devil.
How lucky we were in our weather yesterday! This
wet morning makes one more sensible of it. We had
no rain of any consequence. The head of the
curricle was put half up three or four times, but
our share of the showers was very trifling, though
they seemed to be heavy all round us, when we were
on the Hog's-back, and I fancied it might then be
raining so hard at Chawton as to make you feel for
us much more than we deserved. Three hours and a
quarter took us to Guildford, where we staid
barely two hours, and had only just time enough
for all we had to do there; that is, eating a
long, comfortable breakfast, watching the
carriages, paying Mr. Herington, and taking a
little stroll afterwards. From some views which
that stroll gave us, I think most highly of the
situation of Guildford. We wanted all our brothers
and sisters to be standing with us in the
bowling-green, and looking towards Horsham. . . . I
was very lucky in my gloves--got them at the first
shop I went to, though I went into it rather
because it was near than because it looked at all
like a glove shop, and gave only four shillings
for them; upon hearing which everybody at Chawton
will be hoping and predicting that they cannot be
good for anything, and their worth certainly
remains to be proved; but I think they look very
well. We left Guildford at twenty minutes before
twelve (I hope somebody cares for these minutiae),
and were at Esher in about two hours more. I was
very much pleased with the country in general.
Between Guildford and Ripley I thought it
particularly pretty, also about Painshill and
everywhere else; and from a Mr. Spicer's grounds
at Esher, which we walked into be