ut remorse. In
my horrible desire to "compo" everything, the very postman becomes my
enemy because he brings no letter from you; and, in short, I don't see
what's to become of me unless I hear from you to-morrow, which I have
not the least expectation of doing.

Going over the house again, I have materially altered the
plans--abandoned conservatory and front balcony--decided to make Stone's
painting-room the drawing-room (it is nearly six inches higher than the
room below), to carry the entrance passage right through the house to a
back door leading to the garden, and to reduce the once intended
drawing-room--now school-room--to a manageable size, making a door of
communication between the new drawing-room and the study. Curtains and
carpets, on a scale of awful splendour and magnitude, are already in
preparation, and still--still--

NO WORKMEN ON THE PREMISES.

To pursue this theme is madness. Where are you? When are you coming
home? Where is the man who is to do the work? Does he know that an army
of artificers must be turned in at once, and the whole thing finished
out of hand? O rescue me from my present condition. Come up to the
scratch, I entreat and implore you!

I send this to Laetitia to forward,

Being, as you well know why,
Completely floored by N. W., I
_Sleep_.

I hope you may be able to read this. My state of mind does not admit of
coherence.

Ever affectionately.

P.S.--NO WORKMEN ON THE PREMISES!

Ha! ha! ha! (I am laughing demoniacally.)

[Sidenote: Mr. Henry Austin.]

BROADSTAIRS, _Sunday, September 21st, 1851._

MY DEAR HENRY,

It is quite clear we could do nothing else with the drains than what you
have done. Will it be at all a heavy item in the estimate?

If there be the _least_ chance of a necessity for the pillar, let us
have it. Let us dance in peace, whatever we do, and only go into the
kitchen by the staircase.

Have they cut the door between the drawing-room and the study yet? The
foreman will let Shoolbred know when the feat is accomplished.

O! and did you tell him of another brass ventilator in the dining-room,
opening into the dining-room flue?

I don't think I shall come to town until you want to show the progress,
whenever that may be. I shall look forward to another dinner, and I
think we must encourage the Oriental, for