“Miss Burney, better go up another flight (pointing up stairs)- -if you’ll take my advice, you’ll go up another flight, for there’s no room anywhere else.”
I then recollected the voice, for I could not see
the face, of Lord Mulgrave, and I began at first to
suppose I must really do as he said, for there seemed
not room for a sparrow, and I have heard the Sharp
family do actually send their company all over their
house when they give concerts. However, by degrees
we squeezed ourselves into the outer room, and then
Mrs. Lambart made way up to me, to introduce me to
Miss C—, who is extremely handsome, genteel,
and pleasing, though tonish, and who did the honours,
in spite of the crowd, in a manner to satisfy everybody.
After that, she herself introduced
me to her next sister,
Arabella, who is very fat, but not ugly. As
to Sir J., He was seated behind a door in the music-room,
where, being lame, he was obliged to keep still, and
I never once saw his face, though I was upon the point
of falling over him; for, at one time, as I had squeezed
just into the musicroom, and was leaning against the
door, which was open, and which Lord Althorp, the Duchess
of Devonshire’s brother, was also lolling against,
the pressure pushed Sir James’s chair, and the
door beginning to move, I thought we should have fallen
backwards. Lord Althorp moved off instantly,
and I started forwards without making any disturbance,
and then Mr. Travell came to assure me all was safe
behind the door, and so the matter rested quietly,
though not without giving me a ridiculous fright.
Mr. Travell, ma’am, if I have not yet introduced him to you, I must tell you -’is known throughout Bath by the name of Beau Travell; he is a most approved connoisseur in beauty, gives the ton to all the world, sets up young ladies in the beau monde, and is the sovereign arbitrator of fashions, and decider of fashionable people. I had never the honour of being addressed by him before, though I have met him at the dean’s and at Mrs. Lainbart’s. So you may believe I was properly struck.
Though the rooms were so crowded, I saw but two faces I knew— -Lord Huntingdon, whom I have drank tea with at Mrs. Cholmley’s.(124) and Miss Philips ; but the rest were all showy
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tonish people, who are only to be seen by going to the rooms, which we never do.
Some time after, Lord Mulgrave crowded in among us, and cried out to me,
“So you would not take my advice!”
I told him he had really alarmed me, for I had taken him Seriously.
He laughed at the notion of sending me up to the garrets, and then poked himself into the concert-room.
oh, but I forgot to mention Dr. Harrington, with whom I ’had much conversation, and who was dry, comical, and very agreeable. I also saw Mr. Henry, but as Miss L- was not present, nothing ensued.(125)
Miss C- herself brought me a cup of ice, the room being crowded that the man could not get near me. How ridiculous to invite so many more people than could be accommodated! Lord Mulgrave was soon sick of the heat, and finding me distressed what to do with my cup, he very good -naturedly took it from me, but carried not only that, but himself also, away, which I did not equally rejoice at.