'Steventon, Wednesday evening, Nov. 12th.

'MY DEAR MARTHA,

'I did not receive your note yesterday till after Charlotte had left
Deane, or I would have sent my answer by her, instead of being the
means, as I now must be, of lessening the elegance of your new dress
for the Hurstbourne ball by the value of 3_d_. You are very good in
wishing to see me at Ibthorp so soon, and I am equally good in wishing
to come to you. I believe our merit in that respect is much upon a
par, our self-denial mutually strong. Having paid this tribute of
praise to the virtue of both, I shall here have done with panegyric,
and proceed to plain matter of fact. In about a fortnight's time I
hope to be with you. I have two reasons for not being able to come
before. I wish so to arrange my visit as to spend some days with you
after your mother's return. In the 1st place, that I may have the
pleasure of seeing her, and in the 2nd, that I may have a better
chance of bringing you back with me. Your promise in my favour was
not quite absolute, but if your will is not perverse, you and I will
do all in our power to overcome your scruples of conscience. I hope
we shall meet next week to talk all this over, till we have tired
ourselves with the very idea of my visit before my visit begins. Our
invitations for the 19th are arrived, and very curiously are they
worded. {65} Mary mentioned to you yesterday poor Earle's unfortunate
accident, I dare say. He does not seem to be going on very well. The
two or three last posts have brought less and less favourable accounts
of him. John Harwood has gone to Gosport again to-day. We have two
families of friends now who are in a most anxious state; for though by
a note from Catherine this morning there seems now to be a revival of
hope at Manydown, its continuance may be too reasonably doubted. Mr.