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ON HIS WAY THROUGH THE WORLD 289
" A MADAME,
"MADAME LB MAJOR MACWHIRTER,
"à Tours,
" Touraine,
" France.
" TlNTELLERIES, BOULOGNE-SUR-MER :
" Wednesday, August 24, 18—.
" DEAREST EMILY,—After suffering more dreadfully in the two
hours' passage from Folkestone to this place than I have in four
passages out and home from India, except in that terrible storm off
the Cape, in September 1824, when I certainly did suffer most
cruelly on board that horrible troopship, we reached this place last
Saturday evening, having a full determination to proceed immediately
on our route. Now, you will perceive that our minds
are changed. We found this place pleasant, and the lodgings besides
most neat, comfortable, and well found in everything, more
reasonable than you proposed to get for us at Tours, which I am
told also is damp, and might bring on the General's jungle fever
again. Owing to the hooping-cough having just been in the house,
which, praised be mercy, all my dear ones have had it, including
dear baby, who is quite well through it, and recommended sea air,
we got this house more reasonable than prices you mention at
Tours. A whole house : little room for two boys ; nursery ; nice
little room for Charlotte, and a dm for the General. I don't know
how ever we should have brought our party safe all the way to
Tours. Thirty-seven articles of luggage, and Miss Flixby, who
announced herself as perfect French governess, acquired at Paris—
perfect, but perfectly useless. She can't understand the French
people when they speak to her, and goes about the house in a most
bewildering way. I am the interpreter; poor Charlotte is much
too timid to speak when I am by. I have rubbed up the old French
which we learned at Chiswick at Miss Pinkerton's; and I find my
Hindostanee of great help : which I use it when we are at a loss for
a word, and it answers extremely well. We pay for lodgings, the
whole house ______ francs per month. Butchers' meat and poultry
plentiful but dear. A grocer in the Grande Rue sells excellent wine
at fifteenpence per bottle ; and groceries pretty much at English
prices. Mr. Blowman at the English chapel of the Tintelleries has
a fine voice, and appears to be a most excellent clergyman. I have
heard him only once, however, on Sunday evening, when I was so
agitated and so unhappy in my mind that I own I took little note
of his sermon.
"The cause of that agitation you know, having imparted it to
11 T