TALBOT4413

Melbury ¹
Sunday

My Dear Henry

We are dying to know L’Empereur & le Bouffon ² we give it up; so pray expound. It has been snowing here all day, the welkin is obscured. I hate the Month of January, it is the only one of the year I positively dislike. I think I shall be with you the week after next, & help with my additional numerical force to guard the Abbey, tho’ after such an attentat as that at Wraxall the robbers ³ will be more cautious for some time. The Papers are all full of it. I enclose a letter from Amandier, ⁴ shew it to Constance ⁵ & don’t trouble yourself to return it as I shall see you so soon. The two Mary’s ⁶ [sic] stay here for Twelfth Day & then go to Kilmington. I asked them to come & see us after that, but they are in a hurry back to Glamorgan on account of Emma’s ⁷ confinement Have any of those robbers been traced, or taken? It appears Miss Awdry ⁸ was so many hours in their company she can have no difficulty in Swearing to their identity. £25 was too little a reward to offer.