7 May.--It is early morning again, but I have had a good rest and enjoyed the last twenty-four hours. I slept till late in the day, and woke up when I felt like it. When I had dressed myself I went into the room where we had supped. There I found a cold breakfast laid out. There was coffee, and the pot was still hot, because it had been put in front of the fire. There was a card on the table, on which was written

'I have to be absent for a while. Do not wait for me. D.'

I settled down to eat and enjoyed a good meal. When I had finished, I looked for a bell, so that I might call the servants, but I could not find one. There are certainly odd deficiencies in the house, which is strange, because there are signs of wealth all around me. The table service is of gold. It is so beautifully made that it must be worth a lot of money. The curtains and upholstery of the chairs and sofas and the coverings of my bed are all made of very expensive and beautiful fabric. They must have been of fabulous value when they were made. Now they are centuries old, but in excellent condition. I saw something like them in Hampton Court, but those were worn and frayed and damaged.

Vocabulary:

Supped: Eaten supper
Absent: Away, not here
Deficiencies: Things which are wrong or not good enough
Service: Here it means the knives, forks, plates, etc
Upholstery: The soft covering on furniture
Hampton Court: A royal palace in England
Frayed: The cloth starts coming apart