Summonedto the queen.

A little after the scenes I have described, I was surprised when, late at night, my summons was brought me by Lady Harcourt, who tapped gently at my door, and made me ’a little visit, previously to telling me her errand.  She informed me, also, that the queen had given her command, for Miss Planta ’and me to belong to the suite the next day, in the visit to Oxford; and that a carriage was accordingly ordered for us.

The queen said not a word to me of the day’s adventures and I was glad to have them passed over, especially as Lady Harcourt’s visit, and the civility which accompanied it, appeared a little conscious of remissness.  But when, in speaking of Oxford, her majesty condescended to ask what gown I had brought with me, how did I rejoice to answer, a new chamberry gauze, instead of only that which I have on, according to my Cerbera’s advice.

My next difficulty was for a hair-dresser.  Nuneham is three or four miles from Oxford; and I had neither maid to dress nor man to seek a dresser.  I could only apply to Mrs. Thielky, and she made it her business to prevail with one of the royal footmen to get me a messenger, to order a hair-dresser from Oxford at six o’clock in the morning.  The queen, with most gracious consideration, told me, over night, that she should not want me till eight o’clock.

Thus ended the first night of this excursion.

Aug. 13.-At six o’clock my hair-dresser, to my great satisfaction, arrived.  Full two hours was he at work, yet was I not finished, when Swarthy, the queen’s hair-dresser, came rapping at my door to tell me her majesty’s hair was done, and she was waiting for me.  I hurried as fast as I could, and ran down without any cap.  She smiled at sight of my hasty attire, and said I should not be distressed about a hair-dresser the next day, but employ Swarthy’s assistant, as soon as he had done with the princesses:  “You should have had him,” she added, “to-day, if I had known you wanted him.”

When her majesty was dressed, all but the hat, she sent for the three princesses — and the king came also.  I felt very foolish with my uncovered head; but it was somewhat the less awkward from its being very much a custom, in the royal family, to go without caps ; though none that appear before them use such a freedom.  As soon as the hat was Od,- 383

“Now, Miss Burney,” said the queen, “I won’t keep you; you had better go and dress too.”

While I was dressing, a footman came to my door, with a formal message that Miss Vernons begged I would come to breakfast.  I immediately promised to make haste, glad to find something more resembling civility at length coming round to me.  Presently after entered Miss Planta, in high spirits and great enjoyment.  She told me she had been acquainting the queen with the whole affair, and that the queen quite approved of our staying upstairs.  She had been also with the equerries, and had a fine laugh with them about their " wanting the ladies they declared they had sent no message at all, and that the servant had simply received orders to tell us that Miss Vernons desired our company to supper.