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[[left side]] the stairs I said to myself "At least there is one young one, and I hope he'll fall to my lot" and was quite surprised when he said "This way sir" to Mr Darwin— We were preceded into the drawing room by a servant who announced us by name to the host and hostess - a nice comfortable looking couple - he the Vice Chancellor a little roly poly man with a high collar - and wearing bands with a dress coat - a funny combination— Every one looked very proper and there were no frumps thogh [[though]] some of the Coiffures were very queer— The meal mostly middle aged— Fortunately they gave me quite a wordly looking young one named Neil, a [[right side]] Scotchman— Very clever and talkable - and as I had on the other side a very eccentric and jolly Professor of anatomy I was not in the least dull - and had an awfully good time— Of course it was a huge table covered with massive silver and flowers like DaMouriers drawings— They had amongst other fruits one musk melon handed around the seeds not taken out - I took one small slice - not bad at all— When "the cloth" - (which means [[strikethrough]] two [[strikethrough]] long strips of table cloth laid along the edge of the table) was removed They passed around a massive silver basin and cover, and each guest dipped in a corner of his napkin and wiped his hands