17Jun1863, Sleeping on the Floor

OXFORD, Wednesday, June 17th, 1863.—
Very lovely and hot. Darling old Meriel is 23 to-day. Agnes and I spent a most notably sleepless and unquiet night ; the garret where we were put being rather close, the bed bumpy, hard, and too small, and Agnes, as a rule, unable to sleep well with a bedfellow. So we got alternately on to the floor full length, tucked up in a chair, listened to the innumerable clocks, and went into a succession of giggles, which helped us through many a weary hour. Finding the floor made me ache all over, and the chair was little better, I managed about 4 o'clock to lie down across the foot of the bed, and the contrast was so delicious, that an hour of comparative comfort and some sleep followed. And the night ended at last leaving us in an exhausted and stiffened state. We breakfasted very jovially with Stephy, meeting Johnny and Edward. Got prosperously into the theatre, where the reception of their R.H.'s was as uproarious and enthusiastic as yesterday. I didn't stay out the prize recitations, but got escorted home by John. Then came a State banquet at All Souls', to which it was a great honour to be asked, and afterwards we went to the Deanery garden, where the Prince came, and played with immense zest, boyishness, good nature, and some skill, at ball with his equerries and friends, using a croquet ball, and getting his fingers battered many a time, and once his nose ! A select circle of tufts were there Lords Newry, Parker [FN: Space left for other names not filled in.] ; also Ld. Albert Leveson-Gower. Thence we stumped off on foot to see the boat procession, which was a great success, in the lovely weather. High tea, and the Christ Ch. ball. We feasted our eyes on the Princess.
I was asked to dance by Lords Hamilton and Adair, Messrs. Parker, Warren, Wood, innom°. [FN: I.e. innominato, somebody whose name she did not know.] Ag. danced with the Prince.