Metcalfe which he is to make to-morrow, and I acted Sir Charles, and stood steady to have the red ribbon put on me.
After breakfast we all made ourselves as smart as we could, and and Mr. Colvin, as military and private secretaries, went, with all our carriages, to pilot Sir Charles and his suite. We did not ask anybody to the morning ceremony, but asked what they call the ‘Government House List’ to a ball in the evening, and advertised that any ladies or gentlemen who wished to be present in the morning would be admitted. The immense ball-room was completely filled by ten o’clock in the morning. We all met in my sitting-room and as soon as Sir Charles was in sight, stalked solemnly off in a grand procession of aides-de-camp, silver-sticks, peacocks’ feathers, &c., with Captains Grey and Chads tacked on. George took his place on a sort of a throne, and we on each side of him with a circle of other ladies, and Sir Charles was walked up the room, looking ready to hang himself, and then George got up and began. He said, ‘Sir Charles Metcalfe,’ in rather a
