This time it was sound, not pictures. I woke around 5:10 am because I thought I heard a child crying in the front room. It was so distinct. I listened again and again heard it. Then I seemed to become more alert and looked about me, and could hear nothing. I thought maybe it had been the cats, but no, they were asleep, each tucked in tightly on each side of me. Then silence. I did get up and go to the front of the house, thus disturbing the cats. But nothing untoward to be seen.
Julia Dearden as the unperturbed Mrs Morland issuing sound advice (2007 NA)
I suspect it was probably my (foolish) worrying about Yvette off on her 4 day holiday (first vacation trip away from home by herself), lest she not be having a good time or be unsafe in some way. When she went off on the train, in my mind I kept comparing myself to Mrs Morland, sending Catherine off, with the idea of coming up to her prosaic non-worry of "I beg, Catherine, you will always wrap yourself up very warm about the throat, when you come from the rooms at night; and I wish you would try to keep some account of the money you spend; I will give you this little book on purpose." We are told Mrs Morland knew nothing of the "lords and baronets" nor their "general mischievousness" and "machinations."
Nevertheless, our narrator's previous sentencs does allude to "violence," and while Mrs Morland may be innocent, twice when I traveled alone, after some general friendly talk (I thought it merely) with two different men (in two different cities, different trips), they both came to my door, knocking on it. I ignored the knocks -- as one must and 40 years later when I read of how rapes are treated in courtrooms today I know I did the right thing. So I did tell her if anything like that should happen, she should keep her door closed and in the morning no one would be there. When I told the admiral of my advice in this realm, he reminded me that Yvette was not likely to off chatting up men in bars. I was still doing that when in 2002 when she was in hospital for pneumonia and I needed a drink and the Admiral would not come with me but went upstairs to bed. I'm now too old for any men to follow me, still she is not.
Caroline did issue warnings too. Yvette should be sure and keep her ipad out of sight when she is in the street or traveling or anywhere outdoors. She should hold her handbag close to her body. Caroline's anxieties run more in the area of Mrs Morland's first concern: money.
She phoned last night and we talked. I was very glad. She said she'd eaten at a nearby Subway and was back in her room, and her room was fine (8th floor). Her wifi was working. We talked about what to do on Monday (today) and she said it might rain and that seemed to be deterring her from going out to Queens to the US open. I said I hoped not (!). I told her rain will not melt her. But again the Admiral pointed out that if it rains heavily the tennis players don't play. Has no one heard of tent-coverings? of umbrellas? So we talked of museums, parks, the plays, movies, walking.
Then I lost myself in a DVD movie and expended last energies in a blog on blogging (a meta-blog!).
Sylvia