The Papers

The documents that have come into the party’s hands, bound in as they are found.

Carried from Vienna — the papers that pointed east.

Letter from Calcutta Found unsealed on Herzfeld’s desk during the University assault, and read once the party was clear. Six weeks at sea before it reached Vienna. Signed by an Acharya of the Mandir Mahakali, Baranagar Ghat. Arrived in The Theatre
The Intercepted Letter Brotherhood correspondence, partially decoded in Lord Harcourt’s pencil — laid on the table at the Palais Modena briefing, 7 August 1814. Five of eight. An arrow from Vienna to Calcutta, marked Priority.

Calcutta — the papers in hand.

Harcourt’s Letter of Introduction Written in Vienna and carried east in the party’s baggage; pressed into Freddy’s hands by Meg at the Cavendish Compound. Arrived in Landfall
The Escort’s Letter Town Major’s Office, Fort William — presented by Havildar Pratap Singh on the landing steps at Chandpal Ghat, within minutes of the party coming ashore. Arrived in Landfall
The Magistrate’s Card Brought to the Cavendish Compound by the Magistrate’s chuprassy on Saturday evening, in a scarlet sash, who waited at the gate for an answer. Arrived in Landfall
The Bill of Fare Laid at the head and foot of the Magistrate’s table at Garden Reach as dinner was announced, Sunday the 9th of October — the same careful hand as the card that invited them. Arrived in The Magistrate's Table
The Government House Card By command of the Earl of Moira — brought to the Cavendish Compound by a Government House hurkaru with the Monday morning round, the 10th of October. The ball, Tuesday evening at nine. Arrived in The Third Course
The Hunt Arrangements From the Magistrate’s office, the 10th of October — on the same Monday tray as the Salisbury letter, by the same chuprassy and in the same clerk’s hand as the dinner card. Saturday the 15th, assembly at Garden Reach at five. Arrived in The Third Course
The Salisbury Letter Mr Duffield of Salisbury to Miss Wentworth, the 14th of May 1814 — five months at sea, waiting at the agency house against the sisters’ arrival, and sent up with the morning post. Arrived in The Third Course
Mr Pargeter’s Letter to Sir Nathaniel Written at Clive Street after the sisters called on their agent, and sent up with the Tuesday morning post for them to carry home to their father. A memorandum of the account is folded in with it. Arrived in By Command of His Excellency
Mrs Courtney’s Note Mrs Courtney to Mrs Cavendish, in her own hand and her own post, on the same Tuesday tray — two lines of it read aloud at the breakfast table. Arrived in By Command of His Excellency
The Charitable Disbursements A page of the Strand godown partnership’s annual abstract for the year ending 30 April 1814, drawn from the revenue department’s files at the Writers Building on the Monday afternoon. Arrived in By Command of His Excellency
The Magistrate’s Chit Sealed, to the Vicomte de Montferrand, on the breakfast tray of Tuesday the 11th — the Chandernagore commission, and a second letter folded inside it. Arrived in By Command of His Excellency
The Magistrate’s Letter of Introduction Enclosed unsealed in the chit, and left open to be read before it is carried. Addressed to the Magistrate’s friend at Baranagar. Arrived in By Command of His Excellency
Found Drowned The Calcutta Gazette of Wednesday the 12th of October, at the Cavendish breakfast table — a small paragraph among the small paragraphs. Arrived in The Governor's Ball
Mr Cartwright’s Proposal Two sheets under a plain red wafer, addressed to Mr Cavendish and carried to the compound on Wednesday morning by a hired peon who would not wait for an answer. Arrived in The Governor's Ball
Mr Mullick’s Card Brought on Wednesday morning by a hurkaru in Mr Mullick’s livery, with a basket of mangoes out of season — one card for the Misses Wentworth, one for the Cavendishes. Arrived in The Governor's Ball
The Fort William Mess Card Brought by a regimental orderly to the Wednesday breakfast tray — the President and Officers of the Mess, for Friday the 21st. Arrived in The Governor's Ball
Lady Anne's Card Lady Anne Pelham's own card, given privately to Mrs Ward as the ladies gathered their things on Thursday the 13th, with two lines added on the back in her quick hand. Arrived in A Morning of Manners and Monstrosities
Sophia’s Note in the Glove A dark silk glove, dropped in the crush going in to supper at Government House on Tuesday the 11th, and carried home in Mr Cavendish's coat pocket. The paper was folded small inside the wrist. Arrived in A Morning of Manners and Monstrosities

From the Calcutta Gazette Office — the back files, read on the morning of the 10th of October.

The Correspondence That Stops Three letters across three consecutive issues of 1811, and nothing after them in 1812 or 1813. Arrived in The Third Course
The Inquest Notices The Gazette’s weekly returns of the 17th of September and the 8th of October, mounted together. Arrived in The Third Course
The Missing Lascars Two notices of 1814, six weeks apart, on one mount. Arrived in The Third Course
The Pamphlet That Never Appeared A subscription advertisement from April 1813, repeated in May. No publication notice followed it. Arrived in The Third Course
The Zorab Sale Catalogue The current paper — the advertisement that ran on the 5th and 8th of October. The sale is Wednesday the 12th, six in the evening, at the Zorab godown on the Strand. Arrived in The Third Course
Absent from the Botanic Garden A notice that ran on the 20th and 27th of August and the 3rd and 10th of September, and then stopped.
The Burial Ground A notice from early October’s paper, in the same stack.
The Nocturnal Assemblies A letter to the editor from September’s paper; the writer stood on the river bank on the 3rd.

Prop pages for the Canticle of the End campaign. Print with “Background graphics” ticked; each sheet is one printed page. Paper textures: Wikimedia Commons, public domain.