isgrace it that I know."

Why did the old Woman stop and give a little start as if she had been
struck? Let bygones be bygones. She and the boy had a score of little
passages of this kind in which swords were crossed and thrusts rapidly
dealt or parried. She liked Harry none the worse for his courage in
facing her. "Sure a little finer linen than that shirt you wear will not
be a disgrace to you, sir," she said, with rather a forced laugh.

Harry bowed and blushed. It was one of the homely gifts of his Oakhurst
friends. He felt pleased somehow to think he wore it; thought of the
new friends, so good, so pure, so simple, so kindly, with immense
tenderness, and felt, while invested in this garment, as if evil could
not touch him. He said he would go to his lodging, and make a point of
returning arrayed in the best linen he had.

"Come back here, sir," said Madame Bernstein, "and if our company has
not arrived, Maria and I will find some ruffles for you!" And herewith,
under a footman's guidance, the young fellow walked off to his new
lodgings.

Harry found not only handsome and spacious apartments provided for him,
but a groom in attendance waiting to be engaged by his honour, and a
second valet, if he was inclined to hire one to wait upon Mr. Gumbo. Ere
he had been many minutes in his rooms, emissaries from a London tailor
and bootmaker waited him with the cards and compliments of their
employers, Messrs. Regnier and Tull; the best articles in his modest
wardrobe were laid out by Gumbo, and the finest linen with which
his thrifty Virginian mother had provided him. Visions of the
snow-surrounded home in his own country, of the crackling logs and the
trim quiet ladies working by the fire, rose up before him. For the
first time a little thought that the homely clothes were not quite smart
enough, the home-worked linen not so fine as it might be, crossed the
young man's mind. That he should be ashamed of anything belonging to him
or to Castlewood! That was strange. The simple folks there were only too
well satisfied with all things that were done, or said, or produced
at Castlewood; and Madam Esmond, when she sent her son forth on his
travels, thought no young nobleman need be better provided. The clothes
might have fitted better and been of a later fashion, to be sure--but
still the young fellow presented a comely figure enough when he issued
from his apartments, his toilet over; and Gumbo calling a chair, marched
besid