eeling that I was of consequence sufficient to require a more formal
audience, she took a steady and patient observation of me, and then
resumed her labors. The little window, about six feet from the ground,
threw a fine Rembrandt light upon me as I stood in my showy habiliments,
endeavoring, by an imposing attitude, to exhibit myself to the best
advantage.

"Forty-seven; Guava jelly, Sambo!--where is forty-seven?"

"Me no see him," said Sambo; "missus eat him up, perhaps."

"Monsonze! you filthy creature; look for it, sirrah!" So Baying, Mrs.
Davis applied her double eye-glass to her eyes, and again surveyed me
for some seconds.

"You are the"--she hesitated--"the young person my friend Pike brought
out, I believe?"

"Yes, my lady," said I, bowing profoundly.

"What's your name? The captain has not written it clearly."

"Cregan, my lady,--Con Cregan."

"Con--Con," repeated she twice or thrice; "what does Con mean?"

"It's the short for Cornelius, my lady."

"Ah, the abbreviation for Cornelius! And where have you lived,
Cornelius?"

"My last place, my lady, was Sir Miles O'Ryan's, of Roaring Water."

"What are you doing, you wretch? Take your filthy fingers out of that
pot this instant!" screamed she, suddenly.

"Me taste him, an' he be dam hot!" cried the nigger, dancing from one
foot to the other, as his mouth was on fire from tasting capsicum pods.

I thought of my own mustard experience, and then, turning a glance of
ineffable contempt upon my black friend, said, "Those creatures, my
lady, are _so_ ignorant, they really do not know the nature of the
commonest condiments."

"Very true, Cornelius. I would wish, however, to observe to you
that although my family are all persons of rank, I have no title
myself,--that is to say," added she, with a pleasing smile, "I do not
assume it here; therefore, until we return to England, you need n't
address me as ladyship."

"No, my lady,--I beg your ladyship's pardon for forgetting; but as I
have always lived in high families, I 've got the habit, my lady, of
saying, 'my lady.'"

"I am Madam, plain Madam Davis. There, I knew you 'd do it, you nasty
little beast, you odious black creature!" This sudden apostrophe was
evoked by the nigger endeavoring to balance a jam-pot on his thumb,
while he spun it round with the other hand,--an exploit that ended in a
smash of the jar, and a squash of the jam all over my silk stockings.

"It's of no consequence, my lady;