at I shouldn't ha' looked for from Sir Cristhifer an' my ledy, to
bring a furrin child into the coonthry; an' depend on't, whether you an'
me lives to see't or noo, it'll coom to soom harm. The first sitiation
iver I held--it was a hold hancient habbey, wi' the biggest orchard o'
apples an' pears you ever see--there was a French valet, an' he stool
silk stoockins, an' shirts, an' rings, an' iverythin' he could ley his
hands on, an' run awey at last wi' th' missis's jewl-box. They're all
alaike, them furriners. It roons i' th' blood.'

'Well,' said Mrs. Sharp, with the air of a person who held liberal views,
but knew where to draw the line, 'I'm not a-going to defend the
furriners, for I've as good reason to know what they are as most folks,
an' nobody'll ever hear me say but what they're next door to heathens,
and the hile they eat wi' their victuals is enough to turn any
Christian's stomach. But for all that--an' for all as the trouble in
respect o' washin' and managin' has fell upo' me through the journey--I
can't say but what I think as my Lady an' Sir Cristifer's done a right
thing by a hinnicent child as doesn't know its right hand from its left,
i' bringing it where it'll learn to speak summat better nor gibberish,
and be brought up i' the true religion. For as for them furrin churches
as Sir Cristifer is so unaccountable mad after, wi' pictures o' men an'
women a-showing themselves just for all the world as God made 'em. I
think, for my part, as it's welly a sin to go into 'em.'

'You're likely to have more foreigners, however,' said Mr. Warren, who
liked to provoke the gardener, 'for Sir Christopher has engaged some
Italian workmen to help in the alterations in the house.'

'Olterations!' exclaimed Mrs. Bellamy, in alarm. 'What olterations!'

'Why,' answered Mr. Warren, 'Sir Christopher, as I understand, is going
to make a new thing of the old Manor-house both inside and out. And he's
got portfolios full of plans and pictures coming. It is to be cased with
stone, in the Gothic style--pretty near like the churches, you know, as
far as I can make out; and the ceilings are to be beyond anything that's
been seen in the country. Sir Christopher's been giving a deal of study
to it.'

'Dear heart alive!' said Mrs. Bellamy, 'we shall be pisoned wi' lime an'
plaster, an' hev the house full o' workmen colloguing wi' the maids, an'
makin' no end o' mischief.'

'That ye may ley your life on, Mrs. Bellamy,' said Mr. Bat