so you were good enough to put him into the living--that is to say,
not exactly into the living; but to make him curate, as it were; and
you allocated the income to me; and--"

"Allocated the income!" said Lord Stapledean, putting up his hands in
token of unlimited surprise.

"Yes, my lord. Your lordship saw just how it was; and, as I could not
exactly hold the living myself--"

"Hold the living yourself! Why, are you not a woman, ma'am?"

"Yes, my lord, of course; that was the reason. So you put Arthur into
the living, and you allocated the income to me. That is all settled.
But now the question is about the house."

"The woman's mad," said Lord Stapledean, looking again to the carpet,
but speaking quite out loud. "Stark mad. I think you'd better go
home, ma'am; a great deal better."

"My lord, if you'd only give yourself the trouble to understand me--"

"I don't understand a word you say. I have nothing to do with the
income, or the house, or with you, or with your son."

"Oh, yes, my lord, indeed you have."

"I tell you I haven't, ma'am; and what's more, I won't."

"He's going to marry, my lord," continued Mrs. Wilkinson, beginning
to whimper; "and we are to be turned out of the house, unless you
will interfere to prevent it. And he wants me to go and live at
Littlebath. And I'm sure your lordship meant me to have the house
when you allocated the income."

"And you've come all the way to Bowes, have you, because your son
wants to enjoy his own income?"

"No, my lord; he doesn't interfere about that. He knows he can't
touch that, because your lordship allocated it to me--and, to do him
justice, I don't think he would if he could. And he's not a bad boy,
my lord; only mistaken about this."

"Oh, he wants his own house, does he?"

"But it isn't his own house, you know. It has been my house ever
since his father died. And if your lordship will remember--"

"I tell you what, Mrs. Wilkinson; it seems to me that your son should
not let you come out so far by yourself--"

"My lord!"

"And if you'll take my advice, you'll go home as fast as you can, and
live wherever he bids you."

"But, my lord--"

"At any rate, I must beg you not to trouble me any more about the
matter. When I was a young man your husband read with me for a few
months; and I really think that two presentations to the living have
been a sufficient payment for that. I know nothing about your son,
and I don't want to know anything. I