p shelf on her own tiptoes with the greatest
ease, he having just seen her do it. Mercifully, the perfect training
of an English man-servant saved the situation, and he merely said:
"Yessir; certainly sir," and looked upon, me, standing silently by, as
a person who evidently delighted in giving unnecessary trouble. Had it
been dear old Margery with her Scotch tongue, which starts slowly, but
gathers momentum as it rolls, and can never be arrested until the full
flood of her thought has been poured forth, I should have been
constrained to pick her up bodily in my dainty arms and carry her out.

So I sent for Simpson and Margery to the dining-room that evening, when
the master was safely out of ear-shot, and told them that, for reasons
which I could not fully explain, a very incorrect description of my
appearance had been given him. He thought me small and slim; fair and
very pretty; and it was most important, in order to avoid long
explanations and mental confusion for him, that he should not at
present be undeceived. Simpson's expression of polite attention did not
vary, and his only comment was: "Certainly, miss. Quite so." But across
old Margery's countenance, while I was speaking, passed many shades of
opinion, which, fortunately, by the time I had finished, crystallized
into an approving smile of acquiescence. She even added her own
commentary: "And a very good thing, too, I am thinking. For Master
Garth, poor laddie, was always so set upon having beauty about him.
'Master Garthie,' I would say to him, when he had friends coming, and
all his ideas in talking over the dinner concerned the cleaning up of
the old silver, and putting out of Valentine glass and Worstered china;
'Master Garthie,' I would say, feeling the occasion called for the apt
quoting of Scripture, 'it appears to me your attention is given
entirely to the outside of the cup and platter, and you care nothing
for all the good things that lie within.' So it is just as well to keep
him deceived, Miss Gray." And then, as Simpson coughed tactfully behind
his hand, and nudged her very obviously with his elbow, she added, as a
sympathetic after-thought: "For, though a homey face may indeed be
redeemed by its kindly expression, you cannot very well explain
expression to the blind." So you see, Deryck, this shrewd old body, who
has known Garth from boyhood, would have entirely agreed with the
decision of three years ago.

Well, to continue my report. The voic