ing
suffices--is an invaluable person. He's a model cook, valet,
launderer, general factotum--there's nothing that he can't or won't
do, from making the most perfect curries--I must have Mr. Raven to try
them against the achievements of his man!--to taking care about the
halfpennies, when he goes his round of the tradesmen. Oh, he's a
treasure--I assure you, Miss Raven, you could go the round of this
house, at any moment, without finding a thing out of place or a speck
of dust in any corner. A model!"

"You brought him from India, I suppose?" said I.

"I brought him from India, yes," he answered. "He'd been with me for
some time before I left. So, of course, we're thoroughly used to each
other."

"And does he really like living--here?" asked Miss Raven. "In such
absolutely different surroundings?"

"Oh, well, I think he's a pretty good old hand at making the best of the
moment," laughed Lorrimore. "He's a philosopher. Deep--inscrutable--in
short, he's Chinese. He has his own notions of happiness. At present he's
supremely happy in getting you some tea--you mightn't think it, but that
saffron-faced Eastern can make an English plum-cake that would put the
swellest London pastry-cook to shame! You must try it!"

The Chinaman presently summoned us to tea, which he had laid out in
another room--obviously Lorrimore's dining-room. There was nothing
Oriental in that; rather, it was eminently Victorian, an affair of
heavy furniture, steel engravings, and an array, on the sideboard, of
what, I suppose, was old family plate. Wing ushered us and his master
in with due ceremony and left us; when the door had closed on him,
Lorrimore gave us an arch glance.

"You see how readily and skilfully that chap adapts himself to the
needs of the moment," he said. "Now, you mightn't think it, but this
is the very first time I have ever been honoured with visitors to
afternoon tea. Observe how Wing immediately falls in with English
taste and custom! Without a word from me, out comes the silver
tea-pot, the best china, the finest linen! He produces his choicest
plum-cake; the bread-and-butter is cut with wafer-like thinness; and
the tea--ah, well, no Englishwoman, Miss Raven, can make tea as a
Chinese man-servant can!"

"It's quite plain that you've got a treasure in your house, Dr.
Lorrimore," said Miss Raven. "But then, the Chinese are very clever,
aren't they?"

"Very remarkable people, indeed," assented our host. "Shrewd,
observa