tell anything to the parson.

"But it was very sudden this time, wasn't it, Richard?" asked the
lady; "immediately after that strange man was shown into his
room--eh?"

"I'm sure, ma'am, I can't say; but I don't think he was a ha'porth
worse than ordinar, till after the gentleman went away. I did hear
that he did his business with the gentleman, just as usual like."

"And then he fell into a fit, didn't he, Richard?"

"Not that I heard of, ma'am. He did a dail of talking about some law
business, I did hear our Mrs. Jones say; and then afther he warn't
just the betther of it."

"Was that all?"

"And I don't think he's none the worse for it neither, ma'am; for the
masther do seem to have more life in him this day than I'se seen this
many a month. Why, he's been out and about with her ladyship in the
pony-carriage all the morning."

"Has he now? Well, I'm delighted to hear that. It is some trouble
about the English estates, I believe, that vexes him?"

"Faix, then, ma'am, I don't just know what it is that ails him,
unless it be just that he has too much money for to know what to do
wid it. That'd be the sore vexation to me, I know."

"Well; ah, yes; I suppose I shall see Mrs. Jones to-morrow, or at
latest the day after," said Mrs. Townsend, resolving to pique the man
by making him understand that she could easily learn all that she
wished to learn from the woman: "a great comfort Mrs. Jones must be
to her ladyship."

"Oh yes, ma'am; 'deed an' she is," said Richard; "'specially in the
matter of puddins and pies, and such like."

He was not going to admit Mrs. Jones's superiority, seeing that he
had lived in the family long before his present mistress's marriage.

"And in a great many other things too, Richard. She's quite a
confidential servant. That's because she's a Protestant, you know."

Now of all men, women, and creatures living, Richard the coachman of
Castle Richmond was the most good tempered. No amount of anger or
scolding, no professional misfortune--such as the falling down of
his horse upon the ice, no hardship--such as three hours' perpetual
rain when he was upon the box--would make him cross. To him it was a
matter of perfect indifference if he were sent off with his car just
before breakfast, or called away to some stable work as the dinner
was about to smoke in the servants' hall. He was a great eater, but
what he didn't eat one day he could eat the next. Such things never
ruffled him, nor