th a
scarcely disguised indignation; which increased as she heard the
contemptuous tone in which her aunt went on talking to Ralph Hickson,
even while she was arranging his bed with a regard to his greater
comfort.

'One would think thou wert a godless man, by the moan thou art always
making over spilt milk; and truth is, thou art but childish in thine
old age. When we were wed, thou left all things to the Lord; I would
never have married thee else. Nay, lass,' said she, catching the
expression on Lois's face, 'thou art never going to browbeat me with
thine angry looks. I do my duty as I read it, and there is never a man
in Salem that dare speak a word to Grace Hickson about either her works
or her faith. Godly Mr. Cotton Mather hath said, that even he might
learn of me; and I would advise thee rather to humble thyself, and see
if the Lord may not convert thee from thy ways, since he has sent thee
to dwell, as it were, in Zion, where the precious dew falls daily on
Aaron's beard.'

Lois felt ashamed and sorry to find that her aunt had so truly
interpreted the momentary expression of her features; she blamed
herself a little for the feeling that had caused that expression,
trying to think how much her aunt might have been troubled with
something before the unexpected irruption of the strangers, and again
hoping that the remembrance of this little misunderstanding would soon
pass away. So she endeavoured to reassure herself, and not to give way
to her uncle's tender trembling pressure of her hand, as, at her aunt's
bidding, she wished him good night, and returned into the outer, or
'keeping'-room, where all the family were now assembled, ready for the
meal of flour cakes and venison-steaks which Nattee, the Indian
servant, was bringing in from the kitchen. No one seemed to have been
speaking to Captain Holdernesse while Lois had been away. Manasseh sat
quiet and silent where he did, with the book open upon his knee, his
eyes thoughtfully fixed on vacancy, as if he saw a vision, or dreamed
dreams. Faith stood by the table, lazily directing Nattee in her
preparations; and Prudence lolled against the door-frame, between
kitchen and keeping-room, playing tricks on the old Indian woman as she
passed backwards and forwards, till Nattee appeared to be in a strong
state of expressed irritation, which he tried in vain to repress, as
whenever she showed any sign of it, Prudence only seemed excited to
greater mischief. When all w