"
"I can't say I know, cookie," answered Swan.
"And," continued the same shrill voice, "if you can't tell 'em that,
they'd like to know where Matthew is?"
Matthew was the coachman, and Swan's rival.
"Just as if I knew! why, he's so full of fads he won't trust anybody,
and nothing ever suits him. You may tell them, if you like," he
answered, not intending her to take him at his word, "that I expect he's
gone to dig his own grave, for fear when he's dead they shouldn't do it
to his mind."
The cook laughed and slammed the casement.
Presently, coming round to the front garden, wheels were heard grating
on the gravel, and Brandon's voice shouted, "Swan, Swan, I say, is young
Crayshaw here?"
"No, sir," Swan shouted in reply; "not as I know of."
Two voices were heard to parley at a distance, great excitement
prevailed up in Parliament, excepting in the mind of Anastasia, whose
notion of her own part in this ceremony of hiding was that she must keep
her little feet very even and close together beside Johnnie's great
ones; so she took no notice, though hasty footsteps were heard, and a
voice spoke underneath, "Whereabout can young Mortimer be? we must find
him.
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