'
This chiefly concerned me, because home cosseting had made me old
woman enough to be uneasy about unaired beds; and I knew that my
mother meant to consign Clarence to the mullion chamber. So,
without betraying Jane, I spoke to her, and was answered, 'Oh, sir,
I'll take care of that; I'll light a fire and air the mattresses
well. I wish that was all, poor young gentleman!'
To the reply that the rats were slaughtered and the wind stopped
out, Jane returned a look of compassion; but the subject was
dropped, as it was supposed to be the right thing to hush up,
instead of fostering, any popular superstition; but it surprised me
that, as all our servants were fresh importations, they should so
soon have become imbued with these undefined alarms.
My father was much amused at being successor to this family feud,
and said that when he had time he would look up the documents.
Mrs. Sophia was a sight when Mr. Fordyce and his son and daughter-
in-law were announced; she was so comically stiff between her
deference to her hosts and her allegiance to her poor dear uncle;
but her coldness melted before the charms of old Mr. Fordyce, who
was one of the most delightful people in the world. She even was
his partner at whist, and won the game, and that she DID like.
Parson Frank, as we naughty young ones called him, was all good-
nature and geniality--a thorough clergyman after the ideas of the
time, and a thorough farmer too; and in each capacity, as well as in
politics, he suited my father or Mr.
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