I like my servants to be in good
spirits; but it certainly did strike me that they were getting beyond
reasonable limits. I questioned my maid, and was informed that the noise
was all due to the jokes of the strangest old man that ever was seen.
In other words, to the person whom my steward had taken it on himself
to engage in the page's absence. I spoke to Moody on the subject. He
answered in an odd, confused way, that he had exercised his discretion
to the best of his judgment and that (if I wished it), he would tell the
old man to keep his good spirits under better control. I asked him
how he came to hear of the man. He only answered, 'By accident, my
Lady'--and not one more word could I get out of him, good or bad. Moody
engages the servants, as you know; but on every other occasion he has
invariably consulted me before an engagement was settled. I really don't
feel at all sure about this person who has been so strangely introduced
into the house--he may be a drunkard or a thief. I wish you would speak
to Moody yourself, Mr. Troy. Do you mind ringing the bell?"
Mr. Troy rose, as a matter of course, and rang the bell.
He was by this time, it is needless to say, convinced that Moody had
not only gone back to consult Old Sharon on his own responsibility, but
worse still, had taken the unwarrantable liberty of introducing him, as
a spy, into the house. To communicate this explanation to Lady Lydiard
would, in her present humor, be simply to produce the dismissal of the
steward from her service.
Pages:
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121