Dame Jewel, in a white frill under a black silken hood, a buff turnover
kerchief, stout stuff gown and white apron, was delighted to wait on
them; and Eugene's bliss was complete among the young kittens and
puppies in baskets on opposite sides of the window, the chickens
before their coops, the ducklings like yellow balls on the grass,
and the huge family of little spotted piglings which, to the scandal
of his sisters, he declared the most delightful of all.
Their hostess knew nothing of the young baronet being in the
neighbourhood, and was by no means gratified by the intelligence.
"Lack-a-day! Miss Harriet, you don't mean that the family is coming
down here! I don't want none of them. 'Tis bad times for the farmer
when any of that sort is nigh. They make nothing of galloping their
horses a hunting right through the crops, ay, and horsewhipping the
farmer if he do but say a word for the sweat of his brow."
"O Mrs. Jewel!" cried Aurelia, in whose ear lingered the courteous
accents of her partner, "they would never behave themselves so."
"Bless you, Miss Orreely, I'll tell you what I've seen with my own
eyes. My own good man, the master here, with the horsewhip laid about
his shoulders at that very thornbush, by one of the fine gentlefolks,
just because he had mended the gap in the hedge they was used to ride
through, and my Lady sitting by in her laced scarlet habit on her fine
horse, smiling like a painted picture, and saying, 'Thank you, sir,
the rascals need to learn not to interfere with our sport,' all in
that gentle sounding low voice of hers, enough to drive one mad.
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