Cecilia de Noël | Page 2

the howling of a dog."
"No, for it came from inside the house, and Tip sleeps outside now, in the saddle-room, I believe. It sounded in the servants' wing. Did you hear it, Mr. Lyndsay?"
I confessed that I had not.
"Well, as I can offer no explanation," said Atherley, "perhaps I may be allowed to go on with what I was saying. Doubt, obstinate and almost invincible doubt, is the virtue we must now cultivate, just as--"
"Why, there it is again," cried Lady Atherley.
Atherley instantly rang the bell near him, and while Lady Atherley continued to repeat that it was very strange, and that she could not imagine what it could be, he waited silently till his summons was answered by a footman.
"Charles, what is the meaning of that crying or howling which seems to come from your end of the house?"
"I think, Sir George," said Charles, with the coldly impassive manner of a highly-trained servant--"I think, Sir George, it must be Ann, the kitchen-maid, that you hear."
"Indeed! and may I ask what Ann, the kitchen-maid, is supposed to be doing?"
"If you please, Sir George, she is in hysterics."
"Oh! why?" exclaimed Lady Atherley plaintively.
"Because, my lady, Mrs. Mallet has seen the ghost!"
"Because Mrs. Mallet has seen the ghost!" repeated Atherley. "Pray, what is Mrs. Mallet herself doing under the circumstances?"
"She is having some brandy-and-water, Sir George."
"Mrs. Mallet is a sensible woman," said Atherley heartily; "Ann, the kitchen-maid, had better follow her example."
"You may go, Charles," said Lady Atherley; and, as the door closed behind him, exclaimed, "I wish that horrid woman had never entered the house!"
"What horrid woman? Your too sympathetic kitchen-maid?"
"No, that--that Mrs. Mallet."
"Why are you angry with her? Because she has seen the ghost?"
"Yes, for I told her most particularly the very day I engaged her, after Mrs. Webb left us in that sudden way--I told her I never allowed the ghost to be mentioned."
"And why, my dear, did you break your own excellent rule by mentioning it to her?"
"Because she had the impertinence to tell me, almost directly she came into the morning-room, that she knew all about the ghost; but I stopped her at once, and said that if ever she spoke of such a thing especially to the other servants, I should be very much displeased; and now she goes and behaves in this way."
"Where did you pick up this viper?"
"She comes from Quarley Beacon. There was no one in this stupid village who could cook at all, and Cecilia de No?l, who recommended her--"
"Cecilia de No?l!" repeated Atherley, with that long-drawn emphasis which suggests so much. "My dear Jane, I must say that in taking a servant on Cissy's recommendation you did not display your usual sound common sense. I should as soon have thought of asking her to buy me a gun, knowing that she would carefully pick out the one least likely to shoot anything. Cissy is accustomed to look upon a servant as something to be waited on and taken care of. Her own household, as we all know, is composed chiefly of chronic invalids."
"But I explained to Cecilia that I wanted somebody who was strong as well as a good cook; and I am sure there is nothing the matter with Mrs. Mallet. She is as fat as possible, and as red! Besides, she has never been one of Cecilia's servants; she only goes there to help sometimes; and she says she is perfectly respectable."
"Mrs. Mallet says that Cissy is perfectly respectable?"
"No, George; it is not likely that I should allow a person in Mrs. Mallet's position to speak disrespectfully to me about Cecilia. Cecilia said Mrs. Mallet was perfectly respectable."
"I should not think dear old Ciss exactly knew the meaning of the word."
"Cecilia may be peculiar in many ways, but she is too much of a lady to send me any one who was not quite nice. I don't believe there is anything against Mrs. Mallet's character. She cooks very well, you must allow that; you said only two days ago you never had tasted an omelette so nicely made in England."
"Did she cook that omelette? Then I am sure she is perfectly respectable; and pray let her see as many ghosts as she cares to, especially if it leads to nothing worse than her taking a moderate quantity of brandy. Time to smoke, Lindy. I am off."
I dragged myself up after my usual fashion, and was preparing to follow him, when Lady Atherley, directly he was gone, began:
"It is such a pity that clever people can never see things as others do. George always goes on in this way as if the ghost were of no consequence, but I always knew how it would be. Of course it is nice that George should come in for the place, as he