"My heart was in my mouth when I sid the journey was over, and this
the great house afoore me, and I sa near my aunt that I never sid till
noo, and Dame Crowl, that I was come to wait upon, and was afeard on
already.

"My aunt kissed me in the hall, and brought me to her room. She was
tall and thin, wi' a pale face and black eyes, and long thin hands wi'
black mittins on. She was past fifty, and her word was short; but her
word was law. I hev no complaints to make of her; but she was a hard
woman, and I think she would hev bin kinder to me if I had bin her
sister's child in place of her brother's. But all that's o' no
consequence noo.

"The squire--his name was Mr. Chevenix Crowl, he was Dame Crowl's
grandson--came down there, by way of seeing that the old lady was well
treated, about twice or thrice in the year. I sid him but twice all
the time I was at Applewale House.

"I can't say but she was well taken care of, notwithstanding; but that
was because my aunt and Meg Wyvern, that was her maid, had a
conscience, and did their duty by her.

"Mrs. Wyvern--Meg Wyvern my aunt called her to herself, and Mrs.
Wyvern to me--was a fat, jolly lass of fifty, a good height and a good
breadth, always good-humoured and walked slow. She had fine wages, but
she was a bit stingy, and kept all her fine clothes under lock and
key, and wore, mostly, a twilled chocolate cotton, wi' red, and
yellow, and green sprigs and balls on it, and it lasted wonderful.