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 Noël, who recommended her--"

"Cecilia de Noël!" 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?"