The next morning, Miss Galindo made her appearance, and, by some mistake,
unusual to my lady's well-trained servants, was shown into the room where
I was trying to walk; for a certain amount of exercise was prescribed for
me, painful although the exertion had become.

She brought a little basket along with her and while the footman was gone
to inquire my lady's wishes (for I don't think that Lady Ludlow expected
Miss Galindo so soon to assume her clerkship; nor, indeed, had Mr. Horner
any work of any kind ready for his new assistant to do), she launched out
into conversation with me.

"It was a sudden summons, my dear! However, as I have often said to
myself, ever since an occasion long ago, if Lady Ludlow ever honours me
by asking for my right hand, I'll cut it off, and wrap the stump up so
tidily she shall never find out it bleeds. But, if I had had a little
more time, I could have mended my pens better. You see, I have had to
sit up pretty late to get these sleeves made"--and she took out of her
basket a pail of brown-holland over-sleeves, very much such as a grocer's
apprentice wears--"and I had only time to make seven or eight pens, out
of some quills Farmer Thomson gave me last autumn. As for ink, I'm
thankful to say, that's always ready; an ounce of steel filings, an ounce
of nut-gall, and a pint of water (tea, if you're extravagant, which,
thank Heaven! I'm not), put all in a bottle, and hang it up behind the
house door, so that the whole gets a good shaking every time you slam it
to--and even if you are in a passion and bang it, as Sally and I often
do, it is all the better for it--and there's my ink ready for use; ready
to write my lady's will with, if need be."

"O, Miss Galindo!" said I, "don't talk so my lady's will! and she not