As to pride, meek Mrs. Lake was far from regarding it as a failing
in those who had any thing to be proud of, such as black hair and a
possible connection with the gentry. And fate having denied to her
any chance of being proud or aggressive on her own account, she
derived a curious sort of second-hand satisfaction from seeing these
qualities in those who belonged to her. It did to some extent
console her for the miller's roughness to herself, to hear him
rating George. And she got a sort of reflected dignity out of being
able to say, "My maester's a man as will have his way."

But her hopes were not realized. That yellow into which the
beefsteak stage of Jan's infant complexion had faded was not
destined to deepen into gipsy hues. It gave place to the tints of
the China rose, and all the wind and sunshine on the downs could not
tan, though they sometimes burnt, his cheeks. The hair on his
little head became more abundant, but it kept its golden hue. His
eyes remained dark,--a curious mixture; for as to hair and
complexion he was irredeemably fair.

The mill had at least one "vair and voolish" inmate, by common
account, though by his own (given in confidence to intimate friends)
he was "not zuch a vool as he looked."

This was George Sannel, the miller's man.

Master Lake had had a second hand in to help on that stormy night
when Jan made his first appearance at the mill; but as a rule he
only kept one man, whom he hired for a year at a time, at the mop or
hiring fair held yearly in the next town.