let it alone!"

"But, ma'am, Colonel Wellbred said it was somewhat of yours."

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"Of mine?--O, ver well! Colonel Wellbred might not say such
thing! I know nothing, Sir, from your leadder, nor from your
bed, sir,--not I!"

"Well, ma'am, then your maid does. Colonel Wellbred says he
supposes it was she."

"Upon my vord! Colonel Wellbred might not say such things from my
maid! I won't not have it so!"

"O yes, ma'am; Colonel Wellbred says she often does SO. He says
she's a very gay lady."

She was quite too much amazed to speak: one of her maids, Mrs.
Arline, is a poor humble thing, that would not venture to jest, I
believe, with the kitchen maid, and the other has never before
been at Windsor.

"But what was it?" cried Miss Port.

"Why, I tell you--a great, large lump of leather, with 'Madame
Schwellenberg' wrote upon it. However, I've ordered it to be
sold."