how I could decorously accompany Miss Trevanion alone, without even a
female servant, to a house full of gossiping guests. And even had your
uncle been well enough to go with us, his presence would but have
created an additional cause for wonder; so as soon as we arrived, and
while you went up with the Captain, I wrote my letter and despatched my
man. I expect Lady Ellinor will be here before nine o'clock. Meanwhile
I have already seen that infamous waiting-woman, and taken care to
prevent any danger from her garrulity. And you will be pleased to hear
that I have hit upon a mode of satisfying the curiosity of our friend
Mrs. Grundy--that is,'the World'--without injury to any one. We must
suppose that that footman of Trevanion's was out of his mind,--it is but
a charitable, and your good father would say a philosophical,
supposition. All great knavery is madness! The world could not get on
if truth and goodness were not the natural tendencies of sane minds. Do
you understand?"

"Not quite."

"Why, the footman, being out of his mind, invented this mad story of
Trevanion's illness, frightened Lady Ellinor and Miss Trevanion out of
their wits with his own chimera, and hurried them both off, one after
the other. I, having heard from Trevanion, and knowing he could not
have been ill when the servant left him, set off, as was natural in so
old a friend of the family, saved her from the freaks of a maniac,--who,
getting more and more flighty, was beginning to play the Jack o'
Lantern, and leading her, Heaven knows where, over the country,--and
then wrote to Lady Ellinor to come to her. It is but a hearty laugh at
our expense, and Mrs. Grundy is content. If you don't want her to pity
or backbite, let her laugh. She is a she-Cerberus,--she wants to eat
you; well stop her mouth with a cake.