Diana Tempest, Volume I (of 3)

th the child?"

power to bestow; second only to implanting the habit of obedience, whic

marvellous way of some women with other people's children. I believe the under-housemaid occasionally came to see him in his bath, and I think the butler, who was a family man himself, gave him a woolly lamb on his first birthday. But excepting the servants and the village people, no one took much notice of John. It is not even on record whether he ever crept, or what the first word he could say was. It was all chronicled on Mitty's faithful heart, but nowhere else. Mitty was proud when he began to sway

of her own, had returned to the service of the Fanes, with whom she had lived before her m

ed underneath her buttons. She was kind, but she was billowy, and the geography of her figure was uncertain, and she could never think of anything to interest him but macaroons, and she was enigmatical as to how the almond was fastened into the top. The butler, Mr. Parker, was estimable, but Mr. Parker, like Mrs. Alcock, was averse to answering questions, even when John inquired, "Why his head was coming through his hair?" Charles the footman was more amusing, but he never came into the housekeeper's room. It was difficult to see as much of Charles as could be wished. He was really funny when Mitty was not there. He could dance a hornpipe in the pantry. John had seen him do it; and Charles was always ready to pull off his coat and give John a ride. What kickings and neighings and prancings there were going upstairs on these occasions. How John clutched round

picture-gallery, he and Mitty, and there were lamps, and all the white sheets were gone from the furniture, and it was all very solemn; and Mitty held his hand tight and told him to be a good boy, and blew his nose for him with a handkerchief of her own that had crumbs in it, and then wiped her eye

g, "Go and speak to your papa, and give him the pretty flower.

short rather suddenly when he saw them, and said, "Well, n

had previously found in readjusting the toilet of a dead robin after he had carefully undressed it the night before. After that "Papa" became not a familiar but a distinct figure in John's recollection. "Papa" was seen from the nursery windows to walk up and down the bowling-green on the wide plateau in front of the castle, where the fountain was, with Neptune re

llowed close

e the message came, sitting in his black velvet suit and his silk stockings and his buckled shoes in his own chair by the fire. He had grown out of several suits whilst he waited. It was one of the many inexplicable things that he took in wondering silence at the time, that when he wore those particular garments a certain red cushion was always put on the sea

seen too much of the ways of scullery and dairymaids to be capable of being surprised at anything in this world-even she was taken aback. Mitty and he went together down the grand staircase; and the carved fi

aws of the outstretched bear's paws when Charles came to tell them that dinner was ove

le. Mr. Parker was not there. Even Charles, whom John had always considered indispensable in the highest circles, was absent. John walked very slowly across the room and stopped short in the middle, his stro

ed and looked

often been very, very sorry. She was older than Mitty and Mrs. Alcock,

as Queen Victoria, and whet

said Mr. Tempest, b

a very gentle smile, and John went straight up to her at once and stood close bes

nd had long conversations with Mitty. John, arrayed in the stiffest of white sailor suits with anchors at the corners, came down to see her in the sunny morning-room where his mother's

tle Samiw

nfided to her his intention of marrying Mitty at a future date, and of presenting Charles at the same time with a set of studs like Mr. Parker's. He was very grave and sedate, and every morning shrank back afresh from goin

s the forest to the valley and over the stretching woods to the long lines of the moors against the sky. Perhaps she was thinking that it would al

e into the room

hn here?"

s silent. There was a grea

ot once, but twice. You have suffered heavily at the hands of

ho

urtenay hesitat

d Mr. Tempest, stern

lso to him." And thenceforward, and until the day of his death, Mr. Tempest di

on the platform. Mr. Goodwin had come to meet him, and Charles, the last link to home, was parted from in silence. The small luggage was handed over. Once as they left the station, John looked back, and Mr. Goodwin saw the little brown hands clench tightly. John had a trick of clenching his hands as a child, which clung to him throughout life, but he wal

osed the usual t

enly, with a quaver in his voice, "larger than

" said Mr. Goodwin,

him to make friends, and John listened in silence. He had never been with boys before. He did not know how. The first half he was very lonely. He would have been bullied more than he actually was had he not been so strong and so impossible to convince of defeat. As it was, he took his share with a sort of doggedness, and would have started

rrespondence, which-after long pondering upon the

he said one day, when Mr. Goodwin had

hom,

sed." And he produced a very much blotte

ing had been so severe and the paper so thin,

another for Charles, with a picture in it." And a second

ver his mouth, "but-yes, I see. This for Charles, and

worse for seclusion, and laid one by each letter. One envelope was stamped. "I had two stamps," he e

in, who was a person of resources. "Now, what

tiously

ould like me to di

ertainly had

will do Charles fir

us. He brought

what is his nam

said John, anxiously. "That'

down the pen. He

name, Tempest," he s

Before I came to you I thought

u know Mitty'

voice was alm

gravity of the situation. "We can't put 'Mitty' on one lette

r. Goodwin could not see his way out of the difficulty, who could? He turned red, a

trangled voice. "I promised Charles in

up in surprise, and

e letters shall go. We will manage it

t is Mr.

is he,

ker. Mr. Parker points, and

an, pe

, with relief, "

we put, 'The footman, Overleigh Castle,' on t

gested John, but with dawning hope. "Franci

said Mr. Goodwin, writing it. "'Overleigh

nd?" said John, his eyes still riveted on the e

suggested M

I should like Charles to be

large esquire afte

aid. "I suppose Mitty

Alcock!" said John, with a smi

a good many serv

her is always away almost, and he does not play anything when he is at home. Now, Ch

d been finally settled, John licked them ca

," said Mr. Good

to the door,

les are much obliged,"

on it," said

dent remaine