was greatly startled. It seemed to me like the sudden introduction of a
quite new element in the stagnant atmosphere, as well as a new party to
our conversation. My father looked across the table, as if with some
astonishment at my tone of surprise.

"Is that so very extraordinary?" he said.

"No; of course it is not extraordinary that I should resemble my mother.
Only--I have heard very little of her--almost nothing."

"That is true." He got up and placed himself before the fire, which was
very low, as the night was not cold--had not been cold heretofore at
least; but it seemed to me now that a little chill came into the dim and
faded room. Perhaps it looked more dull from the suggestion of a
something brighter, warmer, that might have been. "Talking of mistakes,"
he said, "perhaps that was one: to sever you entirely from her side of
the house. But I did not care for the connection. You will understand how
it is that I speak of it now when I tell you--" He stopped here, however,
said nothing more for a minute or so, and then rang the bell. Morphew
came, as he always did, very deliberately, so that some time elapsed in
silence, during which my surprise grew. When the old man appeared at the
door--"Have you put the lights in the drawing-room, as I told you?" my
father said.

"Yes, sir; and opened the box, sir; and it's a--it's a speaking
likeness--"

This the old man got out in a great hurry, as if afraid that his master
would stop him. My father did so with a wave of his hand.