Mirabell this morning, 'Far be it from me to forget past kindnesses, and
in those old Bath days Deborah was a good friend to me,--which was no
wonder, to be sure, seeing that when we were little girls we went to the
same dame school, and always learned our book and worked our samplers
together.' And says Mirabell--Yes, yes, ma'am, I'm coming!"

She disappeared, and the black girl showed the two guests through the hall
and up a tiny stairway into a little dormer-windowed, whitewashed room.
Mistress Deborah, who still wore remnants of my Lady Squander's ancient
gifts of spoiled finery, had likewise failed to discard the second-hand
fine-lady airs acquired during her service. She now declared herself
excessively tired by her morning ride, and martyr, besides, to a migraine.
Moreover, it was enough to give one the spleen to hear Mary Stagg's magpie
chatter and to see how some folk throve, willy-nilly, while others just as
good--Here tears of vexation ensued, and she must lie down upon the bed
and call in a feeble voice for her smelling salts. Audrey hurriedly
searched in the ragged portmanteau brought to town the day before in the
ox-cart of an obliging parishioner, found the flask, and took it to the
bedside, to receive in exchange a sound box of the ear for her tardiness.
The blow reddened her cheek, but brought no tears to her eyes. It was too
small a thing to weep for; tears were for blows upon the heart.

It was a cool and quiet little room, and Mistress Deborah, who had drunk
two full glasses of the Madeira, presently fell asleep. Audrey sat very
still, her hands folded in her lap and her eyes upon them, until their
hostess's voice announced from the foot of the stairs that Madam Travis
had taken her departure. She then slipped from the room, and was affably
received below, and taken into the apartment which they had first entered.
Here Mistress became at once extremely busy. A fan was to be mounted;
yards of silk gathered into furbelows; breast knots, shoulder knots, sword