told of our new sister. Uncle Alwyn and his yacht were there, and we
went on board once or twice. Then matters became confused with me, I
recollect a confusion, papa and grandmamma suddenly arriving,
everybody seeming to us to have become very cross, our dear Miss
Headworth nowhere to be found, our attendants being changed, and our
being forbidden to speak of her again. I certainly never thought of
the matter till a month ago. You know my uncle's eyes have been much
affected by his illness, and he has made a good deal of use of me.
He has got a valet, a fellow of no particular country, more Savoyard
than anything else, I fancy. He is a legacy, like other evils, from
the old General, and seems a sort of necessity to my uncle's
existence. Gregorio they call him. He was plainly used to absolute
government, and viewed the coming down amongst us as an assertion of
liberty much against his will. We could see that he was awfully
jealous of my father and me, and would do anything to keep us out;
but providentially he can't write English decently, though he can
speak any language you please. Well, the man and I came into
collision about a scamp of a groom who was doing intolerable mischief
in the village, and whom they put it on me to get discharged. On
that occasion Mr. Gregorio grew insolent, and intimated to me that I
need not make so sure of the succession. He knew that which might
make the Chanoine and me change our note. Well, my father is always
for avoiding rows; he said it was an unmeaning threat, it was of no
use to complain of Gregorio, and we must digest his insolence. But
just after, Uncle Alwyn sent me to hunt up a paper that was missing,
and in searching a writing-case I came upon an unmistakable marriage
certificate between Alwyn Piercefield Egremont and Alice Headworth,
and then the dim recollections I told you of began to return.'

'What did you do?'