" said Dinah, "let's look at your rusks. Here's Missis will
pay for them."

Miss Ophelia took out a couple of dozen.

"Thar's some tickets in that ar old cracked jug on the top shelf," said
Dinah. "You, Jake, climb up and get it down."

"Tickets,--what are they for?" said Miss Ophelia.

"We buy tickets of her Mas'r, and she gives us bread for 'em."

"And they counts my money and tickets, when I gets home, to see if I 's
got the change; and if I han't, they half kills me."

"And serves you right," said Jane, the pert chambermaid, "if you will
take their money to get drunk on. That's what she does, Missis."

"And that's what I _will_ do,--I can't live no other ways,--drink and
forget my misery."

"You are very wicked and very foolish," said Miss Ophelia, "to steal
your master's money to make yourself a brute with."

"It's mighty likely, Missis; but I will do it,--yes, I will. O Lord!
I wish I 's dead, I do,--I wish I 's dead, and out of my misery!" and
slowly and stiffly the old creature rose, and got her basket on her head
again; but before she went out, she looked at the quadroon girt, who
still stood playing with her ear-drops.

"Ye think ye're mighty fine with them ar, a frolickin' and a tossin'
your head, and a lookin' down on everybody. Well, never mind,--you may
live to be a poor, old, cut-up crittur, like me. Hope to the Lord ye
will, I do; then see if ye won't drink,--drink,--drink,--yerself into
torment; and sarve ye right, too--ugh!" and, with a malignant howl, the
woman left the room.

"Disgusting old beast!" said Adolph, who was getting his master's
shaving-water. "If I was her master, I'd cut her up worse than she is."

"Ye couldn't do that ar, no ways," said Dinah. "Her back's a far sight
now,--she can't never get a dress together over it."

"I think such low creatures ought not to be allowed to go round to
genteel families," said Miss Jane. "What do you think, Mr. St. Clare?"
she said, coquettishly tossing her head at Adolph.

It must be observed that, among other appropriations from his master's
stock, Adolph was in the habit of adopting his name and address; and
that the style under which he moved, among the colored circles of New
Orleans, was that of _Mr. St. Clare_.

"I'm certainly of your opinion, Miss Benoir," said Adolph.

Benoir was the name of Marie St. Clare's family, and Jane was one of her
servants.

"Pray, Miss Benoir, may I be allowed to ask if those drops are for the
bal