sur. I was in the doctor's service as
waccinated me. Says he, when he'd done, 'Simon, you'll never have
small-pox now.' 'Think not?' says I. 'Never,' says he; and when Susan
the 'ousemaid heard on it, she says, 'I am so glad, Simon.' Then, says
I, 'Susan, when people are married they're converted into one flesh.
That's scripter. You get married to me,' says I, 'and you'll be kept
free from small-pox, without goin' threw this yer willifyin' process.'
Wi' that she looks at me, and she says, 'You are purty, and I'll try you
for three months; if you don't get small-pox in that time, why
then--we'll talk about it.' So I says, 'Say yes at once, Susan. The
doctor says I can't get it, so there's no sort o' fear.' I wur young and
simple then, and thowt doctors never made a mistake. Well, sur, in two
months more I were down wi' small-pox, and when I got up again I wur a
sight to behold. As soon as I wur fit to be seen I went to Susan to git
a mite o' comfort, and then I see 'er a-courtin' wi' the coachman. And I
says to myself, 'Simon Slowden,' I says, 'this yer is the last time you
must be ever taken in;' and now I'm right mad that I should 'a bin
licked in this yer way."

I could not help laughing at Simon's story, in spite of my heavy heart,
and so I asked him what the doctor said when he found vaccination a
failure.

"Sent me off without a character, sur," he replied grimly. "Said he
couldn't keep a servant as would be a livin' advertisement as 'ow his
pet 'obby wer a failure. And so I allays say as 'ow waccination is my
ruin. It's ruined my blood and weakened my brain. Still," continued
Simon, with a sly look, "I reckon as 'ow I'll be a match for that 'ere
doubly waccinated ghost as frightened me so."

I could get nothing more from him. He had formed some notion about the
apparition which he would not divulge, so we devoted our attention to
sport, and, after frightening a good many rabbits, we returned to the
hall.

Nothing of importance happened through the day, except an inquiry which
Tom made among the servants. Each declared that they were entirely
ignorant as to the appearance of the ghost, and all were evidently too
frightened to doubt the truth of their statement. Thus when evening came
nothing was known of it.

Kaffar did not speak to me from the time I had seen him in the morning
to dinner-time, and evidently avoided me. Voltaire, on the contrary, was
unusually bland and smiling. He was pleasant and agreeable