ut, if he does not live amongst you himself, has not he some
under-agent, who lives in the country?' said Lord Colambre.

'He has so.'

'And he should know your concerns: does he mind them?'

'He should know--he should know better; but as to minding our concerns,
your honour knows,' continued she, smiling again, 'every one in this
world must mind their own concerns; and it would be a good world, if it
was even so. There's a great deal in all things, that don't appear at
first sight. Mr. Dennis wanted Grace for a wife for his bailiff; but she
would not have him; and Mr. Dennis was very sweet to her himself--but
Grace is rather high with him as proper, and he has a grudge AGAIN' us
ever since. Yet, indeed, there,' added she, after another pause, 'as you
say, I think we are safe; for we have that memorandum in writing, with a
pencil, given under his own hand, on the back of the LASE, to me, by
the same token when my good lord had his foot on the step of the coach,
going away; and I'll never forget the smile of her that got that good
turn done for me, Miss Grace. And just when she was going to England and
London, and, young as she was, to have the thought to stop and turn to
the likes of me! Oh, then, if you could see her, and know her, as I did!
THAT was the comforting angel upon earth--look and voice, and heart
and all! Oh, that she was here present, this minute!--But did you scald
yourself?' said the widow to Lord Colambre. 'Sure you must have scalded
yourself; for you poured the kettle straight over your hand, and it
boiling!--O DEEAR! to think of so young a gentleman's hand shaking so
like my own.

Luckily, to prevent her pursuing her observations from the hand to
the face, which might have betrayed more than Lord Colambre wished she
should know, her own Grace came in at this instant.

'There it's for you, safe, mother dear--the LASE!' said Grace, throwing
a packet into her lap. The old woman lifted up her hands to heaven, with
the lease between them.--'Thanks be to Heaven!' Grace passed on, and
sunk down on the first seat she could reach. Her face flushed, and,
looking much fatigued, she loosened the strings of her bonnet and
cloak--'Then, I'm tired;' but, recollecting herself, she rose, and
curtsied to the gentleman.

'What tired ye, dear?'

'Why, after prayers, we had to go--for the agent was not at prayers,
nor at home for us, when we called--we had to go all the way up to
the castle; and there, by great go