ot as long
as Miss Mary is coming to live here as missus of your house. I should
do summat as I should have to repent of. But, Mr Whittlestaff, I've
got to look the world in the face, and bear my own crosses. I never
can do it no younger."

"You're an old woman now, and you talk of throwing yourself upon the
world without the means of earning a shilling."

"I think I'd earn some, at something, old as I am, till I fell down
flat dead," she said. "I have that sperit in me, that I'd still be
doing something. But it don't signify; I'm not going to remain here
when Miss Mary is to be put over me. That's the long and the short of
it all."

Now had come the moment in which, if ever, Mr Whittlestaff must
get the strength which he required. He was quite sure of the old
woman,--that her opinion would not be in the least influenced by any
desire on her own part to retain her position as his housekeeper. "I
don't know about putting Miss Mary over you," he said.

"Don't know about it!" she shouted.

"My mind is not absolutely fixed."

"'As she said anything?"

"Not a word."

"Or he? Has he been and dared to speak up about Miss Mary. And
he,--who, as far as I can understand, has never done a ha'porth for
her since the beginning. What's Mr Gordon? I should like to know.
Diamonds! What's diamonds in the way of a steady income? They're all
a flash in the pan, and moonshine and dirtiness. I hates to hear of
diamonds. There's all the ill in the world comes from them; and you'd
give her up to be taken off by such a one as he among the diamonds!
I make bold to tell you, Mr Whittlestaff, that you ought to have more
strength of mind than what that comes to. You're telling me every day
as I'm an old fool."

"So you are."

"I didn't never contradict you; nor I don't mean, if you tells me so
as often again. And I don't mean to be that impident as to tell my
master as I ain't the only fool about the place. It wouldn't be no
wise becoming."

"But you think it would be true."

"I says nothing about that. That's not the sort of language anybody
has heard to come out of my mouth, either before your face or behind
your back. But I do say as a man ought to behave like a man. What!
Give up to a chap as spends his time in digging for diamonds! Never!"

"What does it matter what he digs for; you know nothing about his
business."

"But I know something about yours, Mr Whittlestaff. I know where you
have set your wishes. And I know that