nigh him. But when I'm alone about the world and
forlorn, I ain't got no excuse but what I must go to him."

"Then remain where you are, and don't be a fool."

"But if a person is a fool, what's to be done then? In course I'm
a fool. I knows that very well. There's no saying no other. But I
can't go on living here, if Miss Mary is to be put over my head in
that way. Baggett has sent for me, and I must go. Baggett is at
Portsmouth, a-hanging on about the old shop. And he'll be drunk as
long as there's gin to be had with or without paying. They do tell
me as his nose is got to be awful. There's a man for a poor woman
to go and spend her savings on! He's had a'most all on 'em already.
Twenty-two pound four and sixpence he had out o' me the last time he
was in the country. And he don't do nothing to have him locked up.
It would be better for me if he'd get hisself locked up. I do think
it's wrong, because a young girl has been once foolish and said a
few words before a parson, as she is to be the slave of a drunken
red-nosed reprobate for the rest of her life. Ain't there to be no
way out of it?"

It was thus that Mrs Baggett told the tale of her married
bliss,--not, however, without incurring the censure of her master
because of her folly in resolving to go. He had just commenced a
lecture on the sin of pride, in which he was prepared to show that
all the evils which she could receive from the red-nosed veteran at
Portsmouth would be due to her own stiff-necked obstinacy, when he
was stopped suddenly by the sound of a knock at the front door. It
was not only the knock at the door, but the entrance into the hall of
some man, for the hall-door had been open into the garden, and the
servant-girl had been close at hand. The library was at the top of
the low stairs, and Mr Whittlestaff could not but hear the demand
made. The gentleman had asked whether Miss Lawrie was living there.

"Who's that?" said Mr Whittlestaff to the housekeeper.

"It's not a voice as I know, sir." The gentleman in the meantime was
taken into the drawing-room, and was closeted for the moment with
Mary.

We must now go down-stairs and closet ourselves for a few moments
with Mary Lawrie before the coming of the strange gentleman. She had
left the presence of Mr Whittlestaff half an hour since, and felt
that she had a second time on that day accepted him as her husband.
She had accepted him, and now she must do the best she could to suit
her life to