ts of the castle, and I lost my place in
counting the figures, and at last was fain to ask Elspeth herself.

"How tall are you, Elspeth, please? As much as a yard?"

"Ou aye, my dear," said Elspeth, who was deeply engaged in darning a
very large hole in one of my great-grandfather's socks.

"As much as two yards?" I inquired.

"Eh, no, my dearie," said Elspeth. "That wad be six feet; and I'm not
just that tall, though my father was six feet and six inches."

"How broad are you, Elspeth, please?" I persisted. "As much as a yard?"

"I'm thinking I will be, my dear," said Elspeth, "for it takes the full
width of a coloured cotton to cut me a dress-front, and then it's not
over-big."

"Are you as broad as two yards, do you think?" I said, drawing my ribbon
to its full length from the castle, and considering the question.

Elspeth shook her head. She was biting the end off a piece of
darning-cotton; but I rightly concluded that she would not confess to
being two yards wide.

"Please, I have measured Elspeth," I announced over the tea-table, "and
grandpapa is quite right."

"Eh?" said Mr. Vandaleur, who had a trick of requiring observations to
be repeated to him by his wife.

"She says that she has measured Elspeth, and that you are right," said
my great-grandmother. "But about what is grandpapa right, my little
one?"

"Grandpapa said that Elspeth is as wide as she is tall," I explained.
"And so she is, for I measured her--at least, the ribbon would slip when
I measured her, so I asked her; and she's a yard tall, but not as much
as two yards; and a yard wide, but not as much as two yards. And so
grandpapa is right."

Some of the happiest hours I spent at The Vine were spent in Elspeth's
company. I made tiny cakes, and tarts of curious shapes, when she was
busy pastry-making, and did some clear-starching on my doll's account
when Elspeth was "getting-up" my great-grandfather's cravats.

Elspeth had strong old-fashioned notions of paying respect where it was
due. She gave Adolphe a sharp lecture one day for some lack of respect
in his manner to "Miss Margery"; and, on the other hand, she taught me
to curtsy at the door where I breakfasted with Mr. and Mrs. Vandaleur.

Some dancing lessons that I had had in Riflebury helped me here, and
Elspeth was well satisfied with my performance. I felt very shy and
awkward the first time that I made my morning curtsy, my knees shaking
under me, and Elspeth watching from th