y drawing-book, every farmer among them gave me leave
to come into his fields, though he never had heard there was any thing
there worth painting.

When once there has been a deposit of idea in the calm deep eocene of
British rural mind, the impression will outlast any shallow deluge of
the noblest education. Shoxford had settled two points forever, without
troubling reason to come out of her way--first, that I was a foreign
young lady of good birth, manners, and money; second, and far more
important, I was here to write and paint a book about Shoxford. Not
for the money, of that I had no need (according to the congress at the
"Silver-edged Holly"), but for the praise and the knowledge of it,
like, and to make a talk among high people. But the elders shook their
heads--as I heard from Mr. Rigg, who hugged his knowledge proudly, and
uttered dim sayings of wisdom let forth at large usury: he did not mind
telling me that the old men shook their heads, for fear of my being a
deal too young, and a long sight too well favored (as any man might tell
without his specs on), for to write any book upon any subject yet, leave
alone an old, ancient town like theirs. However, there might be no harm
in my trying, and perhaps the school-master would cross out the bad
language.

Thus for once fortune now was giving me good help, enabling me to go
about freely, and preventing (so far as I could see, at least) all
danger of discovery by my unknown foe. So here I resolved to keep my
head-quarters, dispensing, if it must be so, with Betsy's presence,
and not even having Mrs. Price to succeed her, unless my cousin should
insist upon it. And partly to dissuade him from that, and partly to
hear his opinion of the sexton's tale, I paid a flying visit to Lord
Castlewood; while "Madam Straw," as Betsy now was called throughout the
village, remained behind at Shoxford. For I long had desired to know a
thing which I had not ventured to ask my cousin--though I did ask Mr.
Shovelin--whether my father had intrusted him with the key of his own
mysterious acts. I scarcely knew whether it was proper even now to put
this question to Lord Castlewood; but even without doing so, I might get
at the answer by watching him closely while I told my tale. Not a letter
had reached me since I came to Shoxford, neither had I written any,
except one to Uncle Sam; and keeping to this excellent rule, I arrived
at Castlewood without notice.

In doing this I took no li