ting_.)

SELWICK HALL, JANUARY YE IV.
Dear heart, but I ne'er thought our _Edith_ should have filled so much
paper! Yet it doth seem me she is more livelier at writing than at
household duties. I have watched her pen a-flying of a night (for she
can write twice as fast as I, she writing of the new _Italian_ hand, and
I but the old _English_) [Note 1] till I marvelled whate'er she found to
say. And methinks she hath, likewise, a better memory than I, for I
reckon I should have made some mighty blunder in all these long talks
which she hath set down so pat.

I had no time to write afore to-day, nor much now: for o' New Year's Day
had we all the childre of all the vicinage, and I were fair run off my
feet, first a-making ready, and then a-playing games. Then was there a
'stowing away of such matter as should not be wanted again o' Twelfth
Night. Trust me, but after Twelfth Night we shall have some jolly work!

Dear heart! but how much hath happed since the last line I writ in this
book, and 'tis but two months gone. I do see, as saith the wise man,
that we verily wit not what a day may bring forth.

Our _Milly_ is coming back something to her old self, though methinks
she hath learned an hard lesson, and shall ne'er be so light and foolish
as aforetime. I trust this is not unkindly to say, for in very deed I
mean it not so. But more and more hear we of all sides touching this
Master _Norris_ (as Aunt _Joyce_ saith is his true name), which doth
plainly show him a right evil man, and that if our poor _Milly_ had
trusted to his fair words, she should soon have had cause to repent her
bitterly thereof. Why, there is scarce a well-favoured maid in all
_Derwentdale_, nor _Borrowdale_, that hath not token to show of him, and
an heap of besugared flatteries for to tell. Eh, but what an ill world
is this we live in!--and how thankful should young maids be that have a
good home to shelter them in, and a loving father and mother to defend
them from harm! Trust me, but I never knew how ill place was the world.

Nor did I ever truly conceive aforetime of Aunt _Joyce_. Methought that
for her, being rich and well to do, the wheels of life had run rare
smooth: and that 'twas but a short way to the bottom of her mind and
heart. And all suddenly an hand uplifts the corner of a curtain that I
had taken no note of, and lo! a mighty deep that I never guessed to be
there. Is it thus