eaning on her tortoiseshell stick, little Fury barking at her
heels.

Mrs. Tusher, the parson's wife, was with my lady. She had been
waiting-woman to her ladyship in the late lord's time, and, having her
soul in that business, took naturally to it when the Viscountess of
Castlewood returned to inhabit her father's house.

"I present to your ladyship your kinsman and little page of honour, Master
Henry Esmond," Mr. Holt said, bowing lowly, with a sort of comical
humility. "Make a pretty bow to my lady, monsieur; and then another little
bow, not so low, to Madam Tusher--the fair priestess of Castlewood."

"Where I have lived and hope to die, sir," says Madam Tusher, giving a
hard glance at the brat, and then at my lady.

Upon her the boy's whole attention was for a time directed. He could not
keep his great eyes off from her. Since the Empress of Ealing he had seen
nothing so awful.

"Does my appearance please you, little page?" asked the lady.

"He would be very hard to please if it didn't," cried Madam Tusher.

"Have done, you silly Maria," said Lady Castlewood.

"Where I'm attached, I'm attached, madam--and I'd die rather than not say
so."

"_Je meurs ou je m'attache_," Mr. Holt said, with a polite grin. "The ivy
says so in the picture, and clings to the oak like a fond parasite as it
is."

"Parricide, sir!" cries Mrs. Tusher.

"Hush, Tusher--you are always bickering with Father Holt," cried my lady.
"Come and kiss my hand, child," and the oak held out a _branch_ to little
Harry Esmond, who took and dutifully kissed the lean old hand, upon the
gnarled knuckles of which there glittered a hundred rings.

"To kiss that hand would make many a pretty fellow happy!" cried Mrs.
Tusher: on which my lady crying out, "Go, you foolish Tusher," and tapping
her with her great fan, Tusher ran forward to seize her hand and kiss it.
Fury arose and barked furiously at Tusher; and Father Holt looked on at
this queer scene, with arch grave glances.

The awe exhibited by the little boy perhaps pleased the lady to whom this
artless flattery was bestowed; for having gone down on his knee (as Father
Holt had directed him, and the mode then was) and performed his obeisance,
she said, "Page Esmond, my groom of the chamber will inform you what your
duties are, when you wait upon my lord and me; and good Father Holt will
instruct you as becomes a gentleman of our name. You will pay him
obedience in everything, and I pray you may g