ough the curtains, ascertained
that he was nice-looking and about the right age, Pigott confessed to
herself that she was heartily glad of Arthur's arrival, and determined
that, should she take to him on further acquaintance, he should find a
warm ally in her in any advances he might choose to make on the
fortress of Angela's affections.

"I do so hope that you don't mind dining at half-past twelve, and with
my old nurse," Angela said, as they went together up the stairs to the
room they used as a dining-room.

"Of course I don't--I like it, really I do."

Angela shook her head, and, looking but partially convinced, led the
way down the passage, and into the room, where, to her astonishment,
she perceived that the dinner-table was furnished with a more
sumptuous meal than she had seen upon it for years, the fact being
that Pigott had received orders from Philip which she did not know of,
not to spare expense whilst Arthur was his guest.

"What waste," reflected Angela, in whom the pressure of circumstances
had developed an economical turn of mind, as she glanced at the
unaccustomed jug of beer. "He said he was a teetotaller."

A loud "hem!" from Pigott, arresting her attention, stopped all
further consideration of the matter. That good lady, who, in honour of
the occasion, was dressed in a black gown of a formidable character
and a many-ribboned cap, was standing up behind her chair waiting to
be introduced to the visitor. Angela proceeded to go through the
ceremony which Pigott's straight-up-and-down attitude rendered rather
trying.

"Nurse, this is the gentleman that my father has asked to stay with
us. Mr. Heigham, let me introduce you to my old nurse Pigott."

Arthur bowed politely, whilst Pigott made two obligatory curtsies,
requiring a step backwards after each, as though to make room for
another. Her speech, too, carefully prepared for the occasion, is
worthy of transcription.

"Hem!" she said, "this, sir, is a pleasure as I little expected, and I
well knows that it is not what you or the likes is accustomed to,
a-eating of dinners and teas with old women; which I hopes, sir, how
as you will put up with it, seeing how as the habits of this house is
what might, without mistake, be called peculiar, which I says without
any offence to Miss Angela, 'cause though her bringing-up has been
what I call odd, she knows it as well as I do, which, indeed, is the
only consolation I has to offer, being right sure, as