onder she was cheated," she said, "out of sight of her own
interest, when it was to wait on pretty Miss Alice. All your honour's
gold should never have tempted me, but that I knew she was but a dead
castaway, poor innocent, if she were taken away from my lady or me.--And
so this is the end on't!--up early, and down late--and this is all my
thanks!--But your honour had better take care what you do--she has the
short cough yet sometimes--and should take physic, spring and fall."

"Peace, chattering fool!" said her master, so soon as her failing breath
gave him an opportunity to strike in, "thinkest thou I knew not of
this young gentleman's visits to the Black Fort, and that, if they had
displeased me, I would not have known how to stop them?"

"Did I know that your honour knew of his visits!" exclaimed Deborah, in
a triumphant tone,--for, like most of her condition, she never
sought farther for her defence than a lie, however inconsistent and
improbable--"_Did_ I know that your honour knew of it!--Why, how should
I have permitted his visits else? I wonder what your honour takes me
for! Had I not been sure it was the thing in this world that your honour
most desired would I have presumed to lend it a hand forward? I trust
I know my duty better. Hear if I ever asked another youngster into
the house, save himself--for I knew your honour was wise, and quarrels
cannot last for ever, and love begins where hatred ends; and, to be
sure, they love as if they were born one for the other--and then, the
estates of Moultrassie and Martindale suit each other like sheath and
knife."

"Parrot of a woman, hold your tongue!" said Bridgenorth, his patience
almost completely exhausted; "or, if you will prate, let it be to
your playfellows in the kitchen, and bid them get ready some dinner
presently, for Master Peveril is far from home."

"That I will, and with all my heart," said Deborah; "and if there are
a pair of fatter fowls in Man than shall clap their wings on the table
presently, your honour shall call me goose as well as parrot." She then
left the apartment.

"It is to such a woman as that," said Bridgenorth, looking after her
significantly, "that you conceived me to have abandoned the charge of
my only child! But enough of this subject--we will walk abroad, if you
will, while she is engaged in a province fitter for her understanding."

So saying, he left the house, accompanied by Julian Peveril, and they
were soon walking side