put his foot into it again. "The events of last Monday morning were
unfortunate, unforeseen, unprecedented. I was unprepared for such
vulgar, barbarous, unheard-of proceedings--taken off my feet, as it
were; but now that he's had time to think it all over, he sees that I
am not a common woman like Viggins,"--Mrs. Mumpson would have suffered
rather than have accorded her enemy the prefix of Mrs.,--"who is only
fit to be among pots and kettles. He leaves me in the parlor as if a
refined apartment became me and I became it. Time and my influence
will mellow, soften, elevate, develop, and at last awaken a desire for
my society, then yearnings. My first error was in not giving myself
time to make a proper impression. He will soon begin to yield like the
earth without. First it is hard and frosty, then it is cold and muddy,
if I may permit myself so disagreeable an illustration. Now he is
becoming mellow, and soon every word I utter will be like good seed in
good ground. How aptly it all fits! I have only to be patient."

She was finally left almost to utter idleness, for Jane and Mrs.
Wiggins gradually took from the incompetent hands even the light tasks
which she had attempted. She made no protest, regarding all as another
proof that Holcroft was beginning to recognize her superiority and
unfitness for menial tasks. She would maintain, however, her character
as the caretaker and ostentatiously inspected everything; she also
tried to make as much noise in fastening up the dwelling at night as if
she were barricading a castle. Holcroft would listen grimly, well
aware that no house had been entered in Oakville during his memory. He
had taken an early occasion to say at the table that he wished no one
to enter his room except Jane, and that he would not permit any
infringement of this rule. Mrs. Mumpson's feelings had been hurt at
first by this order, but she soon satisfied herself that it had been
meant for Mrs. Wiggins' benefit and not her own. She found, however,
that Jane interpreted it literally. "If either of you set foot in that
room, I'll tell him," she said flatly. "I've had my orders and I'm
a-goin' to obey. There's to be no more rummagin'. If you'll give me
the keys I'll put things back in order ag'in."

"Well, I won't give you the keys. I'm the proper person to put things
in order if you did not replace them properly. You are just making an
excuse to rummage yourself. My motive for inspecting is