labyrinth of little discomfortable
garrets, destined for the attendants of the great folks who inhabited
the mansion in the days when it was first built: and I do not know any
more cheering mark of the increased philanthropy of our own times, than
to contrast our domestic architecture with that of our ancestors, and to
see how much better servants and poor are cared for now, than in times
when my lord and my lady slept under gold canopies, and their servants
lay above them in quarters not so airy or so clean as stables are now.

Up and down the house the two gentlemen wandered, the owner of the
mansion being very silent and resigned about the pleasure of possessing
it; whereas the Captain, his friend, examined the premises with so much
interest and eagerness that you would have thought he was the
master, and the other the indifferent spectator of the place. "I see
capabilities in it--capabilities in it, sir," cried the Captain. "Gad,
sir, leave it to me, and I'll make it the pride of the country, at
a small expense. What a theatre we can have in the library here, the
curtains between the columns which divide the room! What a famous room
for a galop!--it will hold the whole shire. We'll hang the morning
parlour with the tapestry in your second salon in the Rue de Grenelle,
and furnish the oak room with the Moyen-age cabinets and the armour.
Armour looks splendid against black oak, and there's a Venice glass in
the Quai Voltaire, which will suit that high mantelpiece to an inch,
sir. The long saloon, white and crimson of course; the drawing-room
yellow satin; and the little drawing-room light blue, with lace
over--hay?"

"I recollect my old governor caning me in that little room," Sir Francis
said sententiously; "he always hated me, my old governor."

"Chintz is the dodge, I suppose, for my lady's rooms--the suite in
the landing, to the south, the bedroom, the sitting-room, and the
dressing-room. We'll throw a conservatory out, over the balcony. Where
will you have your rooms?"

"Put mine in the north wing," said the Baronet, with a yawn, "and out
of the reach of Miss Amory's confounded piano. I can't bear it. She's
scweeching from morning till night."

The Captain burst out laughing. He settled the whole further
arrangements of the house in the course of their walk through it; and,
the promenade ended, they went into the steward's room, now inhabited by
Mrs. Blenkinsop, and where Mr. Tatham was sitting poring over