he
can r-roast a bit of beef, and make a c-capital rice-pudding, and he 'll
come for six dollars a month. Wouldn't that be a sa-saving? Zoe told him
to c-call to-day, and speak to La-Lady Hester."

"He will find that difficult, sir," said Kate, dryly.

"And as for the b-butler, such a j-j-jackanapes I never saw; and Zoe
would advise you to take little Pierrette, the fellow you see every
day at the Pergola; he sells the tickets outside the door. He looks
r-r-ragged enough now, but when he 's dressed--"

"You must see, sir," interposed Kate, "that these are all details in
which it would be both indelicate and impertinent for me to intrude an
opinion about."

"Not when you li-live in the house; not when you're
dome-dome-domesticated with the family. We 're all in the same bo-boat
now; and Zoe says somebody must steer it. Now Lizetta, Zoe's maid, would
keep the k-keys herself."

"Pray remember, sir, this is Lady Hester Onslow's house."

"Egad! it w-won't be long so, if she goes on as she's d-doing. Martha
saw the meat-cart come in this morning, and I had a p-p-peep into the
servants' hall when the fl-flunkeys were feeding, and such w-w-waste,
such re-reckless--"

"Good-evening, Mr. Purvis; I cannot stay longer," said Kate. And, before
he could interpose a word, she hastened from the spot, and, passing
rapidly up the stairs, gained her own room, leaving Purvis to bethink
him over the mass of things he had not touched upon, and on which he had
mainly intended to debate.

CHAPTER XXXVIII. AN ARRIVAL.

LET us go back a few hours in our history, and follow the short and
burly figure which, emerging from the travelling-carriage in the
courtyard of the palace, pushed his way through the noisy throng of
duns, and entered the house.

"How are you, Proctor how is your master?" said he, as he threw off his
great-coat, and unrolled a capacious muffler from his throat. "How is
Sir Stafford?"

"Oh, Dr. Grounsell, glad you've come, sir. It will be a real pleasure to
my master to see you again, sir."

"How is he, man, how 's the gout?"

"Poorly, very poorly, sir. Things have gone badly here, doctor, since
you left us," said he, with a sigh.

"Yes, yes; I know it all; I have heard all about that. But his health
tell me of his health."

"Greatly broken, sir. No sleep o' nights without opium, and no real rest
even with that."

"And his spirits?"

"Broken too, sir. He's not what you remember him, sir, nor anythin