ing out to meet him with a
look of surprise, he said, "Giles, we are early visitors;" and Mr.
Brandon answered, "All the more welcome, John." Everybody said also that
the four Miss Mortimers remained for several days with Mrs. Brandon, and
very happy they seemed.

But though people knew no more, they naturally said a good deal
more--they always do. Some said that Mr. Mortimer, coming home
unexpectedly after a journey in the middle of the night, found the
kitchen chimney on fire, and some of the servants asleep on the floor,
nothing like so sober as they should have been. Others said he found a
dance going on in the servants' hall, and the cook waltzing with a
policeman, several gentlemen of the same craft being present. Others,
again, said that when he returned he found the house not only empty, but
open; that he sat down and waited, in a lowering passion, till they all
returned in two flys from some festivities at a public-house in
Wigfield; and then, meeting them at the door, he retained the flys, and
waving his hand, ordered them all off the premises; saw them very
shortly depart, and locked the doors behind them. It was a comfort to be
able to invent so many stories, and not necessary to make them tally,
for no one could contradict them; certainly not any one of the four Miss
Mortimers, for they had all been fast asleep the whole time.

Mr. Mortimer held his peace; but while staying with Mr. and Mrs. Brandon
till he could reconstruct his household, he was observed at first to be
out of spirits, and vastly inclined to be out of temper. He did his very
best to hide this, but he could not hide a sort of look half shame, half
amusement, which would now and then steal round the corners of his
mouth, as if it had come out of some hiding-place to take a survey of
things in general.

John Mortimer had perhaps rather prided himself on his penetration, his
powers of good government, the order and respectability of his
household, and other matters of that description. He had been taught in
rather an ignominious fashion that he had overvalued himself in those
particulars.

He was always treated by strangers whom he employed with a great deal of
respect and deference; but this was mainly owing to a somewhat
commanding presence and a good deal of personal dignity. When the same
people got used to him, perceived the _bonhomie_ of his character, his
carelessness about money matters, and his easy household ways, they were
somet