provided him. The condition of his
mind had been such that no appetite for the glories of a rich man's
table had yet come to him. That accursed book on the opposite shelf
had destroyed all his taste for both wine and meat.

"What do you want to know for?" he asked.

"Well, sir; it is customary for the housekeeper to know something,
and if there is no mistress she can only go to the master. We always
were very quiet here, but Miss Isabel used to tell me something of
what was expected."

"I don't expect anything," said Cousin Henry.

"Is there anybody to come in my place?" she asked.

"What can that be to you? You can go when you please."

"The other servants want to go, too. Sally won't stay, nor yet Mrs
Bridgeman." Mrs Bridgeman was the cook. "They say they don't like to
live with a gentleman who never goes out of one room."

"What is it to them what room I live in? I suppose I may live in what
room I please in my own house." This he said with an affectation of
anger, feeling that he was bound to be indignant at such inquiries
from his own servant, but with more of fear than wrath in his mind.
So they had in truth already begun to inquire why it was that he sat
there watching the books!

"Just so, Mr Jones. Of course you can live anywhere you like,--in
your own house."

There was an emphasis on the last words which was no doubt intended
to be impertinent. Every one around was impertinent to him.

"But so can they, sir,--not in their own house. They can look for
situations, and I thought it my duty just to tell you, because you
wouldn't like to find yourself all alone here, by yourself like."

"Why is it that everybody turns against me?" he asked suddenly,
almost bursting into tears.

At this her woman's heart was a little softened, though she did
despise him thoroughly. "I don't know about turning, Mr Jones, but
they have been used to such different ways."

"Don't they get enough to eat?"

"Yes, sir; there's enough to eat, no doubt. I don't know as you have
interfered about that; not but what as master you might. It isn't the
victuals."

"What is it, Mrs Griffith? Why do they want to go away?"

"Well, it is chiefly because of your sitting here alone,--never
moving, never having your hat on your head, sir. Of course a
gentleman can do as he pleases in his own house. There is nothing
to make him go out, not even to see his own tenants, nor his own
farm, nor nothing else. He's his own master, sir, in