id to the touch by reason of
the millions of similar fly-specks; had nothing ever been washed here?
Cats were alarmingly abundant. Three lay about in the hall; four were
stretched on the grass in front of the door, and Ringfield saw two
more--so large and brown and with such huge tigers' heads, prowling
under the trees, that he scarcely took them for cats. The chain of
barns, farm-buildings and sheds was all in the same dilapidated, dirty
condition, and it was hardly strange that the vision of that white
loveliness--the peacock--which had tempted him in this direction,
crossed his mind as they proceeded to the landing-place. And yet the
Clairvilles were not without servants. Mademoiselle, having regained a
measure of her wonted serenity, began to describe her retainers,
proving that servants were almost as numerous as cats in that
neighbourhood. The elderly woman, the man, the two girls and the boy,
were all one family, and living "about" as their mistress carelessly
put it, in the barns and out-buildings, divided the work among them.
The woman's husband, Xavier Archambault, employed at the Fall as
assistant to look after the bridge and dam, helped at odd moments in
the business of the estate, thus making in all six servants, a rather
large contingent for a dwindling concern; and Ringfield, listening to
these wonders, could not fail to observe that their united wages must
reach a high figure.

"Oh--they are not paid!" exclaimed mademoiselle, "at least, not in
money. My brother, who is, as I was going to tell you, a person of
stronger character than you might imagine, has never paid a cent of
wages to anyone in his life. He has managed to infect all his
work-people, and, indeed, many in the village, with his own belief that
it is an honour to labour for him and his, he being a De Clairville and
the highest in rank in this part of the country. Of course you, having
lived in the West, and knowing so much of the world, must see how
foolish this is, how it involves us--my brother and myself--in many
unpleasant and difficult situations."

A note of challenge in her voice led Ringfield, who had taken off his
coat and was paddling, to stop sharply and observe her.

"Pray be careful!" she cried in sudden alarm. "When I was at home all
the time I could stand any kind of behaviour in a canoe, but lately I
seem to be losing my nerve. I suppose you _must_ kneel?"

"Certainly. Much the easier, therefore the safer way."