right；　too；〃　thought　Allan；　sauntering　contentedly　down　the
  broad；　gently　graduated　stairs。　〃Deuce　take　all　mystery　and
  romance！　Let's　be　clean　and　comfortable；　that's　what　I　say。〃
  Arrived　in　the　hall；　the　new　master　of　Thorpe　Ambrose　hesitated；
  and　looked　about　him；　uncertain　which　way　to　turn　next。
  The　four　reception…rooms　on　the　ground…floor　opened　into　the
  hall；　two　on　either　side。　Allan　tried　the　nearest　door　on　his
  right　hand　at　a　venture；　and　found　himself　in　the　drawing…room。
  Here　the　first　sign　of　life　appeared；　under　life's　most
  attractive　form。　A　young　girl　was　in　solitary　possession　of　the
  drawing…room。　The　duster　in　her　hand　appeared　to　associate　her
  with　the　domestic　duties　of　the　house；　but　at　that　particular
  moment　she　was　occupied　in　asserting　the　rights　of　nature　over
  the　obligations　of　service。　In　other　words；　she　was　attentively
  contemplating　her　own　face　in　the　glass　over　the　mantelpiece。
  〃There！　there！　don't　let　me　frighten　you；〃　said　Allan；　as　the
  girl　started　away　from　the　glass；　and　stared　at　him　in
  unutterable　confusion。　〃I　quite　agree　with　you；　my　dear；　your
  face　is　well　worth　looking　at。　Who　are　you？　Oh；　the　housemaid。
  And　what's　your　name？　Susan；　eh？　Come！　I　like　your　name；　to　begin
  with。　Do　you　know　who　I　am；　Susan？　I'm　your　master；　though　you
  may　not　think　it。　Your　character？　Oh；　yes！　Mrs。　Blanchard　gave
  you　a　capital　character。　You　shall　stop　here；　don't　be　afraid。
  And　you'll　be　a　good　girl；　Susan；　and　wear　smart　little　caps　and
  aprons　and　bright　ribbons；　and　you'll　look　nice　and　pretty；　and
  dust　the　furniture；　won't　you？〃　With　this　summary　of　a
  housemaid's　duties；　Allan　sauntered　back　into　the　hall；　and　found
  more　signs　of　life　in　that　quarter。　A　man…servant　appeared　on
  this　occasion；　and　bowed；　as　became　a　vassal　in　a　linen　jacket；
  before　his　liege　lord　in　a　wide…awake　hat。
  〃And　who　may　you　be？〃　asked　Allan。　〃Not　the　man　who　let　us　in
  last　night？　Ah；　I　thought　not。　The　second　footman；　eh？　Character？
  Oh；　yes；　capital　character。　Stop　here；　of　course。　You　can　valet
  me；　can　you？　Bother　valeting　me！　I　like　to　put　on　my　own　clothes；
  and　brush　them；　too；　when　they　_are_　on；　and；　if　I　only　knew　how
  to　black　my　own　boots；　by　George；　I　should　like　to　do　it！　What
  room's　this？　Morning…room；　eh？　And　here's　the　dining…room；　of
  course。　Good　heavens；　what　a　table！　it's　as　long　as　my　yacht；　and
  longer。　I　say；　by…the…by；　what's　your　name？　Richard；　is　it？　Well；
  Richard；　the　vessel　I　sail　in　is　a　vessel　of　my　own　building？
  What　do　you　think　of　that？　You　look　to　me　just　the　right　sort　of
  man　to　be　my　steward　on　board。　If　you're　not　sick　at　seaoh；　you
  _are_　sick　at　sea？　Well；　then；　we'll　say　nothing　more　about　it。
  And　what　room　is　this？　Ah；　yes；　the　library；　of　coursemore　in
  Mr。　Midwinter's　way　than　mine。　Mr。　Midwinter　is　the　gentleman　who
  came　here　with　me　last　night；　and　mind　this；　Richard；　you're　al　l
  to　show　him　as　much　attention　as　you　show　me。　Where　are　we　now？
  What's　this　door　at　the　back？　Billiard…room　and　smoking…room；　eh？
  Jolly。　Another　door！　and　more　stairs！　Where　do　they　go　to？　and
  who's　this　coming　up？　Take　your　time；　ma'am；　you're　not　quite　so
  young　as　you　were　oncetake　your　time。〃
  The　object　of　Allan's　humane　caution　was　a　corpulent　elderly
  woman　of　the　type　called　〃motherly。〃　Fourteen　stairs　were　all
  that　separated　her　from　the　master　of　the　house；　she　ascended
  them　with　fourteen　stoppages　and　fourteen　sighs。　Nature；　various
  in　all　things；　is　infinitely　various　in　the　female　sex。　There　are
  some　women　whose　personal　qualities　reveal　the　Loves　and　the
  Graces；　and　there　are　other　women　whose　personal　qualities
  suggest　the　Perquisites　and　the　Grease　Pot。　This　was　one　of　the
  other　women。
  〃Glad　to　see　you　looking　so　well；　ma'am；〃　said　Allan；　when　the
  cook；　in　the　majesty　of　her　office；　stood　proclaimed　before　him。
  〃Your　name　is　Gripper；　is　it？　I　consider　you；　Mrs。　Gripper；　the
  most　valuable　person　in　the　house。　For　this　reason；　that　nobody
  in　the　house　eats　a　heartier　dinner　every　day　than　I　do。
  Directions？　Oh；　no；　I've　no　directions　to　give。　I　leave　all　that
  to　you。　Lots　of　strong　soup；　and　joints　done　with　the　gravy　in
  themthere's　my　notion　of　good　feeding；　in　two　words。　Steady！
  Here's　somebody　else。　Oh；　to　be　surethe　butler！　Another
  valuable　person。　We'll　go　right　through　all　the　wine　in　the
  cellar；　Mr。　Butler；　and　if　I　can't　give　you　a　sound　opinion　after
  that；　we'll　persevere　boldly；　and　go　right　through　it　again。
  Talking　of　winehalloo！　here　are　more　of　them　coming　up　stairs。
  There！　there！　don't　trouble　yourselves。　You've　all　got　capital
  characters；　and　you　shall　all　stop　here　along　with　me。　What　was　I
  saying　just　now？　Something　about　wine；　so　it　was。　I'll　tell　you
  what；　Mr。　Butler；　it　isn't　every　day　that　a　new　master　comes　to
  Thorpe　Ambrose；　and　it's　my　wish　that　we　should　all　start
  together　on　the　best　possible　terms。　Let　the　servants　have　a
  grand　jollification　downstairs　to　celebrate　my　arrival；　and　give
  them　what　they　like　to　drink　my　health　in。　It's　a　poor　heart；
  Mrs。　Gripper；　that　never　rejoices；　isn't　it？　No；　I　won't　look　at
  the　cellar　now：　I　want　to　go　out；　and　get　a　breath　of　fresh　air
  before　breakfast。　Where's　Richard？　I　say；　have　I　got　a　garden
  here？　Which　side　of　the　house　is　it！　That　side；　eh？　You　needn't
  show　me　round。　I'll　go　alone；　Richard；　and　lose　myself；　if　I　can；
  in　my　own　property。〃
  With　those　words　Allan　descended　the　terrace　steps　in　front　of
  the　house；　whistling　cheerfully。　He　had　met　the　serious
  responsibility　of　settling　his　domestic　establishment　to　his　own
  entire　satisfaction。　〃People　talk　of　the　difficulty　of　managing
  their　servants；〃　thought　Allan。　〃What　on　earth　do　they　mean？　I
  don't　see　any　difficulty　at　all。〃　He　opened　an　ornamental　gate
  leading　out　of　the　drive　at　the　side　of　the　house；　and；　following
  the　footman's　directions；　entered　the　shrubbery　that　sheltered
  the　Thorpe　Ambrose　gardens。　〃Nice　shady　sort　of　place　for　a
  cigar；〃　said　Allan；　as　he　sauntered　along　with　his　hands　in　his
  pockets　〃I　wish　I　could　beat　it　into　my　head　that　it　really
  belongs　to　_me。_〃
  The　shrubbery　opened　on　the　broad　expanse　of　a　flower　garden；
  flooded　bright　in　its　summer　glory　by　the　light　of　the　morning
  sun。
  On　one　side；　an　archway；　broken　through；　a　wall；　led　into　the
  fruit　garden。　On　the　other；　a　terrace　of　turf　led　to　ground　on　a
  lower　level；　laid　out　as　an　Italian　garden。　Wandering　past　the
  fountains　and　statues；　Allan　reached　another　shrubbery；　winding
  its　way　apparently　to　some　remote　part　of　the　grounds。　Thus　far；
  not　a　human　creature　had　been　visible　or　audible　anywhere；　but；
  as　he　approached　the　end　of　the　second　shrubbery；　it　struck　him
  that　he　heard　something　on　the　other　side　of　the　foliage。　He
  stopped　and　listened。　There　were　two　voices　speaking
  distinctlyan　old　voice　that　sounded　very　obstinate；　and　a　young
  voice　that　sounded　very　angry。
  〃It's　no　use；　miss；〃　said　the　old　voice。　〃I　mustn't　allow　it；　and
  I　won't　allow　it。　What　would　Mr。　Armadale　say？〃
  〃If　Mr。　Armadale　is　the　gentleman　I　take　him　for；　you　old　brute！〃
  replied　the　young　voice；　〃he　would　say；　'Come　into　my　garden；
  Miss　Milroy；　as　often　as　you　like；　and　take　as　many　nosegays　as
  you　please。'　〃　Allan's　bright　blue　eyes　twinkled　mischievously。
  Inspired　by　a　sudden　idea；　he　stole　softly　to　the　end　of　the
  shrubbery；　darted　round　the　corner　of　it；　and；　vaulting　over　a
  low　ring　fence；　found　himself　in　a　trim　little　paddock；　crossed
  by　a　gravel　walk。　At　a　short　distance　down　the　wall　stood　a　young
  lady；　with　her　back　toward　him；　trying　to　force　her　way　past　an
  impenetrable　old　man；　with　a　rake　in　his　hand；　who　stood
  obstinately　in　front　of　her；　shaking　his　head。
  〃Come　into　my　garden；　Miss　Milroy；　as　often　as　you　like；　and　take
  as　many　nosegays　as　you　please；〃　cried　Allan；　remorselessly
  repeating　her　own　words。
  The　young　lady　turned　round；　with　a　scream；　her　muslin　dress；
  which　she　was　holding　up　in　front；　dropped　from　her　hand；　and　a
  prodigious　lapful　of　flowers　rolled　out　on　the　gravel　walk。
  Before　another　word　could　be　said；　the　impenetrable　old　man
  stepped　forward；　with　the　utmost　composure；　and　entered　on　the
  question　of　his　own　personal　interests；　as　if　nothing　whatever
  had　happened；　and　nobody　was　present　but　his　new　master　and
  himself。
  〃I　bid　you　humbly　welcome　to　Thorpe　Ambrose；　sir；〃　said　this
  ancient　of　the　gardens。　〃My　name　is　Abraham　Sage。　I've　been
  employed　in　the　grounds　for　more　than　forty　years；　and　I　hope
  you'll　be　pleased　to　continue　me　in　my　place。〃
  So；　with　vision　inexorably　limited　to　the　horizon　of　his　own
  prospects；　spoke　the　gardener；　and　spoke　in　vain。　Allan　was　down
  on　his　knees　on　the　gravel　walk；　collecting　the　fallen　flowers；
  and　forming　his　first　impressions　of　Miss　Milroy　from　the　feet
  upward。
  She　was　pretty；　she　was　not　pretty；　she　charmed；　she
  disappointed；　she　charmed　again。　Tried　by　recognized　line　and
  rule；　she　was　too　short　and　too　well　developed　for　her　age。　And
  yet　few　men's　eyes　would　have　wished　her　figure　other　than　it
  was。　Her　hands　were　so　prettily　plump　and　dimpled　that　it　was
  hard　to　see　how　red　they　were　with　the　blessed　exuberance　of
  youth　and　health。　Her　feet　apologized　gracefully　for　her　old　and
  ill