"I' lltellyouwhatitis, sir, " shesaid; "bogiesisallkindsandsortsofthings—exceptbogies! Ratsandmice, andbeetles, andcreakydoors, andlooseslates, andbrokenpanes, andstiffdrawerhandles, ! Itisold—hundredsofyearsold! Doyouthinkthere'snoratsandbeetlesthere! Anddoyouimagine, sir, thatyouwon'tseenoneofthem? Ratsisbogies, Itellyou, andbogiesisrats; anddon' tyougettothinkanythingelse!"
", " saidMalcolmsongravely, makingherapolitebow, "youknowmorethanaSeniorWrangler! Andletmesay, that, asamarkofesteemforyourindubitablesoundnessofheadandheart, Ishall, whenIgo, giveyoupossessionofthishouse, andletyoustayherebyyourselfforthelasttwomonthsofmytenancy, forfourweekswillservemypurpose."
"Thankyoukindly, sir!" sheanswered, "butIcouldn''sCharity, ; andthere', sir, I' dgladlycomehereandattendonyoualtogetherduringyourstay."
"Mygoodwoman, " saidMalcolmsonhastily, "Ihavecomehereonpurposetoobtainsolitude; andbelievemethatIamgratefultothelateGreenhowforhavingsoorganisedhisadmirablecharity—whateveritis—thatIamperforcedeniedtheopportunityofsufferingfromsuchaformoftemptation! SaintAnthonyhimselfcouldnotbemorerigidonthepoint!"
Theoldwomanlaughedharshly."Ah, youyounggentlemen, " shesaid, "youdon'tfearfornaught; andbelikeyou' llgetallthesolitudeyouwanthere." Shesettoworkwithhercleaning; andbynightfall, whenMalcolmsonreturnedfromhiswalk—healwayshadoneofhisbookstostudyashewalked—hefoundtheroomsweptandtidied, afireburningintheoldhearth, thelamplit, 'sexcellentfare."Thisiscomfort, indeed, " hesaid, asherubbedhishands.
Whenhehadfinishedhissupper, andliftedthetraytotheotherendofthegreatoakdining-table, hegotouthisbooksagain, putfreshwoodonthefire, trimmedhislamp, 'clock, whenheknockedoffforabittofixhisfireandlamp, -drinker, , andheenjoyeditwithasenseofdelicious, , andthrewquaintshadowsthroughthegreatoldroom; .
