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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 fitting shoes； and her shoulders made ample amends for the
misdemeanor in muslin which covered them in the shape of a dress。
Her dark…gray eyes were lovely in their clear softness of color；
in their spirit； tenderness； and sweet good humor of expression；
and her hair （where a shabby old garden hat allowed it to be
seen） was of just that lighter shade of brown which gave value by
contrast to the darker beauty of her eyes。 But these attractions
passed； the little attendant blemishes and imperfections of this
self…contradictory girl began again。 Her nose was too short； her
mouth was too large； her face was too round and too rosy。 The
dreadful justice of photography would have had no mercy on her；
and the sculptors of classical Greece would have bowed her
regretfully out of their studios。 Admitting all this； and more；
the girdle round Miss Milroy's waist was the girdle of Venus
nevertheless； and the passkey that opens the general heart was
the key she carried； if ever a girl poss