Page:Bleak House.djvu/164

 Mrs. Rouncewell is in attendance, and receives Sir Leicester's customary shake of the hand with a profound curtsey.

"How do you do, Mrs. Rouncewell ? I am glad to see you."

"I hope I have the honor of welcoming you in good health, Sir Leicester ?"

"In excellent health, Mrs. Rouncewell."

"My Lady is looking charmingly well," says Mrs. Rouncewell, with another curtsey.

My Lady signifies, without profuse expenditure of words, that she is as wearily well as she can hope to be.

But Rosa is in the distance, behind the housekeeper ; and my Lady, who has not subdued the quickness of her observation, whatever else she may have conquered, asks :

"Who is that girl?"

"A young scholar of mine, my Lady. Rosa."

"Come here, Rosa !" Lady Dedlock beckons her, with even an appearance of interest. "Why, do you know how pretty you are, child ?" she says, touching her shoulder with her two forefingers.

Rosa, very much abashed, says "No, if you please, my Lady !" and glances up, and glances down, and don't know where to look, but looks all the prettier.

"How old are you ?"

"Nineteen, my Lady."

"Nineteen," repeats my Lady, thoughtfully. "Take care they don't spoil you by flattery."

"Yes, my Lady."

My Lady taps her dimpled cheek with the same delicate gloved fingers, and goes on to the foot of the oak staircase, where Sir Leicester pauses for her as her knightly escort. A staring old Dedlock in a panel, as large as life and as dull, looks as if he didn't know what to make of it—which was probably his general state of mind in the days of Queen Elizabeth.

That evening, in the housekeeper's room, Rosa can do nothing but murmur Lady Dedlock's praises. She is so affable, so graceful, so beautiful, so elegant ; has such a sweet voice, and such a thrilling touch, that Rosa can feel it yet ! Mrs. Rouncewell confirms all this, not without personal pride, reserving only the one point of affability. Mrs. Rouncewell is not quite sure as to that. Heaven forbid that she should say a syllable in dispraise of any member of that excellent family ; above all, of my Lady, whom the whole world admires ; but if my Lady would only be "a little more free," not quite so cold and distant, Mrs. Rouncewell thinks she would be more affable.

" 'Tis almost a pity," Mrs. Rouncewell adds—only " almost," because it borders on impiety to suppose that anything could be better than it is, in such an express dispensation as the Dedlock affairs ; "that my Lady has no family. If she had had a daughter now, a grown young lady, to interest her, I think she would have had the only kind of excellence she wants."

"Might not that have made her still more proud, grandmother ?" says Watt ; who has been home and come back again, he is such a good grandson.

"More and most, my dear," returns the housekeeper with dignity,