Page:Lady Barbarity; a romance (IA ladybarbarityrom00snai).pdf/129

 The foolish creature shook with fright.

"He is in my chamber," I added, with an air of tragedy.

"Oh, my lady!" says the maid.

There was too little time to plague her, though, which was perhaps as well, for I was in a mood that might have caused her to take an early departure from her wits. Instead of that, however, I told the story of the night with all the detail that was necessary. When I had done, the silly but delightful thing looked at me in a kind of holy wonder.

"Oh, your la'ship!" says she, in tones of very tolerable ecstasy. "What a heart you've got! What an angel's disposition!"

"No, my silly girl," says I, though not displeased to hear her say so. "I happen to have neither. An infernal deal of naughtiness is all that my character contains. A stranger sleeping in my chamber! Besides, you know you flatter me. For if no man is a hero to his valet, how possibly can a woman be an angel to her maid?"

To prove the soundness of this argument I grasped Mrs. Polly's ear, pinched it pretty badly, and asked her what she thought of my divinity.

She was soon into her clothes though, and had a fire lit; while I made haste to pull my shoes and stockings off, their condition was so horrid, and exchanged them for some dry ones, then set about warming my hands and toes, for they were causing me to grin with the fierce hot-ache that was in them. Having at last put my own person into a