Page:The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (emended first edition), Volume 1.djvu/164

152 "Ah, now! you know!" she slyly smiled and shook her head.

"I know nothing about them—What in the world do you mean, Eliza?"

"Oh, don't ask me!—I can't explain it." She took up the cambric handkerchief which she had been beautifying with a deep lace border, and began to be very busy.

"What is it, Miss Millward? what does she mean?" said I, appealing to her sister, who seemed to be absorbed in the hemming of a large, coarse sheet.

"I don't know," replied she.—"Some idle slander, somebody has been inventing, I suppose. I never heard it till Eliza told me, the other day,—but if all the parish dinned it in my ears, I should'nt believe a word of it—I know Mrs. Graham too well!"

"Quite right Miss Milward!—and so do I—whatever it may be."

"Well!" observed Eliza, with a gentle sigh—"It's well to have such a comfortable