hadledhimintoourkitchen，withanapologyateverystep，andgivenhimhotschnappsandwater，andacigarroofbraveTomFaggus：’younevercansaymuch，sir，inthewayofreasoninghowevergentlymeantandputbutwhatthesewomenwillflyout。Itiswisertoputawildbirdinacage，andexpecthimtositandlookatyou，andchirpwithoutafeatherrumpled，thanitistoexpectawomantoanswerreasonreasonably。’
Sayingthis，helookedathispuffofsmokeasifitcontainedmorereason。
’IamsureIdonotknow，sir，’Iansweredaccordingtoaphrasewhichhasalwaysbeenmyfavourite，onaccountofitsgeneraltruth：moreover，hewasnowourguest，andhadrighttobetreatedaccordingly：’Iam，asyousee，notacquaintedwiththewaysofwomen，exceptmymotherandsisters。’
’Exceptnoteventhem，myson，saidtheCounsellor，nowhavingfinishedhisglass，withoutmuchconsultationaboutit；’ifyouonceunderstandyourmotherandsisters——whyyouunderstandthelotofthem。’
Hemadeatwistinhiscloudofsmoke，anddashedhisfingerthroughit，sothatIcouldnotfollowhismeaning，andinmannerslikednottopresshim。
’Nowofthisbusiness，John，’hesaid，aftergettingtothebottomofthesecondglass，andhavingatrifleorsotoeat，andpraisingourchimney-corner；’takingyouonthewhole，youknow，youarewonderfullygoodpeople；andinsteadofgivingmeuptothesoldiers，asyoumighthavedone，youaredoingyourbesttomakemedrunk。’
’Notatall，sir，’Ianswered；’notatall，yourworship。Letmemixyouanotherglass。Werarelyhaveagreatgentlemanbythesideofourembersandoven。
Ionlybegyourpardon，sir，thatmysisterAnniewhoknowswheretofindallthegoodpansandthelard
couldnotwaituponyouthisevening；andIfeartheyhavedoneitwithdrippinginstead，andinapanwiththebottomburned。ButoldBettyquitelosesherheadsometimes，bydintofover-scolding。’
’Myson，’repliedtheCounsellor，standingacrossthefrontofthefire，toprovehisstrictsobriety：’I
meanttocomedownuponyouto-night；butyouhaveturnedthetablesuponme。Notthroughanyskillonyourpart，northroughanypaltryweaknessastoloveandallthatstuff，whichboysandgirlsspintopsat，orknockdolls’nosestogether，butthroughyoursimplewayoftakingme，asamantobebelieved；
combinedwiththecomfortofthisplace，andthechoicetobaccoandcordials。Ihavenotenjoyedaneveningsomuch，GodblessmeifIknowwhen!’
’Yourworship，’saidI，’makesmemoreproudthanI
wellknowwhattodowith。Ofallthethingsthatpleaseandleadusintohappysleepatnight，thefirstandchiefestistothinkthatwehavepleasedavisitor。’
’Then，John，thouhastdeservedgoodsleep；forIamnotpleasedeasily。Butalthoughourfamilyisnotsohighnowasithathbeen，Ihaveenoughofthegentlemanlefttobepleasedwhengoodpeopletryme。
Myfather，SirEnsor，wasbetterthanIinthisgreatelementofbirth，andmysonCarverisfarworse。
Aetasparentum，whatisit，myboy？Ihearthatyouhavebeenatagrammar-school。’
’SoIhave，yourworship，andataverygoodone；butI
onlygotfarenoughtomakemoretailthanheadofLatin。’
’Letthatpass，’saidtheCounsellor；’John，thouartallthewiser。’Andtheoldmanshookhishoarylocks，asifLatinhadbeenhisruin。Ilookedathimsadly，andwonderedwhetheritmighthavesoruinedme，butforGod’smercyinstoppingit。
ThatnightthereverendCounsellor，notbeinginsuchstateofmindasoughttogoalone，kindlytookourbestoldbedstead，carvedinpanels，wellenough，withthewomanofSamaria。Isethimup，bothstraightandheavy，sothatheneedbutclosebotheyes，andkeephismouthjustopen；andinthemorninghewasthankfulforallthathecouldremember。
I，formypart，scarcelyknewwhetherhereallyhadbeguntofeelgoodwilltowardsus，andtoseethatnothingelsecouldbeofanyusetohim；orwhetherhewasmerelyacting，soastodeceiveus。Andithadstruckme，severaltimes，thathehadmadeagreatdealmoreofthespirithehadtakenthanthequantitywouldwarrant，withamansowiseandsolid。NeitherdidI
quiteunderstandalittlestorywhichLornatoldme，howthatinthenightawaking，shehadheard，orseemedtohear，asoundoffeelinginherroom；asiftherehadbeensomeonegropingcarefullyamongthethingswithinherdrawersorwardrobe-closet。Butthenoisehadceasedatonce，shesaid，whenshesatupinbedandlistened；andknowinghowmanymicewehad，shetookcourageandfellasleepagain。
Afterbreakfast，theCounsellorwholookednowhittheworseforschnapps，butevenmoregraveandvenerable
followedourAnnieintothedairy，toseehowwemanagedtheclottedcream，ofwhichhehadeatenabasinful。Andthereupontheytalkedalittle；andAnniethoughthimafineoldgentleman，andaveryjustone；forhehadnoblycondemnedthepeoplewhospokeagainstTomFaggus。
’Yourhonourmustplainlyunderstand，’saidAnnie，beingnowalonewithhim，andspreadingoutherlightquickhandsoverthepans，likebutterflies，’thattheyarebroughtinheretocool，afterbeingsetinthebasin-holes，withthewood-ashunderthem，whichI
showedyouintheback-kitchen。Andtheymusthaveverylittleheat，notenoughtosimmereven；onlyjusttomakethebubblesrise，andthescumuponthetopsetthick；andafterthat，itclotsasfirm——oh，asfirmasmytwohandsbe。’
’Haveyoueverheard，’askedtheCounsellor，whoenjoyedthistalkwithAnnie，’thatifyoupassacrossthetop，withoutbreakingthesurface，astringofbeads，orpolishedglass，oranythingofthatkind，thecreamwillsetthreetimesassolid，andinthricethequantity？’
’No，sir；Ihaveneverheardthat，’saidAnnie，staringwithallhersimpleeyes；’whatathingitistoreadbooks，andgrowlearned!Butitisveryeasytotryit：
Iwillgetmycoralnecklace；itwillnotbewitchcraft，willit，sir？’
’Certainlynot，’theoldmanreplied；’Iwillmaketheexperimentmyself；andyoumaytrustmenottobehurt，mydear。Butcoralwillnotdo，mychild，neitherwillanythingcoloured。Thebeadsmustbeofplaincommonglass；butthebrightertheyarethebetter。’
’ThenIknowtheverything，’criedAnnie；’asbrightasbrightcanbe，andwithoutanycolourinit，exceptinthesunorcandlelight。DearestLornahastheverything，anecklaceofsomeoldglass-beads，orIthinktheycalledthemjewels：shewillbetoogladtolendittous。Iwillgoforit，inamoment。’
’Mydear，itcannotbehalfsobrightasyourownprettyeyes。Butrememberonething，Annie，youmustnotsaywhatitisfor；oreventhatIamgoingtouseit，oranythingatallaboutit；elsethecharmwillbebroken。Bringithere，withoutaword；ifyouknowwhereshekeepsit。’
’TobesureIdo，’sheanswered；’Johnusedtokeepitforher。Butshetookitawayfromhimlastweek，andsheworeitwhen——Imeanwhensomebodywashere；andhesaiditwasveryvaluable，andspokewithgreatlearningaboutit，andcalleditbysomeparticularname，whichIforgetatthismoment。Butvaluableornot，wecannothurtit，canwe，sir，bypassingitoverthecream-pan？’
’Hurtit!’criedtheCounsellor：’nay，weshalldoitgood，mydear。Itwillhelptoraisethecream：andyoumaytakemywordforit，youngmaiden，nonecandogoodinthisworld，withoutinturnreceivingit。’
Pronouncingthisgreatsentiment，helookedsograndandbenevolent，thatAnnieasshesaidafterwards
couldscarceforbearfromkissinghim，yetfearedtotaketheliberty。Therefore，sheonlyranawaytofetchmyLorna’snecklace。
Nowasluckwouldhaveit——whethergoodluckorotherwise，youmustnotjudgetoohastily，——mydarlinghadtakenitintoherhead，onlyadayortwobefore，thatIwasfartoovaluabletobetrustedwithhernecklace。Nowthatshehadsomeideaofitspriceandquality，shehadbeguntofearthatsomeone，perhapsevenSquireFaggusinwhomherfaithwasilliberal，mightformdesignsagainstmyhealth，towinthebaublefromme。So，withmanyprettycoaxings，shehadledmetogiveitup；which，exceptforherownsake，Iwasgladenoughtodo，mislikingachargeofsuchimportance。
ThereforeAnniefounditsparklinginthelittlesecrethole，neartheheadofLorna’sbed，whichsheherselfhadrecommendedforitssafercustody；andwithoutawordtoanyoneshebroughtitdown，anddanceditintheairbeforetheCounsellor，forhimtoadmireitslustre。
’Oh，thatoldthing!’saidthegentleman，inatoneofsomecontempt；’Irememberthatoldthingwellenough。
However，forwantofabetter，nodoubtitwillanswerourpurpose。Threetimesthree，Ipassitover。
Crinkleum，crankum，grassandclover!Whatareyoufearedof，yousillychild？’
’Goodsir，itisperfectwitchcraft!Iamsureofthat，becauseitrhymes。Oh，whatwouldmothersaytome？
ShallIevergotoheavenagain？Oh，Iseethecreamalready!’
’Tobesureyoudo；butyoumustnotlook，orthewholecharmwillbebroken，andthedevilwillflyawaywiththepan，anddrowneverycowyouhavegotinit。’
’Oh，sir，itistoohorrible。Howcouldyouleadmetosuchasin？Awaywiththee，witchofEndor!’
Forthedoorbegantocreak，andabroomappearedsuddenlyintheopening，withourBetty，nodoubt，behindit。ButAnnie，inthegreatestterror，slammedthedoor，andboltedit，andthenturnedagaintotheCounsellor；yetlookingathisface，hadnotthecouragetoreproachhim。Forhiseyesrolledliketwoblazingbarrels，andhiswhiteshaggedbrowswereknitacrossthem，andhisforeheadscowledinblackfurrows，sothatAnniesaidthatifsheeversawthedevil，shesawhimthen，andnomistake。Whethertheoldmanwishedtoscareher，orwhetherhewastryingnottolaugh，ismorethanIcantellyou。
’Now，’hesaid，inadeepsternwhisper；’notawordofthistoalivingsoul；neithermustyou，noranyotherenterthisplaceforthreehoursatleast。Bythattimethecharmwillhavedoneitswork：thepanwillbecreamtothebottom；andyouwillblessmeforasecretwhichwillmakeyourfortune。Putthebaubleunderthispannikin；whichnonemustliftforadayandanight。Havenofear，mysimplewench；notabreathofharmshallcometoyou，ifyouobeymyorders’
’Oh，thatIwill，sir，thatIwill：ifyouwillonlytellmewhattodo。’
’Gotoyourroom，withoutsomuchasasinglewordtoanyone。Boltyourselfin，andforthreehoursnow，readtheLord’sPrayerbackwards。’
PoorAnniewasonlytoogladtoescape，upontheseconditions；andtheCounsellorkissedherupontheforeheadandtoldhernottomakehereyesred，becausetheyweremuchtoosweetandpretty。Shedroppedthematthis，withasobandacurtsey，andranawaytoherbedroom；butasforreadingtheLord’sPrayerbackwards，thatwasmuchbeyondher；andshehadnotdonethreewordsquiteright，beforethethreehoursexpired。
MeanwhiletheCounsellorwasgone。Hebadeourmotheradieu，withsomuchdignityofbearing，andsuchwarmthofgratitude，andthehigh-bredcourtesyoftheoldschoolnowfastdisappearing，thatwhenhewasgone，dearmotherfellbackonthechairwhichhehadusedlastnight，asifitwouldteachherthegraces。Andformorethananhourshemadebelievenottoknowwhattherewasfordinner。
’Oh，thewickednessoftheworld!Oh，theliesthataretoldofpeople——orratherImeanthefalsehoods——becauseamanisbetterborn，andhasbettermanners!Why，Lorna，howisitthatyouneverspeakaboutyourcharminguncle？Didyounotice，Lizzie，howhissilverhairwaswavinguponhisvelvetcollar，andhowwhitehishandswere，andeverynaillikeanacorn；onlypinklikeshell-fish，oratleastlikeshells？Andthewayhebowed，anddroppedhiseyes，fromhispurerespectforme!Andthen，thathewouldnotevenspeak，onaccountofhisemotion；butpressedmyhandinsilence!Oh，Lizzie，youhavereadmebeautifulthingsaboutSirGallyhead，andtherest；
butnothingtoequalSirCounsellor。’
’Youhadbettermarryhim，madam，’saidI，cominginverysternly；thoughIknewIoughtnottosayit：’hecanrepayyouradoration。Hehasstolenahundredthousandpounds。’
’John，’criedmymother，’youaremad!’Andyetsheturnedaspaleasdeath；forwomenaresoquickatturning；andsheinkledwhatitwas。
’OfcourseIam，mother；madaboutthemarvelsofSirGalahad。HehasgoneoffwithmyLorna’snecklace。