"I'll sound him," said the Robin; "don't you speak to him, whatever. He
might blow the gaff. I must begin by making him drunk, then he'll tell me
his real mind."
One fine morning the house was made much cleaner than usual; the rotatory
chair, in which they used to spin a maniac like a teetotum, the restraint
chairs, and all the paraphernalia were sent into the stable, and so
disposed that, even if found, they would look like things scorned and
dismissed from service: for Wolf, mind you, professed the non-restraint
system.
Alfred asked what was up, and found all this was in preparation for the
quarterly visit of the Commissioners: a visit intended to be a surprise;
but Drayton House always knew when they were coming, and the very names
of the two thunderbolts that thought to surprise them.
Mrs. Archbold communicated her knowledge in off-hand terms. "It is only
two old women: Bartlett and Terry."
The gentlemen thus flatteringly heralded arrived next day. One an aged,
infirm man, with a grand benevolent head, bald front and silver hair, and
the gold-headed cane of his youth, now a dignified crutch: the other an
ordinary looking little chap enough, with this merit--he was what he
looked.
Pages:
949
950
951
952
953
954
955
956
957
958
959
960
961
962
963
964
965
966
967
968
969
970
971
972
973