I passed Rose's maid on the stairs, and her reverence was barely perceptible.' Evan murmured that he was very sorry, adding, foolishly: 'Do you really care, Louisa, for what servants think and say ?' The Countess sighed deeply: 'Oh! you are too thickskinned! Your mother from top to toe! It is too dreadful! What have I done to deserve it?
Oh, Evan, Evan!' Her head dropped in her lap.

There was something ludicrous to Evan in this excess of grief on account of such a business; but he was tender-hearted and wrought upon to declare that, whether or not he was to blame for his mother's intrusion that afternoon, he was ready to do what he could to make up to the Countess for her sufferings: whereat the Countess sighed again: asked him what he possibly could do, and doubted his willingness to accede to the most trifling request.
'No; I do in verity believe that were I to desire you to do aught for your own good alone, you would demur, Van.' He assured her that she was mistaken.
'We shall see,' she said.
'And if once or twice, I have run counter to you, Louisa--' 'Abominable language!' cried the Countess, stopping her ears like a child.

'Do not excruciate me so.

You laugh! My goodness! what will you come to!' Evan checked his smile, and, taking her hand, said: 'I must tell you; that, on the whole, I see nothing to regret in what has happened to-day.

You may notice a change in the manners of the servants and some of the country squiresses, but I find none in the bearing of the real ladies, the true gentlemen, to me.' 'Because the change is too fine for you to perceive it,' interposed the Countess.
'Rose, then, and her mother, and her father!' Evan cried impetuously.
'As for Lady Jocelyn!' the Countess shrugged: 'And Sir Franks!' her head shook: 'and Rose, Rose is, simply self-willed; a "she will" or "she won't" sort of little person.