I like my servants to be in good spirits; but it certainly did strike me that they were getting beyond reasonable limits.

I questioned my maid, and was informed that the noise was all due to the jokes of the strangest old man that ever was seen.
In other words, to the person whom my steward had taken it on himself to engage in the page's absence.

I spoke to Moody on the subject.

He answered in an odd, confused way, that he had exercised his discretion to the best of his judgment and that (if I wished it), he would tell the old man to keep his good spirits under better control.

I asked him how he came to hear of the man.