Mrs.Medlicott came nearest to her as a companion of this sort; and her ladyship talked more to Mrs.Medlicott, in a kind of familiar way, than she did to all the rest of the household put together.

But Mrs.Medlicott was silent by nature, and did not reply at any great length.

Adams, indeed, was the only one who spoke much to Lady Ludlow.
After we had worked away about an hour at the bureau, her ladyship said we had done enough for one day; and as the time was come for her afternoon ride, she left me, with a volume of engravings from Mr.
Hogarth's pictures on one side of me (I don't like to write down the names of them, though my lady thought nothing of it, I am sure), and upon a stand her great prayer-book open at the evening psalms for the day, on the other.

But as soon as she was gone, I troubled myself little with either, but amused myself with looking round the room at my leisure.

The side on which the fire-place stood was all panelled,--part of the old ornaments of the house, for there was an Indian paper with birds and beasts and insects on it, on all the other sides.