In the midst of this hilarity there sounded suddenly a jangling and
creaking of wires in the neighborhood of the ceiling, followed by a
clang.
"Measter's bell!" cried Susan, and, smoothing her apron, and
settling her countenance to a wonderful demureness and sobriety,
the little rascal tripped away. She was back in a minute.
"Measter wants to see tha," she said.
I got up and followed her from the room and up the stairs,
comfortable in body and mind, for sure, I thought, such
cheerfulness was of good augury: the master of such happy servants
could not be a very terrible man. Susan showed me into a large and
well-furnished room, where, though it was summer time, a big fire
was crackling merrily in the grate. On one side of it sat the
master in a deep chair, smoking a pipe of tobacco; on the other the
kind mistress was knitting. She smiled at me as I approached, and I
knew that she was not thinking of my strange garb. The master
hummed and hawed, as if in embarrassment how to address me; then,
in a jovial tone intended to set me at my ease he said:
"Had a good breakfast?"
I assured him that I had never made such a meal in my life.
"That's right. Now, we want you to tell us your story in your own
way; but mind, no beating about the bush."
I had already resolved to tell just so much as was necessary,
without naming names, so I began:
"I was on my way to Bristowe, sir, and two nights ago, being
overtaken by the rain, I sought shelter in a decayed barn near the
roadside, and slept among some hay.
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