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"It ain't the kind of rest-cure that'll agree with you, nor I guess any of us at Champo. There ain't no trouble with her that's bothering you?" He pointed with a backward jerk of his thumb to the house. "No."
This estate is the ancestral home of the Champneys, known as Champ-au-Haut, in the vernacular "Champo." At The Bow the highway turns suddenly, crosses a bridge over the Rothel and curves with the curving pine-fringed shores of the lake along the base of the mountain until it climbs the steep ascent that leads to Googe's Gore, the third division of the town of Flamsted.
We'll drop the subject; you must be aware it is not a particularly pleasant one to me." Octavius winced. Mrs. Champney smiled at the effect of her words; but he ignored her remark. "I like to see fair play, Mrs. Champney, and I've seen some things here in Champo since the old Judge died that's gone against me.
"Shampoo" comes from a verb "champna," to press or squeeze, and the imperative, "champo," as often happens, was the form in which it became English. Forbes, in his Oriental Memoirs, writes of "the effects of opium, champoing and other luxuries indulged in by Oriental sensualists."
"You can tell that best yourself there's no use your playing off I don't pretend to know anything about it, but I can put my finger on the very year and the very month you turned against Champney Googe who never had anything but a pleasant word for you ever since you was so high " he indicated a few feet on his whipstock "and first come to Champo.
He brought himself right side up at last, tears in his eyes and a sigh of satisfying exhaustion on his lips. To his mother's laughing query: "What is it now, Champney?" He shook his head as if words failed him; then he said huskily: "It's Aunt Meda's protégée. Oh, Great Scott! She'll be the death by shock of some of the Champo people if she stays another three months.
"Yes," he went on in answer to a question he read in the Colonel's eyes, "came up to see about the Champo property. Emlie told me this morning. Mr. Van Ostend and Tave and Father Honoré are up there now; I saw the automobile standing in the driveway as I came up on the car. Guess Tave has run the place about as long as he wants to alone.
"I guess Tave's got his hands too full at Champo to remember what's told him; what with the little girl an' Romanzo no offence, Colonel." He looked apologetically at the Colonel who waved his hand with an airiness that disposed at once of the idea of any feeling on his part in regard to family revelations.
Octavius nodded in reply; he was comprehending all that old man's words implied. He bade Quimber good night and walked on to The Greenbush. The Colonel found him more taciturn than usual that evening.... "I can't, Luigi, I can't marry you," she answered almost irritably. The two were nearing the entrance to Champo; the Italian was pleading his cause. "I can't so don't say anything more about it."
Upon my asking her gravely who was the fortunate man for I had no one in mind and feared some impulsive decision she pursed her lips, hesitated a moment, and, manufacturing a charming blush, said: 'I don't mind telling you; it's Mr. Octavius Buzzby. I'm to be his housekeeper for life and take care of him in his old age after his work and mine is finished at Champo. I confess, I was relieved."
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