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Now tell me plainly, do you remember anything strange of me, after I had gone to bed at night? Did you ever discover me walking in my sleep?" Betteredge stopped, looked at me for a moment, nodded his head, and walked on again. "I see your drift now, Mr. Franklin!" he said "You're trying to account for how you got the paint on your nightgown, without knowing it yourself. It won't do, sir.
Franklin, don't you know women by this time better than that? You have heard me talk of the late Mrs. Betteredge?" I had heard him talk of the late Mrs. Betteredge pretty often invariably producing her as his one undeniable example of the inbred frailty and perversity of the other sex. In that capacity he exhibited her now. "Very well, Mr. Franklin. Now listen to me.
"When we moved the ornaments in that part, we moved a statue of a fat naked child profanely described in the catalogue of the house as 'Cupid, god of Love. He had two wings last year, in the fleshy part of his shoulders. My eye being off him, for the moment, he lost one of them. Am I responsible for Cupid's wing?" I made another concession, and Betteredge made another note.
When Gabriel Betteredge sets the example," says I, stopping Superintendent Seegrave at the door, "the rest of the servants will follow, I promise you. There are my keys, to begin with!" My lady took me by the hand, and thanked me with the tears in her eyes. Lord! what would I not have given, at that moment, for the privilege of knocking Superintendent Seegrave down!
At this time, last year, you were suffering from nervous irritation, and you slept wretchedly at night. On the night of the birthday, however, there was an exception to the rule you slept soundly. Am I right, so far?" "Quite right!" "Can you assign any cause for the nervous suffering, and your want of sleep?" "I can assign no cause. Old Betteredge made a guess at the cause, I remember.
I'll go on with the letter, if you will allow me, sir," said Betteredge, drawing Rosanna Spearman's confession back to him. "It isn't lively reading, I grant you. But, there! it keeps me from getting sour with thinking of the past." He put on his spectacles, and wagged his head gloomily. "There's a bottom of good sense, Mr.
Towards sunset that evening I stood again on the well-remembered terrace, and looked once more at the peaceful old country house. The gardener was the first person whom I saw in the deserted grounds. He had left Betteredge, an hour since, sunning himself in the customary corner of the back yard. I knew it well; and I said I would go and seek him myself.
"I never settle on anything either. Betteredge, your edge is better than ever. Your daughter said as much, when I asked for particulars about the jugglers. 'Father will tell you, sir. He's a wonderful man for his age; and he expresses himself beautifully. Penelope's own words blushing divinely.
"Give me your reasons!" That was all I could say to him. "You shall hear my reasons to-morrow," said the Sergeant. And, as I don't know what may come of it, I shall request you to be present, and to hear what passes on both sides. Let the matter rest for to-night. No, Mr. Betteredge, you don't get a word more on the subject of the Moonstone out of me. There is your table spread for supper.
She is a nice plump young lass, and it is customary with me to adopt that manner of showing that I personally approve of a girl. "What's wrong now?" I said once more. "Rosanna's late again for dinner," says Nancy. "And I'm sent to fetch her in. All the hard work falls on my shoulders in this house. Let me alone, Mr. Betteredge!" The person here mentioned as Rosanna was our second housemaid.
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