Furnival's recommendation of "few words," she left to little Mary all she
possessed, adding, by the prompting of that recollection about the
witnesses, "She will take care of the servants." It filled one side only
of the large sheet of notepaper, which was what Lady Mary habitually
used. Brown, introduced timidly by Jervis, and a little overawed by the
solemnity of the bedchamber, came in and painted solidly his large
signature after the spidery lines of his mistress. She had folded down
the paper, so that neither saw what it was.
"Now I will go to bed," Lady Mary said, when Brown had left the room.
"And Jervis, you must go to bed too."
"Yes, my lady," said Jervis.
"I don't approve of courtship at this hour."
"No, my lady," Jervis replied, deprecating and disappointed.
"Why cannot he tell his tale in daylight?"
"Oh, my lady, there's no tale to tell," cried the maid. "We are not of
the gossiping sort, my lady, neither me nor Mr. Brown." Lady Mary
laughed, and watched while the candles were put out, the fire made a
pleasant flicker in the room,--it was autumn and still warm, and it was
"for company" and cheerfulness that the little fire was lit; she liked to
see it dancing and flickering upon the walls,--and then closed her eyes
amid an exquisite softness of comfort and luxury, life itself bearing her
up as softly, filling up all the crevices as warmly, as the downy pillow
upon which she rested her still beautiful old head.
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