Further inquiries, on the part of all the
female servants in succession, elicited no additional information of any
sort. Thomas could hum none of the songs, and could describe none of the
ladies' dresses. His audience, accordingly, gave him up in despair; and
the kitchen small-talk flowed back into its ordinary channels, until the
clock struck eight and startled the assembled servants into separating
for their morning's work.
A quarter past eight, and nothing happened. Half-past--and more signs
of life appeared from the bedroom regions. The next member of the family
who came downstairs was Mr. Andrew Vanstone, the master of the house.
Tall, stout, and upright--with bright blue eyes, and healthy, florid
complexion--his brown plush shooting-jacket carelessly buttoned awry;
his vixenish little Scotch terrier barking unrebuked at his heels;
one hand thrust into his waistcoat pocket, and the other smacking the
banisters cheerfully as he came downstairs humming a tune--Mr. Vanstone
showed his character on the surface of him freely to all men. An easy,
hearty, handsome, good-humored gentleman, who walked on the sunny side
of the way of life, and who asked nothing better than to meet all his
fellow-passengers in this world on the sunny side, too.
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