Lecount that the
strange lady was better informed than she had at first suspected, and
that it might hardly be wise, under the circumstances, to dismiss her
unheard.
"Pray pardon me," said the housekeeper, "I scarcely understood before;
I perfectly understand now. You are mistaken, ma'am, in supposing that
I am of any importance, or that I exercise any influence in this painful
matter. I am the mouth-piece of Mr. Noel Vanstone; the pen he holds, if
you will excuse the expression--nothing more. He is an invalid, and like
other invalids, he has his bad days and his good. It was his bad day
when that answer was written to the young person--shall I call her
Miss Vanstone? I will, with pleasure, poor girl; for who am I to make
distinctions, and what is it to me whether her parents were married or
not? As I was saying, it was one of Mr. Noel Vanstone's bad days when
that answer was sent, and therefore I had to write it; simply as his
secretary, for want of a better. If you wish to speak on the subject of
these young ladies--shall I call them young ladies, as you did just now?
no, poor things, I will call them the Misses Vanstone.--If you wish to
speak on the subject of these Misses Vanstone, I will mention your name,
and your object in favoring me with this call, to Mr.
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