The dogs followed him, and placed themselves, with the utmost gravity
and composure, one on each side of his chair. This was Admiral Bartram,
and these were the companions of his solitary meal.
"Ay! ay! ay! here's the new parlor-maid, to be sure!" he began, looking
sharply, but not at all unkindly, at Magdalen. "What's your name, my
good girl? Louisa, is it? I shall call you Lucy, if you don't mind.
Take off the cover, my dear--I'm a minute or two late to-day. Don't
be unpunctual to-morrow on that account; I am as regular as clock-work
generally. How are you after your journey? Did my spring-cart bump you
about much in bringing you from the station? Capital soup this--hot as
fire--reminds me of the soup we used to have in the West Indies in the
year Three. Have you got your half-mourning on? Stand there, and let me
see. Ah, yes, very neat, and nice, and tidy. Poor Mrs. Girdlestone! Oh
dear, dear, dear, poor Mrs. Girdlestone! You're not afraid of dogs, are
you, Lucy? Eh? What? You like dogs? That's right! Always be kind to
dumb animals. These two dogs dine with me every day, except when there's
company. The dog with the black nose is Brutus, and the dog with the
white nose is Cassius.
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