She was a thoroughly respectable girl, and her presence was not in the
least irksome to me. I always thought it was a grand old feudal custom
when all the retainers dined at the baron's table, taking their place
below the salt. Surely there can be nothing derogatory to human dignity
in that, seeing that we shall one day eat bread together in the kingdom
of Heaven.
I wonder if half the governesses fared so luxuriously as I that day;
certainly the chicken and bread sauce was delicious. As soon as we had
finished, baby woke up, and I fed him, and then Joyce and he and I had a
fine game of romps together, in which Snap, and the kitten, and all
Joyce's dolls joined.
I had dressed the kitten up in doll's clothes, and the fun was at its
height, when the door opened, and Mr. Morton came in. I discovered
afterwards that it was his custom to make a brief visit to the nursery
once in the four and twenty hours, sometimes with his wife, but oftener
alone.
Joyce ran to him at once; she was devoted to her parents, especially to
her mother, but the boy refused to leave me, unless his father would
take the kitten too.
"I suppose I must humour you, my fine fellow," observed Mr. Morton,
pleasantly, as he kissed the little fellow with affection, and then he
turned to me.
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