The Thursday was as fine a summer's day as ever you saw: and my lady and

Miss Rachel (not expecting Mr. Franklin till dinner-time) drove out to

lunch with some friends in the neighbourhood.

When they were gone, I went and had a look at the bedroom which had

been got ready for our guest, and saw that all was straight. Then,

being butler in my lady's establishment, as well as steward (at my own

particular request, mind, and because it vexed me to see anybody but

myself in possession of the key of the late Sir John's cellar)--then,

I say, I fetched up some of our famous Latour claret, and set it in the

warm summer air to take off the chill before dinner. Concluding to set

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myself in the warm summer air next--seeing that what is good for old

claret is equally good for old age--I took up my beehive chair to go out

into the back court, when I was stopped by hearing a sound like the soft

beating of a drum, on the terrace in front of my lady's residence.

Going round to the terrace, I found three mahogany-coloured Indians, in

white linen frocks and trousers, looking up at the house.

The Indians, as I saw on looking closer, had small hand-drums slung in

front of them. Behind them stood a little delicate-looking light-haired

English boy carrying a bag. I judged the fellows to be strolling

conjurors, and the boy with the bag to be carrying the tools of their

trade. One of the three, who spoke English and who exhibited, I must

own, the most elegant manners, presently informed me that my judgment

was right. He requested permission to show his tricks in the presence of

the lady of the house.

Now I am not a sour old man. I am generally all for amusement, and the

last person in the world to distrust another person because he happens

to be a few shades darker than myself. But the best of us have our

weaknesses--and my weakness, when I know a family plate-basket to be

out on a pantry-table, is to be instantly reminded of that basket by the

sight of a strolling stranger whose manners are superior to my own. I

accordingly informed the Indian that the lady of the house was out; and

I warned him and his party off the premises. He made me a beautiful bow

in return; and he and his party went off the premises. On my side, I

returned to my beehive chair, and set myself down on the sunny side of

the court, and fell (if the truth must be owned), not exactly into a

sleep, but into the next best thing to it.

I was roused up by my daughter Penelope running out at me as if the

house was on fire. What do you think she wanted? She wanted to have the

three Indian jugglers instantly taken up; for this reason, namely, that

they knew who was coming from London to visit us, and that they meant

some mischief to Mr. Franklin Blake.




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