"Well, many of them do succeed," I remarked; "only they have to work hard for it. There's no royal road to success anywhere."
"True for you, ma'am,—true for you!" sighed the old woman. "'Tis the law, and 'twas a wise God that ordained it."
"I know one person that got rich without working," said Winifred, speaking suddenly and with a kind of imperiousness.
I looked at her in surprise, and the granny said, in a soothing tone:
"Ah, then, asthore, don't be bringin' in names! It's safer not."
Winifred, for answer, turned silently to the window, gazing out again, and I was left to conjecture that here was another mystery. What experience of life could this child have had? And who in that neighborhood could have grown rich, suddenly or otherwise? When I rose to go I expressed my desire to come again.
"Mebbe you'd have a curiosity to see more of the ould place," said the woman.
"But the castle is not a show place," cried Winifred, imperiously. "It's private property."
"God help your wit!" I heard the old woman mutter; but aloud she said with conciliation, almost deference:
"Sure you know as well as I do, Miss Winifred dear, that every castle in the country, even where the grand folks do be livin', is thrown open every now and again to travellers."