“I did, Anna. I watched her and others of her tribe while they were telling fortunes. I saw their insight gave them a foresight that the ignorant and superficial might mistake for supernatural powers of second sight and prophecy. I saw how they worked. For instance, they know as a general fact that the wishes of the young run upon love; those of the middle-aged upon money and worldly success; those of the old upon long life. Therefore, to the young they always promise success in love; to the mature, success in money matters; to the aged, length of days. If they see a look of sorrow upon a young face, and no apparent cause, like a suit of deep mourning, for it, they will tell the dupe that he or she has been crossed in love, but that all will end well. If a look of care upon a middle-aged face, they will speak of monetary anxieties; but they will also promise a fortunate issue to the difficulty. If of weariness upon an old face, they will still talk of long and happy years to come. Moreover, they think since opposites usually attract each other, that it is safe to tell a blonde young lady that a dark young gentleman is thinking of her, and a brunette that her thoughts favor the attachment of a certain fair ‘complected’ gentleman; and generally they hit the truth.”
“Yes, the rule most generally holds good. Witness Alick, Dick, you and me. Alick, a blonde, jilted me, another blonde, for you, a brunette. And I was very willing to be left free to marry my dark-haired Dick.”
While Anna spoke the door opened and little Lenny entered, dragging in his nurse, and full of excitement.
“Man! man! div Lenny dit!” he exclaimed, holding out a silver whistle to view, and then putting it to his lips and blowing a shrill blast.
“Oh! oh! oh! goodness sake what lunatic gave the boy that? We shall be deafened!” exclaimed Anna, clapping her hands to her ears.
Drusilla trembled with pleasure, for she instinctively knew the donor of the whistle; but she smiled and lifted the boy in her arms, called Pina to follow, and went to her own room.
“Who gave it to him, Pina?” she asked, as soon as she had shut the door.
“His father, ma’am.”
“Tell me all about it.”
“We were walking around the square, when all of a sudden who should come up but Mr. Alick—I mean Lord Killpeople, as they call him here.”