At this moment, little Sam, who had made his escape in the confusion, came running in, breathless. "Papa! papa!" said he, "Lee has come home with a snake seven feet long." Lee was at the door with the reptile in his hand—a black snake, with a deep salmon-coloured belly, deadly venomous, as I knew. All the party went out to look at it, except the Doctor and Miss Thornton, who stayed at the fire-place.
"Mind your hands, Lee!" I heard James say; "though the brute is dead, you might prick your fingers with him."
I was behind all the others, waiting to look at the snake, which was somewhat of a large one, and worth seeing, so I could not help overhearing the conversation of Miss Thornton and the Doctor, and having heard the first of it my ears grew so unnaturally quickened, that I could not for the life of me avoid hearing the whole, though I was ashamed of playing eavesdropper.
"My God, sir!" I heard her say, "what new madness is this? Why do you persist in separating yourself from your family in this manner?"
"No madness at all, my dear madam," he answered; "you would have done the same under the circumstances. My brother was civil, but I saw he would rather have me away, and continue his stewardship. And so I let him."
Miss Thornton put another question which I did not catch, and the sense of which I could not supply, but I heard his answer plainly: it was,—
"Of course I did, my dear lady, and, just as you may suppose, when I walked up the Ritter Saal, there was a buzz and giggle, and not one held out his hand save noble Von H——; long life to him!"
"But—?" said Miss Thornton, mentioning somebody, whose name I could not catch.
"I saw him bend over to M—- as I came up to the Presence, and they both laughed. I saw a slight was intended, made my devoirs, and backed off. The next day he sent for me, but I was off and away. I heard of it before I left England."
"And will you never go back?" she said.