"Well, you ought to be, if you are not," said the lady. "I am. Keep away, Ellen Chauncey you can't be anywhere without talking. You can live without Ellen for half an hour, can't ye? Leave us a little while in quiet."
Ellen for her part was quite willing to be quiet. But Miss Sophia was not sleepy, and it soon appeared had no intention of being silent herself.
"Well, how do you like your brother in the pulpit?" she began.
"I like him anywhere, Ma'am," said Ellen, smiling a very unequivocal smile.
"I thought he would have come here with you last night; it is very mean of him! He never comes near us; he always goes to some wretched little lodging or place in the town there always; never so much as looks at Ventnor, unless sometimes he may stop for a minute at the door."
"He said he would come here to-night," said Ellen.
"Amazing condescending of him! However, he isn't like anybody else; I suppose we must not judge him by common rules. How is Mr. Humphreys, Ellen?"
"I don't know Ma'am," said Ellen; "it is hard to tell; he doesn't say much. I think he is rather more cheerful, if anything, than I expected he would be."
"And how do you get along there, poor child! with only two such grave people about you?"
"I get along very well, Ma'am," said Ellen, with what Miss
Sophia thought a somewhat curious smile.