CHAPTER III.

nant. “AndwhoisAdmiralCroft?”wasSirWalter’scoldsuspiciousinquiry. MrShepherdansweredforhisbeingofagentleman’sfamily,andmentionedaplaceandAnne,afterthelittlepausewhichfollowed,added— “Heisarearadmiralofthewhite.HewasintheTrafalgaraction,andhasbeenintheEastIndiessincehewasstationedthere,Ibelieve,severalyears.” “ThenItakeitforgranted,”observedSirWalter,“thathisfaceisaboutasorangeasthecuffsandcapesofmylivery.” MrShepherdhastenedtoassurehim,thatAdmiralCroftwasaveryhale,hearty,well-lookingman,alittleweather-beaten,tobesure,butnotmuch,andquitethegentlemaninallhisnotionsandbehaviournotlikelytomakethesmallestdifficultyaboutterms,onlywantedacomfortablehome,andtogetintoitassoonaspossibleknewhemustpayforhisconvenienceknewwhatrentaready-furnishedhouseofthatconsequencemightfetchshouldnothavebeensurprisedifSirWalterhadaskedmorehadinquiredaboutthemanorwouldbegladofthedeputation,certainly,butmadenogreatpointofitsaidhesometimestookoutagun,butneverkilledquitethegentleman. MrShepherdwaseloquentonthesubjectpointingoutallthecircumstancesoftheAdmiral’sfamily,whichmadehimpeculiarlydesirableasatenant.Hewasamarriedman,andwithoutchildrentheverystatetobewishedfor.Ahousewasnevertakengoodcareof,MrShepherdobserved,withoutalady:hedidnotknow,whetherfurnituremightnotbeindangerofsufferingasmuchwheretherewasnolady,aswherethereweremanychildren.Alady,withoutafamily,wastheverybestpreserveroffurnitureintheworld.HehadseenMrsCroft,tooshewasatTauntonwiththeadmiral,andhadbeenpresentalmostallthetimetheyweretalkingthematterover. “Andaverywell-spoken,genteel,shrewdlady,sheseemedtobe,”continuedhe“askedmorequestionsaboutthehouse,andterms,andtaxes,thantheAdmiralhimself,andseemedmoreconversantwithbusinessandmoreover,SirWalter,Ifoundshewasnotquiteunconnectedinthiscountry,anymorethanherhusbandthatistosay,sheissistertoagentlemanwhodidliveamongstusonceshetoldmesoherself:sistertothegentlemanwholivedafewyearsbackatMonkford.Blessme!whatwashisname?AtthismomentIcannotrecollecthisname,thoughIhavehearditsolately.Penelope,mydear,canyouhelpmetothenameofthegentlemanwholivedatMonkford:MrsCroft’sbrother?” ButMrsClaywastalkingsoeagerlywithMissElliot,thatshedidnotheartheappeal. “Ihavenoconceptionwhomyoucanmean,ShepherdIremembernogentlemanresidentatMonkfordsincethetimeofoldGovernorTrent.” “Blessme!howveryodd!Ishallforgetmyownnamesoon,Isuppose.AnamethatIamsoverywellacquaintedwithknewthegentlemansowellbysightseenhimahundredtimescametoconsultmeonce,Iremember,aboutatrespassofoneofhisneighboursfarmer’smanbreakingintohisorchardwalltorndownapplesstolencaughtinthefactandafterwar