Mr. Horner was silent.  My lady was softened by his not replying, and began as she always did in such cases, to fear lest she had been too harsh.  I could tell that by her voice and by her next speech, as well as if I had seen her face.

“But I am sorry you are feeling the pressure of the affairs:  I am quite aware that I have entailed much additional trouble upon you by some of my measures:  I must try and provide you with some suitable assistance.  Copying letters and doing up accounts, I think you said?”

Mr. Horner had certainly had a distant idea of turning the little boy, in process of time, into a clerk; but he had rather urged this possibility of future usefulness beyond what he had at first intended, in speaking of it to my lady as a palliation of his offence, and he certainly was very much inclined to retract his statement that the letter-writing, or any other business, had increased, or that he was in the slightest want of help of any kind, when my lady after a pause of consideration, suddenly said—­

“I have it.  Miss Galindo will, I am sure, be glad to assist you.  I will speak to her myself.  The payment we should make to a clerk would be of real service to her!”

I could hardly help echoing Mr. Horner’s tone of surprise as he said—­

“Miss Galindo!”

For, you must be told who Miss Galindo was; at least, told as much as I know.  Miss Galindo had lived in the village for many years, keeping house on the smallest possible means, yet always managing to maintain a servant.  And this servant was invariably chosen because she had some infirmity that made her undesirable to every one else.  I believe Miss Galindo had had lame and blind and hump-backed maids.  She had even at one time taken in a girl hopelessly gone in consumption, because if not she would have had to go to the workhouse, and not have had enough to eat.  Of course the poor creature could not perform a single duty usually required of a servant, and Miss Galindo herself was both servant and nurse.

Her present maid was scarcely four feet high, and bore a terrible character for ill-temper.  Nobody but Miss Galindo would have kept her; but, as it was, mistress and servant squabbled perpetually, and were, at heart, the best of friends.  For it was one of Miss Galindo’s peculiarities to do all manner of kind and self-denying actions, and to say all manner of provoking things.  Lame, blind, deformed, and dwarf, all came in for scoldings without number:  it was only the consumptive girl that never had heard a sharp word.  I don’t think any of her servants liked her the worse for her peppery temper, and passionate odd ways, for they knew her real and beautiful kindness of heart:  and, besides, she had so great a turn for humour that very often her speeches amused as much or more than they irritated; and on the other side, a piece of witty impudence from her servant would occasionally tickle her so much and so suddenly, that she would burst out laughing in the middle of her passion.