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Le Fanu, Joseph Sheridan, 1814-1873

"Uncle Silas A Tale of Bartram-Haugh"


After our encounter of to-day, indeed, it was Miss 'Beauty's' wont to
exhibit a kind of jeering disdain in her countenance whenever we passed.
I think Milly would have engaged her again, had I not reminded her of her
undertaking, and exerted my new authority.
'Look at that sneak, Pegtop, there, going up the path to the mill. He makes
belief now he does not see us; but he does, though, only he's afraid we'll
tell the Governor, and he thinks Governor won't give him his way with you.
I hate that Pegtop: he stopped me o' riding the cows a year ago, he did.'
I thought Pegtop might have done worse. Indeed it was plain that a total
reformation was needed here; and I was glad to find that poor Milly seemed
herself conscious of it; and that her resolution to become more like other
people of her station was not a mere spasm of mortification and jealousy,
but a genuine and very zealous resolve.
I had not half seen this old house of Bartram-Haugh yet. At first, indeed,
I had but an imperfect idea of its extent. There was a range of rooms along
one side of the great gallery, with closed window-shutters, and the doors
generally locked.


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