reverend gentleman, who suggested that they should at once ascertain the cause beyond doubt; and the immediate consequence of this suggestion was, that Judkins was duly summoned.
"Judkins," she observed, with the most perfect composure, "the questions which I am now about to put to you, I hope you will answer with truth."
"Cert'ney, ma'am!—cert'ney."
"In the first place, then, I have to ask how you account for that extraordinary confusion in the parlour?"
"It's my opinion, ma'am, that the place is bewitched!—that's my opinion."
"Judkins, what time did you go to bed last night?"
"About half-past ten, ma'am."
"And what time did you rise?"
"About nine, ma'am. I couldn't get up before, because of my clothes."
"Were you in the room the whole of that time?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"You didn't once leave it, from half-past ten last night until nine o'clock this morning?"
"No, ma'am."
"Are you quite sure of that?"
"Quite!"
"Judkins, if I discover that you are not telling me the truth, I will immediately discharge you; but if, repudiating falsehood, you confess to me now that those things in the parlour were disturbed by you—"
"By me, ma'am!" cried Judkins, in a state of astonishment; "I disturb the things, ma'am?"
"I have reason to suspect that they were disturbed you."
"Why, I wasn't out of bed, ma'am, the whole live-long night! Besides, why should I disturb them?"
"To annoy cook and Mary. You are not on the most friendly terms, I believe, with either."
"Oh, I don't know, ma'am; I never interfere with 'em. Mary's well enough; but cook's a cook, and you know what cooks is!—they're all alike. But if they was the very last words I had to speak, ma'am, I'd say I didn't touch them things."
"Judkins, I am at present bound to believe you; but if I find that you have been telling me a falsehood, I will on the instant discharge you!"
"You'll never find that, ma'am, I know; but I suppose, ma'am, that cook's been saying something against me!"
"No, not a word; nor have I at present spoken a word to her on the subject. But desire her to come to me now. The matter must not be allowed to rest here."
Judkins then left the room: and both his mistress and the reverend gentleman felt that he was innocent; while Sylvester, who had been watching the proceedings in silence, declared his conviction that Judkins was not the man, and pointed out the utter improbability of his having disturbed the things with the view of annoying cook, seeing that it was not cook's province to replace them. Aunt Eleanor, however, having commenced
