Attached to the locket was a narrow blue riband, wherefore,
passing this riband over my head, I hung the locket about my
neck. And having read through the message once more, I closed
the Virgil, and, replacing it on the shelf, set about brewing a
cup of tea, and so presently sat down to breakfast.
I had scarcely done so, however, when there came a timid knock at
the door, whereat I rose expectantly, and immediately sat down
again.
"Come in!" said I. The latch was slowly raised, the door swung
open, and the Ancient appeared. If I was surprised to see him at
such an hour, he was even more so, for, at sight of me, his mouth
opened, and he stood staring speechlessly, leaning upon his stick.
"Why, Ancient," said I, "you are early abroad this morning!"
"Lord!" he exclaimed, scarcely above a whisper.
"Come in and sit down," said I.
"Lord! Lord!" he murmured, "an' a-satin' 'is breakfus' tu.
Lordy, Lord!"
"Yes," I nodded, "and, such as it is, you are heartily welcome to
share it--sit down," and I drew up my other chair.
"A-eatin' 'is breakfus' as ever was!" repeated the old man,
without moving.
"And why not, Ancient?"
"Why not?" he repeated disdainfully. "'Cause breakfus' can't be
ate by a corp', can it?"
"A corpse, Ancient; what do you mean?"
"I means as a corp' aren't got no right to eat a breakfus'--no!"
"Why, I--no, certainly not."
"Consequently, you aren't a corp', you'll be tellin me."
"I?--no, not yet, God be thanked!"
"Peter," said the Ancient, shaking his head, and mopping his brow
with a corner of his neckerchief, "you du be forever a-givin' of
me turns, that ye du."
"Do I, Ancient?"
"Ay--that ye du, an' me such a aged man tu--such a very aged man.
I wonders at ye, Peter, an' me wi' my white 'airs--oh, I wonders
at ye!" said he, sinking into the chair I had placed for him and
regarding me with a stern, reproving eye.
"If you will tell me what I have been guilty of--" I began.
"I come down 'ere, Peter--so early as it be, to--I come down 'ere
to look for your corp', arter the storm an' what 'appened last
night. I comes down 'ere, and what does I find?--I finds ye
a-eatin' your breakfus'--just as if theer never 'adn't been no
storm at all--no, nor nothin' else."