[Midlands] Thee." All of which Mistress Jeanne heard distinctly, standing mi

[Tollner]

Ou like that?" "It is purely immaterial to me, Madame," replied Willan,
"where you live. I merely wish to know your address, that I may forward
to you the quarterly payments of your annuity. I should think it
probable," he added with an irony which was not thrown away on Jeanne,
"that you would be happier among your own relations and in the
occupations to which you were accustomed in your youth." Jeanne was not
deficient in spirit. As soon as she had ascertained beyond a doubt that
all that Willan had told her was true, and that there was no possibility
of her ever getting from the estate anything except her annuity, she
packed up all her possessions and left the house. No fine instinct had
restrained her from laying, hands on everything to which she could be
said to have a shadow of claim,--indeed, on many things to which she had
not,--and even Willan himself, who had been prepared for her probable
greed, was surprised when on returning to the house late one evening he
found the piazza piled high from one end to the other with her boxes.
Jeanne stood by with a defiant air, superintending the cording of the
last one. She anticipated some remonstrance or inquiry from Willan, and
was half disappointed when he passed by, giving no sign of having
observed the boxes at all, and simply lifting his hat to her with his
usual formality. The next morning, instead of the public vehicle which
Jeanne had engaged to call for her, her own coach and the gray horses
she had best liked were driven to the door. This unexpected tribute from
Willan almost disarmed her for the moment. It was