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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1892 edition. Excerpt:...reply. "It's such a joke," he said, holding his sides, "such a joke, VOL. I. 1. if you only knew! and I've half a mind to tell you, Meg, for you're a good sort." "Don't tell me anything, Gervase, for Heaven's sake, that I can't tell them. For, of course, I shall do so directly," Margaret cried. "Wouldn't you just like to know?" he said, and laughed again, and chucked her under the chin in convulsions of hilarity. She stood at the door of the room, escaping hastily from the possible confidence and the familiarity, and, trembling, saw him slide down the banisters to the half-lighted hall below, with a childish chuckle of triumph. A slip upon that swift descent, and all might have been over--the commotion and the exultation, the trouble and the fear. But Gervase came back again beaming, and kissed his hand to her as he disappeared into his own room. He felt that he had gained the day. CHAPTER XIII. THE household at Greyshott was much disturbed-and excited by the new idea thus thrown into the midst of them. Lady Piercey discussed it all next morning, not only with Margaret but with Parsons, whose views on the subject were very decided. She thought, but this within herself, that to get quit of the Softy, even for a few days, would be a great blessing to the house--though what she said was chiefly to agree with her mistress that a change, and to see a little of life, would be the best thing possible for Mr. Gervase. "'Tisn't good for any young man to be always at home," said Lady Piercey. "I remember a piece of poetry, or a hymn, or something, which I used to know, that had a line about home-keeping youths, and that they had...