Miss Wewitz, however, was too deeply concerned in what she was relating to pay any attention to other matters; and though her pupil kept continually interjecting “Indeed!” and “Dear me!” and “Really, you don’t say so!” it was evident that her thoughts were otherwise occupied, and that she had really not the slightest idea of what Miss Wewitz was talking about. “And would you believe it, my love?” continued the schoolmistress; “the inspector tells me I have no means of getting quit of the wretches but by an action of ejectment, and that will take a year at least; so, do you know, he advises me”—and here the lady looked towards the door, to satisfy herself that no one was within hearing—“do you know, my dear, he advises me, I say”—but, to satisfy herself that the communication she was about to make could not be overheard, the lady rose from her seat, and opened the music-room door to see whether any one were in the passage listening—“he advises, I repeat, if I find I cannot get them out of the house by any other means, to offer them, first, ten pounds to go, and even to go as high as fifty, rather than allow them to continue under the roof; though of course, my love, for obvious reasons, I don’t want this to be known to a soul beside ourselves, for, if it should get to the ears of any of the gang, why of course they wouldn’t stir a foot until I had given them the whole fifty. And you’d hardly credit it, my dear, but the inspector—he really is a very nice, agreeable man, and the poor fellow lost his wife last Easter holidays—he tells me that the wretches of Frenchmen might, if they chose, open a show in my best bed-room. Oh! my dear child, think of that! So pray, for gracious sake! do be cautious not to let a word of this escape your lips; for, should they but come to hear, by any accident, what lengths the law will allow them to go to, they would never leave the place until they had succeeded in draining me of my last penny.” Here again the cover of the celestial globe was seen to shake its side violently, as if internally convulsed with laughter—when Miss Wewitz, observing the glances of her pupil to be turned in that direction, suddenly perceived that the globe still remained uncovered. “My dear Miss Chutney!” she exclaimed, “how forgetful you are—do you see that you have left the case off the globe; and are you aware that those things cost a great deal of money.” “Oh, if you please, ma’am,” stammered the East Indian, “a—a—I was—em—a—waiting for you just to show to me which was the dragon that is so near the bear, if you please, ma’am.” “That will do another time, Miss Chutney,” answered the schoolmistress, pettishly; “for really I have something else to think of just now—so pray put the cover on—there’s a good child.”