He expected that his master would start up in his customary indignation at such a suggestion--nay, he might not have been sorry so to have changed the current of feeling; but the poor Italian only winced slightly, and mildly withdrawing himself from his servant's supporting arm, again paced the terrace, but this time quietly and in silence. A quarter of an hour thus passed. "Give me the pipe," said Dr Riccabocca, passing into the Belvidere. Jackeymo again struck the spark, and, wonderfully relieved at the Padrone's return to his usual adviser, mentally besought his sainted namesake to bestow a double portion of soothing wisdom on the benignant influences of the weed. CHAPTER XXI. Dr Riccabocca had been some little time in the solitude of the Belvidere, when Lenny Fairfield, not knowing that his employer was therein, entered to lay down a book which the Doctor had lent him, with injunctions to leave on a certain table when done with. Riccabocca looked up at the sound of the young peasant's step. "I beg your honour's pardon--I did not know--" "Never mind; lay the book there. I wish to speak with you. You look well, my child; this air agrees with you as well as that of Hazeldean?" "Oh yes, sir." "Yet it is higher ground, more exposed?" "That can hardly be, sir," said Lenny; "there are many plants grow here which don't flourish at the Squire's. The hill yonder keeps off the east wind, and the place lays to the south." "Lies, not _lays_, Lenny. What are the principal complaints in these parts?" "Eh, sir?" "I mean what maladies, what diseases?" "I never beard tell of any, sir, except the rheumatism." "No low fevers?--no consumption?" "Never heard of them, sir." Riccabocca drew a long breath, as if relieved. "That seems a very kind family at the Hall." "I have nothing to say against it," answered Lenny bluntly. "I have not been treated justly. But as that book says, sir, 'It is not every one who comes into the world with a silver spoon in his mouth.'" Little thought the Doctor that those wise maxims may leave sore thoughts behind them. He was too occupied with the subject most at his own heart to think then of what was in Lenny Fairfield's. "Yes; a kind, English, domestic family. Did you see much of Miss Hazeldean?" "Not so much as of the Lady." "Is she liked in the village, think you?" "Miss Jemima? Yes. She never did harm. Her little dog bit me once--she did not ask me to beg its pardon, she asked mine! She's a very nice young lady; the girls say she's very affable; and," added Lenny with a smile, "there are always more weddings going on when she's down at the Hall." "Oh!" said Riccabocca. Then, after a long whiff, "Did you ever see her play with the little children? Is she fond of children, do you think?" "Lord, sir, you guess everything! She's never so pleased as when she's playing with the babies."