“Bid him come hither,” says I, and laughed to myself, as I often did, to think of the esteem wherein Loll Duss was held by our servants and country-people, they verily conceiving him, as I believe, to be a prince in his own country, from all he told ’em touching the wearing of cotton stuffs every day and the like (though indeed calicut and muslin is as common with the Indosthans as linen and woollen with us). The villagers all called him _the ’Squire’s black gentleman_, though indeed he was but little blacker than themselves; and now that the maids had left off to hollow and run away if they chanced to meet him in the passages, the other servants did all take a pride in the air of distinction that he shed upon the household. These thoughts being in my mind, he came in, wearing a laced suit of my livery and a great _turbant_ of cambric, very neat, and saluting us after the Indian fashion (which I always had him use, it having so much more noble an air than the customary bowings of our servants), awaited my pleasure. “Well, Loll Duss,” says I, “what is’t?” “Master,” says he, “at the inn in the town is the Ferringhee lord that come from Agra to Surat with your honour, and his lady, that are come from London in my Lady Harmarthwaite’s coach, going on a visit to her ladyship. But the Ferringhee lord was took very sick on his journey, so as they was forced to tarry at the inn, and the gentleman physician from the town hath been attending upon him, so that he is by now somewhat eased.” “The viscount and Madam Heliodora here!” says I, and was so much astonished at the news that I could say no more, but only looked at my wife, who answered Loll Duss for me-- “Is my lord viscount very sick, Loll Duss, or will he and his lady continue their journey to-morrow?” “The Ferringhee lord is somewhat amended, mistress,” says Loll Duss; “but I heard say at the inn that he must needs abide there some two or three days.” “Perhaps ’twould be well for me to go see whether I can be of any service, my dear?” says I. “Not to-night, sir,” says Dorothy. “’Twould but incommode his lordship at this hour. Pray return to the inn, Loll Duss, and inquire whether this house can furnish aught that may contribute to his lordship’s recovery, and say that Mr Carlyon and I will do ourselves the honour of waiting upon my lady viscountess in the morning, if it suit with her convenience.” Loll Duss saluted us again, and departed, and Dorothy and I sat silent for a while. At the last she looked up suddenly. “Ned,” says she, “should you now be happier if Madam Heliodora had--had never rejected your vows at St Thomas?”