"No, I don't think you will; but why have you brought me here to-night?" "Because I want to tell ee summin, my deer. Ah, Maaster Roger, tes terrible fur theer to be favourites in a house." I was silent. "They say how maaster is maaster; tedn't allays so, my deer. Missus es maaster sometimes. They say I'm a witch, my deer, do'ant um? I read the Bible, Maaster Roger. Iss, an ould woman like me, and theer I've seed that Isaac loved Esau best, and 'Becca, she loved Jacob best. Well, who got off best, my deer, hi? Iss, my deer, and they was twins, they both had wawn mawther." "What do you mean?" "I main that Maaster Roger'll have to be keerful, my deer. Ah, theer's jillusy in curious plaaces." "I don't at all understand what you mean." "No, but you will, my deer. Do'ee mind what I zed to 'ee 'esterday arternoon, dedn't I tell 'ee as 'ow you'd git nothin' but black looks for all yer explainin'?" "Yes, I remember." "Well, ded 'ee un. Was ould Debrah right or wrong?" "You were right, Deborah; but then, I was in the wrong. I should not have hurt him so." The old woman chuckled as I spoke, as though I were trying to hoax her. "And ef you wadn't in the wrong, they'd make ee in the wrong between 'em." "Deborah," I said, "you must be in the wrong. You talk as though my mother were my enemy." "Mawther!" she repeated, "who zed she was yer mawther?" For a minute I did not know what to say. Was she not my mother? Of course she was. I had ever been taught to call her mother, and my father had ever called her his wife. "Do you know what you are talking about?" I said, excitedly. "Knaw!" she repeated. "Knaw! Iss, and I cud tell 'ee lots ov things, Maaster Roger, my deer." "But what do you mean by hinting that my mother--that is--that--that she isn't my mother at all?" "Why es it that she've bin allays agin 'ee, hi? Why have she allays tried to shaw that you was in the wrong and yer brother in the right? Why es it that your eyes es black and yer hair brown and curly, while yer brother and sisters ev got blue eyes and yella hair, tell me that, will 'ee, my deer?" This had never struck me before; certainly there was no likeness between my brothers and sisters and myself. "B--but," I stammered. "No buts, my deer, I be'ant goin' to tell 'ee nothin' more, though ould Debrah do knaw lots ov things. There's no time, now, you've got other things to do, and a terrible lot to go through as soon as you git away. Hark, do 'ee 'ear that?" It was the sound of the breakers upon the rugged rocks and hard sea sand, while the wind blew and moaned dismally. "Dedn't ould Debrah tell 'ee ov a storm? Well, tes come, and, Roger, yer dark days es comin' on." "But what did you mean by telling me to come here to hear what I have? I am sure of nothing." "Main! I main this. Maaster Roger'll have to bee keerful of the woman he do call mawther. Watch her every day and watch Maaster Wilfred, too. Hark, do 'ee 'ear that?"