"Methodist or not, I will be mistress at my own table!" answered the housekeeper. "And I will have you to know that, John Davis." The man answered sulkily that he meant no harm. It was no more than his betters did. "Aye, you must all ape your betters, though they were riding posthaste to perdition!" said Mrs. Wilson. And there the matter ended. That evening, I was alone in our bed room. My lady had taken the little red parlor for her own use, so I had no other place. I was sitting by the open window trying to compose my spirits reading Mr. Law's "Serious Call," which was, and is, a great favorite of mine, till it grew too dark to read, when I began singing softly to myself my favorite song from the Messiah. I had not finished it when Amabel entered the room. "All in the dark!" said she. "I did not expect you so early," was my answer, "and the twilight is so sweet, I do not like to shut it out. But how did you contrive to escape so soon?" "I was sent away in disgrace," was her reply. "My lady all but boxed my ears!" "Why, what was the matter?" "The matter was this. I had sat quietly in my corner, taking no part in what was going on, but talking with Miss Dugdale about our old convent life in France. She seems a nice modest young lady, and I wonder her mother should trust her here by herself. However, we were talking quietly, as I said, when my lady came up and asked me if I knew how to play piquet. You know we learned it of Mr. Thicknesse, so I could not say no. "'Come then!' said my lady. 'Here is Mr. Merton wishes to play. Sit down and play with him, and I will look on and learn.' "She spoke quite kindly, and as I know a great many people do play cards on Sunday, I expected no scene, but simply asked her to excuse me. "'But why? Why should you not afford Mr. Morton that pleasure?' she asked. "I told her that I could not play cards on the Lord's day—it was against my conscience. "With that she laughed scornfully—you know her way—and said that since my conscience allowed me to join such an assembly at all, it need not be so particular as to what I did there. "And she was so far right, Lucy. I had no business there, and nothing shall take me there on a Sunday night again. "I told her that if she would permit me I would leave the room, and Mr. Merton said very politely, 'Pray don't force Miss Leighton's conscience, madam, another time, perhaps, she will oblige me.' "But my lady would not give up the point, and she must needs call in the chaplain, who talked about the danger of being righteous over-much, and said only Methodists and fanatics indulged in such fancies. Then my lady assumed the imperious, and ordered me to sit down instantly, and I told her she must excuse me, whereat, she ordered me out of the room, and here I am." "I hope you may hear no more of it!" said I. "If I read my lady aright, she will never forgive anyone who refuses to yield to her."