56 Simpson's snipe 



shilling cigar, when you know that every penny will 

 be wanted to send Willie to Eton." 



I got out of it somehow. Not that Mrs S. was 

 entirely pacified. She still preserved an armed 

 neutrality ; yet even this concession was very much 

 to be coveted. She's a dear good little creature, 

 but she has fiery moods occasionally ; and I ask 

 you, my dear sir, is she one whit the worse for it ? 

 How often does your good lady fly at yoic during 

 the twenty-four hours ? How often ! The theme 

 is painful. Fassons. 



My stained-wood trap was brought round by my 

 man-of-all-work, Billy Doyle. Billy is a tight 

 little " boy," over whose unusually large skull some 

 fifty summers' suns have passed, scorching away 

 his shock hair, and leaving only a few streaks, 

 which he carefully plasters across his bald pate till 

 they resemble so many cracks upon the bottom of an 

 inverted china bowl. Billy is my factotum. He looks 

 after my horse, dogs, gun, rod, pipes, and clothes, 

 with a view to the reversion of the latter. He was 

 reared, " man an' boy," on the estate, and is upon the 

 most familiar yet respectful terms with the whole 

 family. Billy continually lectures me, imparting his 

 opinions upon all matters appertaining to my affairs, 

 as though he were some rich uncle whose will in my 

 favour was safely deposited with the family solicitor. 



