266 
A NEW SERVANT. 
had to go ; his people could no longer wait. 
Evening after evening I found him adding a knot 
on a very dirty piece of string—his calendar — * 
and he became very anxious as the end of the 
month approached. Just as he was going, a 
mountain-man from an adjoining valley came 
past, accompanied by his son, a boy of about 
twelve years. We thought the boy could at 
least make fire and bring water ; and his father, 
tempted by a liberal wage, agreed that lie should 
serve us during the day, returning to his home 
every evening. This urchin gave us more amuse- 
ment and more annoyance than I can well de- 
scribe to you. We were so much occupied 
writing, that we rarely came out of the hut till 
evening. Doubtless the lad found the first day 
very long and tiresome, so on the morrow he 
brought over one or two companions. With 
their play and quarrelling it was impossible to 
write, and we forbade any “ company ” in future ; 
so he took to slipping a^way at his will, and some 
days turned up only in the afternoon. On being 
found fault with, he u resigned his situation.” 
Anything more comical than this incident I 
have never enjoyed. Although I understood no 
word of his eloquent speech, his splendid dra- 
matic action was a most accurate translation. 
