"What an extraordinary sight that was," she said to Sir Tedbury Delvine
as they went along. "I thought no villagers curtsied any more now in
England. That very funny-looking old lady might have been a royalty!"
"It is because she has never had a doubt but that she is--or something
higher--complete owner of all these souls," he returned, "that they have
not yet begun to doubt it either. They and their forebears have bobbed
to the La Sarthe for hundreds of years, and they will go on doing it if
this holder of the name lives to be ninety-nine. They would never do so
to any new-comer, though, I expect."
"But I am told they have not a penny left, and have sold every acre of
the land except the park. Is it not wonderful, Kitty?" Mrs. Cricklander
went on, turning to Lady Maulevrier. "I am dying to know them. I hope
they will call."
But Sir Tedbury had already chanced to have talked the matter over with
John Derringham, because he himself was most anxious to see La Sarthe
Chase, which was of deep historical interest, and had incidentally been
made aware by that gentleman of the old ladies' views, so he hastily
turned the conversation, rather awkwardly, to other things.
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