She and the woman appeared to
be in perfect accord as to the punishment merited by those gentlemen.
The bishop leaned over Charley. "You hear what a foolish trick it was,"
he said. "Were I you, I would be upon good terms with such ghosts in
future. There are no other sorts of ghosts, my boy."
"I know there are not," answered Charles. "Indeed, my lord, I do know
there are not," he repeated more earnestly. "And I knew it then; only,
somehow I got frightened. I will try and learn to be as brave in the
dark as in the light."
"That's my sensible boy!" said the bishop. "For my part, Charley, I
rather like being in the dark. God seems all the nearer to me."
The woman was preparing to leave, declining all offers that she should
rest and take refreshment. "Our turn both down and up was hurried this
time," she explained, "and I mayna keep the barge and my master
a-waiting. I'll make bold, when we are past the town again, to step
ashore, and see how the young gentleman gets on."
Charley clung to her. "You shall not go till you promise to stay a
whole day with us!" he cried. "And you must bring the children for
mamma to see. She will be glad to see them."
The woman laughed. "A whole day! a whole day's pleasure was na for the
likes of them," she answered; "but she'd try and spare a bit longer to
stop than she could spare now."
With many kisses to Charles, with many hand-shakes from all, she took
her departure.
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