But afterwards, when the old governess had slipped away
quietly to her duties, there arose a clamour of derision and disbelief.
"It was an impertinence," snapped out the Baron, his protruding eyes
taking on a scandalised expression; "fancy the woman talking like that at
our table. She almost told us we were nobodies, and I don't believe a
word of it. She is just Schmidt and nothing more. She has been talking
to some of the peasants about the old Cernogratz family, and raked up
their history and their stories."
"She wants to make herself out of some consequence," said the Baroness;
"she knows she will soon be past work and she wants to appeal to our
sympathies. Her grandfather, indeed!"
The Baroness had the usual number of grandfathers, but she never, never
boasted about them.
"I dare say her grandfather was a pantry boy or something of the sort in
the castle," sniggered the Baron; "that part of the story may be true."
The merchant from Hamburg said nothing; he had seen tears in the old
woman's eyes when she spoke of guarding her memories--or, being of an
imaginative disposition, he thought he had.
"I shall give her notice to go as soon as the New Year festivities are
over," said the Baroness; "till then I shall be too busy to manage
without her.
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