We have seen how Mrs. Firkin, the lady's maid, as soon as any event of

importance to the Crawley family came to her knowledge, felt bound to

communicate it to Mrs. Bute Crawley, at the Rectory; and have before

mentioned how particularly kind and attentive that good-natured lady

was to Miss Crawley's confidential servant. She had been a gracious

friend to Miss Briggs, the companion, also; and had secured the

latter's good-will by a number of those attentions and promises, which

cost so little in the making, and are yet so valuable and agreeable to

the recipient.

Indeed every good economist and manager of a household

must know how cheap and yet how amiable these professions are, and what

a flavour they give to the most homely dish in life. Who was the

blundering idiot who said that "fine words butter no parsnips"? Half

the parsnips of society are served and rendered palatable with no other

sauce. As the immortal Alexis Soyer can make more delicious soup for a

half-penny than an ignorant cook can concoct with pounds of vegetables

and meat, so a skilful artist will make a few simple and pleasing

phrases go farther than ever so much substantial benefit-stock in the

hands of a mere bungler. Nay, we know that substantial benefits often

sicken some stomachs; whereas, most will digest any amount of fine

words, and be always eager for more of the same food. Mrs. Bute had

told Briggs and Firkin so often of the depth of her affection for them;

and what she would do, if she had Miss Crawley's fortune, for friends

so excellent and attached, that the ladies in question had the deepest

regard for her; and felt as much gratitude and confidence as if Mrs.

Bute had loaded them with the most expensive favours.

Rawdon Crawley, on the other hand, like a selfish heavy dragoon as he

was, never took the least trouble to conciliate his aunt's aides-de-camp,

showed his contempt for the pair with entire frankness--made

Firkin pull off his boots on one occasion--sent her out in the rain on

ignominious messages--and if he gave her a guinea, flung it to her as

if it were a box on the ear. As his aunt, too, made a butt of Briggs,

the Captain followed the example, and levelled his jokes at her--jokes

about as delicate as a kick from his charger. Whereas, Mrs. Bute

consulted her in matters of taste or difficulty, admired her poetry,

and by a thousand acts of kindness and politeness, showed her

appreciation of Briggs; and if she made Firkin a twopenny-halfpenny

present, accompanied it with so many compliments, that the

twopence-half-penny was transmuted into gold in the heart of the

grateful waiting-maid, who, besides, was looking forwards quite

contentedly to some prodigious benefit which must happen to her on the

day when Mrs. Bute came into her fortune.




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