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Both in the town and in the country, which last place heard many
things of his condition and estate through rumour, he was the man
most wondered at and envied of his time--envied because of his
strange happiness; wondered at because having, when long past youth,
borne off this arrogant beauty from all other aspirants she showed
no arrogance to him, and was as perfect a wife as could have been
some woman without gifts whom he had lifted from low estate and
endowed with rank and fortune. She seemed both to respect himself
and her position as his lady and spouse. Her manner of reigning in
his household was among his many delights the greatest. It was a
great house, and an old one, built long before by a Dunstanwolde
whose lavish feasts and riotous banquets had been the notable
feature of his life. It was curiously rambling in its structure.
The rooms of entertainment were large and splendid, the halls and
staircases stately; below stairs there was space for an army of
servants to be disposed of; and its network of cellars and wine-vaults
was so beyond all need that more than one long arched stone
passage was shut up as being without use, and but letting cold, damp
air into corridors leading to the servants' quarters. It was,
indeed, my Lady Dunstanwolde who had ordered the closing of this
part when it had been her pleasure to be shown her domain by her
housekeeper, the which had greatly awed and impressed her household
as signifying that, exalted lady as she was, her wit was practical
as well as brilliant, and that her eyes being open to her
surroundings, she meant not that her lacqueys should rob her and her
scullions filch, thinking that she was so high that she was ignorant
of common things and blind.
"You will be well housed and fed and paid your dues," she said to
them; "but the first man or woman who does a task ill or dishonestly
will be turned from his place that hour. I deal justice--not
mercy."
"Such a mistress they have never had before," said my lord when she
related this to him. "Nay, they have never dreamed of such a lady--
one who can be at once so severe and so kind. But there is none
other such, my dearest one. They will fear and worship you."
She gave him one of her sweet, splendid smiles. It was the
sweetness she at rare times gave her splendid smile which was her
marvellous power.
"I would not be too grand a lady to be a good housewife," she said.
"I may not order your dinners, my dear lord, or sweep your
corridors, but they shall know I rule your household and would rule
it well."
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