bilityofKellynchHallbeingtolet,andunderstandinghis(MrShepherd’s)connectionwiththeowner,hehadintroducedhimselftohiminordertomakeparticularinquiries,andhad,inthecourseofaprettylongconference,expressedasstronganinclinationfortheplaceasamanwhoknewitonlybydescriptioncouldfeelandgivenMrShepherd,inhisexplicitaccountofhimself,everyproofofhisbeingamostresponsible,eligibletenant.
“AndwhoisAdmiralCroft?”wasSirWalter’scoldsuspiciousinquiry.
MrShepherdansweredforhisbeingofagentleman’sfamily,andmentionedaplaceandAnne,afterthelittlepausewhichfollowed,added—
“Heisarearadmiralofthewhite.HewasintheTrafalgaraction,andhasbeenintheEastIndiessincehewasstationedthere,Ibelieve,severalyears.”
“ThenItakeitforgranted,”observedSirWalter,“thathisfaceisaboutasorangeasthecuffsandcapesofmylivery.”
MrShepherdhastenedtoassurehim,thatAdmiralCroftwasaveryhale,hearty,well-lookingman,alittleweather-beaten,tobesure,butnotmuch,andquitethegentlemaninallhisnotionsandbehaviournotlikelytomakethesmallestdifficultyaboutterms,onlywantedacomfortablehome,andtogetintoitassoonaspossibleknewhemustpayforhisconvenienceknewwhatrentaready-furnishedhouseofthatconsequencemightfetchshouldnothavebeensurprisedifSirWalterhadaskedmorehadinquiredaboutthemanorwouldbegladofthedeputation,certainly,butmadenogreatpointofitsaidhesometimestookoutagun,butneverkilledquitethegentleman.
MrShepherdwaseloquentonthesubjectpointingoutallthecircumstancesoftheAdmiral’sfamily,whichmadehimpeculiarlydesirableasatenant.Hewasamarriedman,andwithoutchildrentheverystatetobewishedfor.Ahousewasnevertakengoodcareof,MrShepherdobserved,withoutalady:hedidnotknow,whetherfurnituremightnotbeindangerofsufferingasmuchwheretherewasnolady,aswherethereweremanychildren.Alady,withoutafamily,wastheverybestpreserveroffurnitureintheworld.HehadseenMrsCroft,tooshewasatTauntonwiththeadmiral,andhadbeen