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My second situation； however； amply compensated me for my want of
luck in the first。 I had the good fortune to enter the service of
Mr。 and Mrs。 Norcross。 My master was a very rich gentleman。 He
had the Darrock house and lands in Cumberland； an estate also in
Yorkshire； and a very large property in Jamaica； which produced；
at that time and for some years afterward； a great income。 Out in
the West Indies he met with a pretty young lady； a governess in
an English family； and； taking a violent fancy to her； married
her； though she was a good five…and…twenty years younger than
himself。 After the wedding they came to England； and it was at
this time that I was lucky enough to be engaged by them as a
servant。
I lived with my new master and mistress three years。 They had no
children。 At the end of that period Mr。 Norcross died。 He was
sharp enough to foresee that his young widow would marry again；
and he bequeathed his property so that it all went to Mrs。
Norcross first； and then to any children she might have by a
second marriage； and； failing that； to relations and friends of
his own。 I did not suffer by my master's death； for his widow
kept me in her service。 I had attended on Mr。 Norcross all
through his last illness； and had made myself useful enough to
win my mistress's favor and gratitude。 Besides me she also
retained her maid in her servicea quadroon woman named
Josephine； whom she brought with her from the West Indies。 Even
at that time I disliked the half…breed's wheedling manners； and
her cruel； tawny face； and wondered how my mistress could be so
fond of her as she was。 Time showed that I was right in
distrusting this woman。 I shall have much more to say about her
when I get further advanced with my story。
Meanwhile I have next to relate that my mistress broke up the
rest of her establishment； and； taking me and the lady's maid
with her； went to travel on the Continent。
Among other wonderful places we visited Paris； Genoa； Venice；
Florence； Rome； and Naples； staying in some of those cities for
months together。 The fame of my mistress's riches followed her
wherever she went； and there were plenty of gentlemen； foreigners
as well as Englishmen； who were anxious enough to get into her
good graces and to prevail on her to marry them。 Nobody
succeeded； however； in producing any very strong or lasting
impression on her； and when we came back to England； after more
than two years of absence； Mrs。 Norcross was still a widow； and
showed no signs of wanting to change her condition。
We went to the house on the Yorkshire estate first； but my
mistress did not fancy some of the company round about； so we
moved again to Darrock Hall； and made excursions from time to
time in the lake district； some miles off。 On one of these trips
Mrs。 Norcross met with some old friends； who introduced her to a
gentleman of their party bearing the very common and very
uninteresting name of Mr。 James Smith。
He was a tall； fine young man enough； with black hair； which grew
very long； and the biggest； bushiest pair of black whiskers I
ever saw。 Altogether he had a rakish； unsettled look； and a
bounceable way of talking which made him the prominent person in
company。 He was poor enough himself； as I heard from his servant；
but well connecteda gentleman by birth and education； though
his manners were so free。 What my mistress saw to like in him I
don't know； but when she asked her friends to stay with her at
Darrock； she included Mr。 James Smith in the invitation。 We had a
fine； gay； noisy time of it at the Hall； the strange gentleman；
in particular； making himself as much at home as if the place
belonged to him。 I was surprised at Mrs。 Norcross putting up with
him as she did； but I was fairly thunderstruck some months
afterward when I heard that she and her free…and…easy visitor
were actually going to be married！ She had refused offers by
dozens abroad； from higher； and richer； and better…behaved men。
It seemed next to impossible that she could seriously think of
throwing herself away upon such a hare…brained； headlong；
penniless young gentleman as Mr。 James Smith。
Married； nevertheless； they were； in due course of time； and；
after spending the honeymoon abroad； they came back to Darrock
Hall。
I soon found that my new master had a very variable temper。 There
were some days when he was as easy； and familiar； and pleasant
with his servants as any gentleman need be。 At other times some
devil within him seemed to get possession of his whole nature。 He
flew into violent passions； and took wrong ideas into his head；
which no reasoning or remonstrance could remove。 It rather amazed
me； considering how gay he was in his tastes； and how restless
his habits were； that he should consent to live at such a quiet；
dull place as Darrock。 The reason for this； however； soon came
out。 Mr。 James Smith was not much of a sportsman； he cared
nothing for indoor amusements； such as reading； music； and so
forth； and he had no ambition for representing the county in
parliament。 The one pursuit that he was really fond of was
yachting。 Darrock was within sixteen miles of a sea…port town；
with an excellent harbor； and to this accident of position the
Hall was entirely indebted for recommending itself as a place of
residence to Mr。 James Smith。
He had such an untiring enjoyment and delight in cruising about
at sea； and all his ideas of pleasure seemed to be so closely
connected with his remembrance of the sailing trips he had taken
on board different yachts belonging to his friends； that I verily
believe his chief object in marrying my mistress was to get the
command of money enough to keep a vessel for himself。 Be that as
it may； it is certain that he prevailed on her； some time after
their marriage； to make him a present of a fine schooner yacht；
which was brought round from Cowes to our coast…town； and kept
always waiting ready for him in the harbor。
His wife required some little persuasion before she could make up
her mind to let him have the vessel。 She suffered so much from
sea…sickness that pleasure…sailing was out of the question for
her； and； being very fond of her husband； she was naturally
unwilling that he should engage in an amusement which took him
away from her。 However； Mr。 James Smith used his influence over
her cleverly； promising that he would never go away without first
asking her leave； and engaging that his terms of absence at sea
should never last for more
than a week or ten days at a time。 Accordingly； my mistress； who
was the kindest and most unselfish woman in the world； put her
own feelings aside； and made her husband happy in the possession
of a vessel of his own。
While my master was away cruising； my mistress had a dull time of
it at the Hall。 The few gentlefolks there were in our part of the
county lived at a distance； and could only come to Darrock when
they were asked to stay there for some days together。 As for the
village near us； there was but one person living in it whom my
mistress could think of asking to the Hall； and that person was
the clergyman who did duty at the church。
This gentleman's name was Mr。 Meeke。 He was a single man； very
young； and very lonely in his position。 He had a mild；
melancholy； pasty…looking face； and was as shy and soft…spoken as
a little girlaltogether； what one may call； without being
unjust or severe； a poor； weak creature； and； out of all sight；
the very worst preacher I ever sat under in my life。 The one
thing he did； which； as I heard； he could really do well； was
playing on the fiddle。 He was uncommonly fond of musicso much
so that he often took his instrument out with him when he went
for a walk。 This taste of his was his great recommendation to my
mistress； who was a wonderfully fine player on the piano； and who
was delighted to get such a performer as Mr。 Meeke to play duets
with her。 Besides liking his society for this reason； she felt
for him in his lonely position； naturally enough； I think；
considering how often she was left in solitude herself。 Mr。
Meeke； on his side； when he got over his first shyness； was only
too glad to leave his lonesome little parsonage for the fine
music…room at the Hall； and for the company of a handsome；
kind…hearted lady； who made much of him； and admired his
fiddle…playing with all her heart。 Thus it happened that；
whenever my master was away at sea； my mistress and Mr。 Meeke
were always together； playing duets as if they had their living
to get by it。 A more harmless connection than the connection
between those two never existed in this world； and yet； innocent
as it was； it turned out to be the first cause of all the
misfortunes that afterward happened。
My master's treatment of Mr。 Meeke was； from the first； the very
opposite of my mistress's。 The restless； rackety； bounceable Mr。
James Smith felt a contempt for the weak； womanish； fiddling
little parson； and； what was more； did not care to conceal it。
For this reason； Mr。 Meeke （who was dreadfully frightened by my
master's violent language and rough ways） very seldom visited at
the Hall except when my mistress was alone there。 Meaning no
wrong； and therefore stoopin