On these occasions Tamar always took in his coffee and
toast, and set it before him, and she generally had the pleasure of
finding that he took what she brought him, though he seldom appeared to
be aware either of her entrance or her exit, Mrs. Margaret invariably
exclaiming when Tamar reported her reception in the study, "Lord help
him! see what it is to be a genius!"
In the meantime, the moat around Dymock's Tower was repaired and filled
up, or was fast filling up; the draw-bridge was in its place, and the
gates and walls restored; and as the neighbours said, the Tower wanted
nothing but men and provisions to enable it to stand a siege. At length,
all being pronounced ready, though no interior repairing had taken
place, the new possessor arrived, bringing with him two servants, an old
man and an old woman, and many heavy packages, which were stowed in a
cart, and lifted out by himself and his man-servant, whom he called
Jacob. This being done, he and his people were heard of no more, or
rather seen no more, being such close housekeepers, that they admitted
no one over the moat, though the man Jacob, rode to the nearest market
every week on the horse which had dragged the baggage, to bring what was
required, which, it was said, was not much more than was necessary to
keep the bodies and souls of three people together.
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