"And see that my luggage is taken there, when the man brings it," he directed--"and tell Josephine to have luncheon at one and dinner at seven."
"De Cun'l hed dinner in de middle o' de day, seh," he said, as though Croyden had inadvertently erred.
And Croyden appreciating the situation, answered:
"Well, you see, Moses, I've been used to the other way and I reckon you will have to change to suit me."
"Yass, seh! yass, seh! I tell Jose. Lunch is de same as supper, I s'pose, seh?"
"Yes," he said, "that will answer--like a light supper."
"There may be an objection, after all, to taking over Colonel Duval's old servants," he reflected. "It may be difficult to persuade them that he is no longer the master. I run the chance of being ruled by a dead man."
Presently his luggage arrived, and he went upstairs to unpack. Moses looked, in wonder, at the wardrobe trunk, with every suit on a separate hanger, the drawers for shirts and linen, the apartments for hats, and collars, and neckties, and the shoes standing neatly in a row below.
"Whar's de use atak'in de things out t'al, Marster Croyden!" he exclaimed.
"Sho'! I mo'nt a kno'd hit. Hit's mons'us strange, seh, whar yo mon't a' kno'd ef yo'd only stop to t'ink. F' instance, I mon't a kno'd yo'd cum back to Clarendon, seh, some day, cuz yo spends yo money on hit. Heh!"
"Dyar's dinner--I means lunch, seh," said Moses. "'Scuse me, seh."
"And I'm ready for it," said Croyden, as he went to the iron wash-stand, and then slowly down stairs to the dining-room.
From some place, Moses had resurrected a white coat, yellow with its ten years' rest, and was waiting to receive him. He drew out Croyden's chair, as only a family servant of the olden times can do it, and bowed him into his place.
The table was set exactly as in Colonel Duval's day, and very prettily set, Croyden thought, with napery spotless, and china that was thin and fine. The latter, if he had but known it, was Lowestoft and had served the Duvals, on that very table, for much more than a hundred years.
There was cold ham, and cold chicken, lettuce with mayonnaise, deviled eggs, preserves, with hot corn bread and tea. When Croyden had about finished a leisurely meal, it suddenly occurred to him that however completely stocked Clarendon was with things of the Past, they did not apply to the larder, and _these_ victuals were undoubtedly fresh and particularly good.