I've got the Buzzing in my head worse than ever. Please wait
for me till I'm a little better again."
"Shall I ask for help?" inquired Magdalen. "Shall I call the landlady?"
"Help?" echoed Mrs. Wragge. "Bless you, I don't want help! I'm used to
it. I've had the Buzzing in my head, off and on--how many years?" She
stopped, reflected, lost herself, and suddenly tried a question in
despair. "Have you ever been at Darch's Dining-rooms in London?" she
asked, with an appearance of the deepest interest.
"No," replied Magdalen, wondering at the strange inquiry.
"That's where the Buzzing in my head first began," said Mrs. Wragge,
following the new clew with the deepest attention and anxiety. "I was
employed to wait on the gentlemen at Darch's Dining-rooms--I was. The
gentlemen all came together; the gentlemen were all hungry together; the
gentlemen all gave their orders together--" She stopped, and tapped her
head again, despondently, with the tattered old book.
"And you had to keep all their orders in your memory, separate one from
the other?" suggested Magdalen, helping her out. "And the trying to do
that confused you?"
"That's it!" said Mrs.
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