"
"I suppose you lived long enough to learn your duties?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"What were your duties besides waiting at table?"
"I had to show visitors in."
"Yes; and what else?"
"I had the plate and the glass to look after; and the table-linen
was all under my care. I had to answer all the bells, except in the
bedrooms. There were other little odds and ends sometimes to do--"
"But your regular duties were the duties you have just mentioned?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"How long ago is it since you lived in service as a parlor-maid?"
"A little better than two years, ma'am."
"I suppose you have not forgotten how to wait at table, and clean plate,
and the rest of it, in that time?"
At this question Louisa's attention, which had been wandering more
and more during the progress of Magdalen's inquiries, wandered away
altogether. Her gathering anxieties got the better of her discretion,
and even of her timidity. Instead of answering her mistress, she
suddenly and confusedly ventured on a question of her own.
"I beg your pardon, ma'am," she said. "Did you mean me to offer for the
parlor-maid's place at St. Crux?"
"You?" replied Magdalen. "Certainly not! Have you forgotten what I said
to you in this room before I went out? I mean you to be married, and go
to Australia with your husband and your child.
Pages:
982
983
984
985
986
987
988
989
990
991
992
993
994
995
996
997
998
999
1000
1001
1002
1003
1004
1005
1006