You have not waited as
I told you, to hear me explain myself. You have drawn your own
conclusions, and you have drawn them wrong. I asked a question just
now, which you have not answered--I asked if you had forgotten your
parlor-maid's duties?"
"Oh, no, ma'am!" Louisa had replied rather unwillingly thus far. She
answered readily and confidently now.
"Could you teach the duties to another servant?" asked Magdalen.
"Yes, ma'am--easily, if she was quick and attentive."
"Could you teach the duties to Me?"
Louisa started, and changed color. "You, ma'am!" she exclaimed, half in
incredulity, half in alarm.
"Yes," said Magdalen. "Could you qualify me to take the parlor-maid's
place at St. Crux?"
Plain as those words were, the bewilderment which they produced in
Louisa's mind seemed to render her incapable of comprehending her
mistress's proposal. "You, ma'am!" she repeated, vacantly.
"I shall perhaps help you to understand this extraordinary project of
mine," said Magdalen, "if I tell you plainly what the object of it is.
Do you remember what I said to you about Mr. Vanstone's will when you
came here from Scotland to join me?"
"Yes, ma'am.
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