"Anna is not at home," was the reply of Patience. "She is gone to spend the day with Mary Ashley."
Jane felt sorry; she had been in hopes of finishing it that day. "Patience," said she, "I want to ask your advice. I have been thinking that I might get employment at sewing gloves. It seems easy work to learn."
"Would thee like the work?" asked Patience. "Ladies have a prejudice against it, because it is the work supplied to the poor. Not but that some ladies in this town, willing to eke1 out their means, do work at it in private. They get the work brought out to them and taken in."
"That would be the worst for me," observed Jane: "taking in the work. I do fear I should not like it."
"Of course not. Thee could not go to the manufactory and stand amid the crowd of women for thy turn to be served as one of them. Wait thee an instant."
Patience dried her hands upon the roller-towel, and took Jane into the best parlour, the one less frequently used. Opening a closet, she reached from it a small, peculiar2-looking machine, and some unmade gloves: the latter were in a basket, covered over with a white cloth.
"This is different work from what the women do," said she. "It is what is called the French point, and is confined to a few of the chief manufacturers. It is not allowed to be done publicly, lest all should get hold of the stitch. Those who employ the point have it done in private."
"Who does it here?" exclaimed Jane.
"I do," said Patience, laughing. "Did thee think I should be like the fine ladies, ashamed to put my hand to it? I and James Meeking's wife do all that is at present being done for the Ashley manufactory. But now, look thee. Samuel Lynn was saying only last night, that they must search out for some other hand who would be trustworthy, for they want more of the work done. It is easy to learn, and I know they would give it thee. It is a little better paid than the other work, too. Sit thee down and try it."
Patience fixed3 the back of the glove in the pretty little square machine, took the needle—a peculiar one—and showed how it was to be done. Jane, in a glow of delight, accomplished4 some stitches readily.
"I see thee would be handy at it," said Patience. "Thee can take the machine indoors to-day and practise. I will give thee a piece of old leather to exercise upon. In two or three days thee may be quite perfect. I do not work very much at it myself, at which Samuel Lynn grumbles6. It is all my own profit, what I earn, so that he has no selfish motive7 in urging me to work, except that they want more of it done. But I have my household matters to attend to, and Anna takes up my time. I get enough for my clothes, and that is all I care for."
"I know I could do it! I could do it well, Patience."
"Then I am sure thee may have it to do. They will supply thee with a machine, and Samuel Lynn will bring thy work home and take it back again, as he does mine. He——"
William was bursting in upon them with a beaming face. "Mamma, make haste home. Two ladies are asking to see the rooms."
Jane hurried in. In the parlour sat a pleasant-looking old lady in a large black silk bonnet8. The other, smarter, younger (but she must have been forty at least), and very cross-looking, wore a Leghorn bonnet with green and scarlet9 bows. She was the old lady's companion, housekeeper10, servant, all combined in one, as Jane found afterwards.
"This is the sitting-room12," Jane was beginning; but she was interrupted by the smart one in a snappish tone.
"This the sitting-room! Do you call this furnished?"
"The furniture is homely14, certainly," acknowledged Jane. "But it is new and clean. That is a most comfortable sofa. The bedrooms are above."
The old lady said she would see them, and they proceeded upstairs. Dobbs put her head into one room, and withdrew it with a shriek15. "This room has no bedside carpets."
"I am sorry to say that I have no bedside carpets at present," said Jane, feeling all the discouragement of the avowal16. "I will get some as soon as I possibly can, if any one taking the rooms will kindly17 do without them for a little while."
"Perhaps we might, Dobbs," suggested the old lady, who appeared to be of an accommodating, easy nature; readily satisfied.
"Begging your pardon, ma'am, you'll do nothing of the sort," returned Dobbs. "We should have you doubled up with cramp18, if you clapped your feet on to a cold floor. I am not going to do it."
"I never do have cramp, Dobbs."
"Which is no reason, ma'am, why you never should," authoritatively19 returned Dobbs.
"What a lovely view from these back windows!" exclaimed the old lady. "Dobbs, do you see the Malvern Hills?"
"They are pleasant to look at though," said her mistress. "I like these rooms. Is there a closet, ma'am, or small apartment that we could have for our trunks, if we came?"
"We are not coming," interrupted Dobbs, before Jane could answer. "Carpetless floors won't suit us, ma'am."
"There is a closet here, over the entrance," said Jane to the old lady, as she opened the door. "Our own boxes are in it now, but I can have them moved upstairs."
"So there's a cock-loft, is there?" put in Dobbs.
"A what?" cried Jane, who had never heard the word. "There is nothing upstairs but an attic21. A garret, as it is called here."
"Yes," burst forth22 Dobbs, "it is called a garret by them that want to be fine. Cock-loft is good enough for us decent folk: we've never called it anything else. Who sleeps up there?" she summarily demanded.
"My little boys. This was their room, but I have put them upstairs that I may let this one."
"There ma'am!" said Dobbs, triumphantly23, as she turned to her mistress. "You'll believe me another time, I hope! I told you I knew there was a pack of children. One of 'em opened the door to us."
"Perhaps they are quiet children," said the old lady, who had been so long used to the grumbling24 and domineering of Dobbs, that she took it as a matter of course.
"They are, indeed," said Jane, "quiet, good children. I will answer for it that they will not disturb you in any way."
"I should like to see the kitchen, ma'am," said the old lady.
"We only want the use of it," snapped Dobbs. "Our kitchen fire goes out after dinner, and I boil the kettle for tea in the parlour."
"Would attendance be required?" asked Jane of the old lady.
"No, it wouldn't," answered Dobbs, in the same tart25 tone. "I wait upon my missis, and I wait upon myself, and we have a woman in to do the cleaning, and the washing goes out."
The answer gave Jane great relief. Attending upon lodgers27 had been a dubious28 prospect29 in more respects than one.
"It's a very good kitchen," said the old lady, as they went in, and she turned round in it.
"I'll be bound it smokes," said Dobbs.
"No, it does not," replied Jane.
"Where's the coalhouse?" asked Dobbs. "Is there two?"
"Only one," said Jane. "It is at the back of the kitchen."
"Then—if we did come—where could our coal be put?" fiercely demanded Dobbs. "I must have my coalhouse to myself, with a lock and key. I don't want the house's fires supplied from my missis's coal."
Jane's cheeks flushed as she turned to the old lady. "Allow me to assure you that your property—of whatever nature it may be—will be perfectly30 sacred in this house. Whether locked up or not, it will be left untouched by me and mine."
"To be sure, ma'am," pleasantly returned the old lady. "I'm not afraid. You must not mind what Dobbs says: she means nothing."
"And our safe for meat and butter," proceeded that undaunted functionary31. "Is there a key to it?"
"And now about the rent?" said the old lady, giving Jane no time to answer that there was a key.
Jane hesitated. And then, with a flush, asked twenty shillings a week.
"Dobbs," said the old lady. "I don't see that it is so very out of the way. A parlour, two bedrooms, a closet, and the kitchen, all furnished——"
"The closet's an empty, dark hole, and the kitchen's only the use of it, and the bedrooms are carpetless," reiterated33 Dobbs, drowning her mistress's voice. "But, if anybody asked you for your head, ma'am, you'd just cut it off and give it, if I wasn't at hand to stop you."
"Well, Dobbs, we have seen nothing else to suit us up here. And you know I want to settle myself at this end of the town, on account of it being high and dry. Parry says I must."
"We have not half looked yet," said Dobbs.
"A pound a-week is a good price, ma'am; and we have not paid quite so much where we are: but I don't know that it's unreasonable," continued the old lady to Jane. "What shall we do, Dobbs?"
"Do, ma'am! Why, of course you'll come out, and try higher up. To take these rooms without looking out for others, would be as bad as buying a pig in a poke34. Come along, ma'am. Bedrooms without carpets won't do for us at any price," she added to Jane by way of a party salutation.
They left the house, the lady with a cordial good morning, Dobbs with none at all; and went quarrelling up the road. That is, the old lady reasoning, and Dobbs disputing. The former proposed, if they saw nothing to suit them better, to purchase bedside carpeting: upon which Dobbs accused her of wanting to bring herself to the workhouse.
Patience, who had watched them away, from her parlour window, came in to learn the success. She brought in with her the machine, a plain piece of leather, the size of the back of a glove, neatly35 fixed in it. Jane's tears were falling.
"I think they would have taken them had there been bedside carpets," sighed she. "Oh, Patience, what a help it would been! I asked a pound a week."
"Did thee? That was a good price, considering thee would not have to give attendance."
"How do you know I should not?" asked Jane.
"Because I know Hannah Dobbs waits upon her mistress," replied Patience. "She is the widow of Joseph Reece, and he left her well off. I heard they were coming to live up this way. Did they quite decline them? Because, I can tell thee what. We have some strips of bedside carpet not being used, and I would not mind lending them till thee can buy others. It is a pity thee should lose the letting for the sake of a bit of carpet."
Jane looked up gratefully. "What should I have done without you, Patience?"
"Nay36, it is not much: thee art welcome. I would not risk the carpet with unknown people, but Hannah Dobbs is cleanly and careful."
"It is not agreeable," assented38 Patience, with a smile; "but she is attached to her mistress, and serves her faithfully."
Jane sat down to practise upon the leather, watching the road at the same time. In about an hour she saw Mrs. Reece and Dobbs returning. William went out, and asked if they would step in.
They were already coming. They had seen nothing they liked so well. Jane said she believed she could promise them bedside carpets.
"Then, I think we will decide, ma'am," said the old lady. "We saw one set of rooms, very nice ones; and they asked only seventeen shillings a-week: but they have a young man lodger26, a pupil at the infirmary, and he comes home at all hours of the night. Dobbs questioned them till they confessed that it was so."
"I know what them infirmary pupils is," indignantly put in Dobbs. "I am not going to suffer my missis to come in contact with their habits. There ain't one of 'em as thinks anything of stopping out till morning light. And before the sun's up they'll have a pipe in their mouths, filling the house with smoke! It's said, too, that there's mysterious big boxes brought to 'em, for what they call the 'furtherance of science': perhaps some of the churchyard sextons could tell what's in 'em!"
"Well, Dobbs. I think we may take this good lady's rooms. I'm sure we shan't get better suited elsewhere."
Dobbs only grunted39. She was tired with her walk, and had really no objection to the rooms; except as to price: that, she persisted in disputing as outrageous40.
"I suppose you would not take less?" said the old lady to Jane.
Jane hesitated; but it was impossible for her to be otherwise than candid41 and truthful42. "I would take a trifle less, sooner than not let you the rooms; but I am very poor, and every shilling is a consideration to me."
"Well, I will take them at the price," concluded the good-natured old lady. "And Dobbs, if you grumble5, I can't help it. Can we come in—let me see?—this is Wednesday——"
"I won't come in on a Friday for anybody," interrupted Dobbs fiercely.
"We will come in on Tuesday next, ma'am," decided43 the old lady. "Before that, I'll send in a trolley44 of coal, if you'll be so kind as to receive it."
"And to lock it up," snapped Dobbs.
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1
eke
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| v.勉强度日，节约使用 | |
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2
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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3
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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4
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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5
grumble
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| vi.抱怨；咕哝；n.抱怨，牢骚；咕哝，隆隆声 | |
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6
grumbles
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| 抱怨( grumble的第三人称单数 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声 | |
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7
motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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8
bonnet
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| n.无边女帽；童帽 | |
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9
scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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10
housekeeper
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| n.管理家务的主妇，女管家 | |
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11
lodgings
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| n. 出租的房舍, 寄宿舍 | |
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12
sitting-room
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| n.（BrE）客厅，起居室 | |
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13
rebuked
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| 责难或指责( rebuke的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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14
homely
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| adj.家常的，简朴的；不漂亮的 | |
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15
shriek
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| v./n.尖叫，叫喊 | |
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16
avowal
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| n.公开宣称，坦白承认 | |
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17
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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18
cramp
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| n.痉挛；[pl.](腹)绞痛；vt.限制，束缚 | |
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authoritatively
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| 命令式地，有权威地，可信地 | |
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testily
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| adv. 易怒地, 暴躁地 | |
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attic
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| n.顶楼，屋顶室 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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triumphantly
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| ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地 | |
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grumbling
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| adj. 喃喃鸣不平的, 出怨言的 | |
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tart
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| adj.酸的；尖酸的，刻薄的；n.果馅饼；淫妇 | |
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lodger
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| n.寄宿人，房客 | |
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lodgers
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| n.房客，租住者( lodger的名词复数 ) | |
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dubious
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| adj.怀疑的，无把握的；有问题的，靠不住的 | |
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29
prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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30
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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31
functionary
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| n.官员；公职人员 | |
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32
linen
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| n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的 | |
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33
reiterated
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| 反复地说，重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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34
poke
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| n.刺，戳，袋；vt.拨开，刺，戳；vi.戳，刺，捅，搜索，伸出，行动散慢 | |
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35
neatly
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| adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地 | |
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36
nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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37
repelling
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| v.击退( repel的现在分词 )；使厌恶；排斥；推开 | |
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38
assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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39
grunted
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| （猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说 | |
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40
outrageous
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| adj.无理的，令人不能容忍的 | |
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41
candid
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| adj.公正的，正直的；坦率的 | |
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42
truthful
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| adj.真实的，说实话的，诚实的 | |
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43
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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44
trolley
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| n.手推车，台车；无轨电车；有轨电车 | |
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