Many consultations2 had the three sisters held before such a revolutionary extravagance was determined3 on. But Miss Leaf was beginning both to look and to feel "not so young as she had been;" Miss Selina ditto; though, being still under forty, she would not have acknowledged it for the world. And Miss Hilary young, bright, and active as she was, could by no possibility do every thing that was to be done in the little establishment: be, for instance, in three places at once—in the school-room, teaching little boys and girls, in the kitchen cooking dinner, and in the rooms up stairs busy at house-maid's work. Besides, much of her time was spent in waiting upon "poor Selina," who frequently was, or fancied her self, too ill to take any part in either the school or house duties.
Though, the thing being inevitable4, she said little about it, Miss Leaf's heart was often sore to see Hilary's pretty hands smeared5 with blacking of grates, and roughened with scouring6 of floors. To herself this sort of thing had become natural—but Hilary!
All the time of Hilary's childhood, the youngest of the family had of course, been spared all house-work; and afterward7 her studies had left no time for it. For she was a clever girl, with a genuine love of knowledge Latin, Greek, and even the higher branches of arithmetic and mathematics, were not beyond her range; and this she found much more interesting than washing dishes or sweeping8 floors. True, she always did whatever domestic duty she was told to do; but her bent9 was not in the household line. She had only lately learned to "see dust," to make a pudding, to iron a shirt; and, moreover, to reflect, as she woke up to the knowledge of how these things should be done, and how necessary they were, what must have been her eldest10 sister's lot during all these twenty years! What pains, what weariness, what eternal toil11 must Johanna have silently endured in order to do all those things which till now had seemed to do themselves!
Therefore, after much cogitation12 as to the best and most prudent13 way to amend15 matters, and perceiving with her clear common sense that, willing as she might be to work in the kitchen, her own time would be much more valuably spent in teaching their growing school. It was Hilary who these Christmas holidays, first started the bold idea, "We must have a servant;" and therefore, it being necessary to begin with a very small servant on very low wages, (£3 per annum was, I fear the maximum), did they take this Elizabeth Hand. So, hanging behind her parent, an anxious-eyed, and rather sad-voiced woman, did Elizabeth enter the kitchen of the Misses Leaf.
The ladies were all there. Johanna arranging the table for their early tea: Selina lying on the sofa trying to cut bread and butter: Hilary on her knees before the fire, making the bit of toast, her eldest sister's one luxury. This was the picture that her three mistresses presented to Elizabeth's eyes: which, though they seemed to notice nothing, must, in reality, have noticed every thing.
"I've brought my daughter, ma'am, as you sent word you'd take on trial," said Mrs. Hand, addressing herself to Selina, who, as the tallest, the best dressed, and the most imposing16, was usually regarded by strangers as the head of the family.
"Oh. Joanna, my dear."
Miss Leaf came forward, rather uncertainly, for she was of a shy nature, and had been so long accustomed to do the servant's work of the household, that she felt quite awkward in the character of mistress. Instinctively17 she hid her poor hands, that would at once have betrayed her to the sharp eyes of the working-woman, and then, ashamed of her momentary18 false pride, laid them outside her apron19 and sat down.
"Will you take a chair, Mrs. Hand? My sister told you. I believe all our requirements We only want a good, intelligent girl. We are willing to teach her every thing."
"Thank you, kindly20; and I be willing and glad for her to learn, ma'am," replied the mother, her sharp and rather free tone subdued21 in spite of herself by the gentle voice of Miss Leaf. Of course, living in the same country town, she knew all about the three school-mistresses, and how till now they had kept no servant. "It's her first place, and her'll be awk'ard at first, most like. Hold up your head, Lizabeth."
"Is her name Elizabeth?"
"Far too long and too fine," observed Selina from the sofa. "Call her
Betty."
"Any thing you please, Miss; but I call her Lizabeth. It wor my young missis' name in my first place, and I never had a second."
"We will call her Elizabeth," said Miss Leaf, with the gentle decision she could use on occasion.
There was a little more discussion between the mother and the future mistress as to holidays, Sundays, and so on, during which time the new servant stood silent and impassive in the door-way between the back kitchen and the kitchen, or, as it is called in those regions, the house-place.
As before said, Elizabeth was by no means, a personable girl, and her clothes did not set her off to advantage. Her cotton frock hung in straight lines down to her ankles, displaying her clumsily shod feet and woolen22 stockings; above it was a pinafore—a regular child's pinafore, of the cheap, strong, blue-speckled print which in those days was generally worn. A little shabby shawl, pinned at the throat, and pinned very carelessly and crookedly23, with an old black bonnet24, much too small for her large head and her quantities of ill kept hair, completed the costume. It did not impress favorably a lady who, being, or rather having been very handsome herself, was as much alive to appearances as the second Miss Leaf.
She made several rather depreciatory25 observations, and insisted strongly that the new servant should only be taken "on trial," with no obligation to keep her a day longer than they wished. Her feeling on the matter communicated itself to Johanna, who closed the negotiation26 with Mrs. Hand, by saying.
"Well, let us hope your daughter will suit us. We will give her a fair chance at all events."
"Which is all I can ax for, Miss Leaf. Her bean't much to look at, but her's willin' sharp, and her's never told me a lie in her life. Courtesy to thy missis, and say thee'lt do thy best, Lizabeth."
Pulled forward Elizabeth did courtesy, but she never offered to speak. And Miss Leaf, feeling that for all parties the interview had better be shortened, rose from her chair.
Mrs. Hand took the hint and departed, saying only, "Good-by, Lizabeth," with a nod, half-encouraging, half-admonitory, which Elizabeth silently returned. That was all the parting between mother and daughter; they neither kissed nor shook hands, which undemonstrative farewell somewhat surprised Hilary.
Now, Miss Hilary Leaf had all this while gone on toasting. Luckily for her bread the fire was low and black; meantime, from behind her long drooping27 curls (which Johanna would not let her "turn up," though she was twenty), she was making her observations on the new servant. It might be that, possessing more head than the one and more heart than the other, Hilary was gifted with deeper perception of character than either of her sisters, but certainly her expression, as she watched Elizabeth, was rather amused and kindly that dissatisfied.
"Now, girl, take off your bonnet," said Selina, to whom Johanna had silently appealed in her perplexity as to the next proceeding28 with regard to the new member of the household.
Elizabeth obeyed, and then stood, irresolute29, awkward, and wretched to the last degree, at the furthest end of the house-place.
"Shall I show you where to hang up your things?" said Hilary, speaking for the first time; and at the new voice, so quick, cheerful, and pleasant, Elizabeth visibly started.
Miss Hilary rose from her knees, crossed the kitchen, took from the girl's unresisting hands the old black bonnet and shawl, and hung them up carefully on a nail behind the great eight-day clock. It was a simple action, done quite without intention, and accepted without acknowledgment, except one quick glance of that keen, yet soft grey eye; but years and years after Elizabeth reminded Hilary of it.
And now Elizabeth stood forth31 in her own proper likeness32, unconcealed by bonnet or shawl, or maternal34 protection. The pinafore scarcely covered her gaunt neck and long arms; that tremendous head of rough, dusky hair was evidently for the first time gathered into a comb. Thence elf locks escaped in all directions, and were forever being pushed behind her ears, or rubbed (not smoothed; there was nothing smooth about her) back from her forehead, which, Hilary noticed, was low, broad, and full. The rest of her face, except the before-mentioned eyes was absolutely and undeniably plain. Her figure, so far as the pinafore exhibited it, was undeveloped and ungainly, the chest being contracted and the shoulders rounded, as if with carrying children or other weights while still a growing girl. In fact, nature and circumstances had apparently35 united in dealing36 unkindly with Elizabeth Hand.
Still here she was; and what was to be done with her?
Having sent her with the small burden, which was apparently all her luggage, to the little room—formerly a box-closet—where she was to sleep, the Misses Leaf—or as facetious37 neighbors called them, the Miss Leaves—took serious counsel together over their tea.
Tea itself suggested the first difficulty. They were always in the habit of taking that meal, and indeed every other, in the kitchen. It saved time, trouble, and fire, besides leaving the parlor38 always tidy for callers, chiefly pupils' parents, and preventing these latter from discovering that the three orphan39 daughters of Henry Leaf, Esq., solicitor40, and sisters of Henry Leaf, Junior, Esq., also solicitor, but whose sole mission in life seemed to have been to spend every thing, make every body miserably41, marry, and die, that these three ladies did always wait upon themselves at meal-time, and did sometimes breakfast without butter, and dine without meat. Now this system would not do any longer.
"Besides, there is no need for it," said Hilary, cheerfully. "I am sure we can well afford both to keep and to feed a servant, and to have a fire in the parlor every day. Why not take our meals there, and sit there regularly of evenings?"
"We must," added Selina, decidedly. "For my part, I couldn't eat, or sew, or do any thing with that great hulking girl sitting starting opposite, or standing42; for how could we ask her to sit with us? Already, what must she have thought of us—people who take tea in the kitchen?"
"I do not think that matters," said the eldest sister, gently, after a moment's silence. "Every body in the town knows who and what we are, or might, if they chose to inquire. We cannot conceal33 our poverty if we tried; and I don't think any body looks down upon us for it. Not even since we began to keep school, which you thought was such a terrible thing, Selina."
"And it was. I have never reconciled myself to teaching the baker's two boys and the grocer's little girl. You were wrong, Johanna, you ought to have drawn43 the line somewhere, and it ought to have excluded trades-people."
"Beggars can not be choosers," began Hilary.
"Beggars!" echoed Selina.
"No, my dear, we were never that," said Miss Leaf, interposing against one of the sudden storms that were often breaking out between these two. "You know well we have never begged or borrowed from any body, and hardly ever been indebted to any body, except for the extra lessons that Mr. Lyon would insist upon giving to Ascott at home."
Here Johanna suddenly stopped, and Hilary, with a slight color rising in her face, said—
"I think, sisters, we are forgetting that the staircase is quite open, and though I am sure she has an honest look and not that of a listener, still Elizabeth might hear. Shall I call her down stairs, and tell her to light a fire in the parlor?"
While she is doing it, and in spite of Selina's forebodings to the contrary, the small maiden44 did it quickly and well, especially after a hint or two from Hilary—let me take the opportunity of making a little picture of this same Hilary.
Little it should be, for she was a decidedly little woman: small altogether, hands, feet, and figure being in satisfactory proportion. Her movements, like those of most little women, were light and quick rather than elegant; yet every thing she did was done with a neatness and delicacy45 which gave an involuntary sense of grace and harmony. She was, in brief, one of those people who are best described by the word "harmonious46;" people who never set your teeth on edge, or rub you up the wrong way, as very excellent people occasionally do. Yet she was not over-meek or unpleasantly amiable47; there was a liveliness and even briskness48 about her, as if the every day wine of her life had a spice of Champagniness, not frothiness but natural effervescence of spirit, meant to "cheer but not inebriate49" a household.
And in her own household this gift was most displayed. No centre of a brilliant, admiring circle could be more charming, more witty50, more irresistibly51 amusing than was Hilary sitting by the kitchen fire, with the cat on her knee, between her two sisters, and the school-boy Ascott Leaf, their nephew—which four individuals, the cat being not the least important of them, constituted the family.
In the family, Hilary shone supreme52. All recognized her as the light of the house, and so she had been, ever since she was born, ever since her
"Dying mother mild,
Said, with accents undefiled,
'Child, be mother to this child.'"
It was said to Johanna Leaf—who was not Mrs. Leaf's own child. But the good step-mother, who had once taken the little motherless girl to her bosom53, and never since made the slightest difference between her and her own children, knew well whom she was trusting.
From that solemn hour, in the middle of the night, when she lifted the hour-old baby out of its dead mother's bed into her own, it became Johanna's one object in life. Through a sickly infancy54, for it was a child born amidst trouble, her sole hands washed, dressed, fed it; night and day it "lay in her bosom, and was unto her as a daughter."
She was then just thirty: not too old to look forward to woman's natural destiny, a husband and children of her own. But years slipped by, and she was Miss Leaf still. What matter! Hilary was her daughter.
Johanna's pride in her knew no bounds. Not that she showed it much; indeed she deemed it a sacred duty not to show it; but to make believe her "child" was just like other children. But she was not. Nobody ever thought she was—even in externals.—Fate gave her all those gifts which are sometimes sent to make up for the lack of worldly prosperity. Her brown eyes were as soft a doves' eyes, yet could dance with fun and mischief55 if they chose; her hair, brown also, with a dark-red shade in it, crisped itself in two wavy56 lines over her forehead, and then turn bled down in two glorious masses, which Johanna, ignorant, alas! of art, called very "untidy," and labored57 in vain to quell58 under combs, or to arrange in proper, regular curls Her features—well, they too, were good; better than those unartistic people had any idea of—better even than Selina's, who in her youth had been the belle59 of the town. But whether artistically60 correct or not, Johanna, though she would on no account have acknowledged it, believed solemnly that there was not such a face in the whole world as little Hillary's.
Possibly a similar idea dawned upon the apparently dull mind of Elizabeth Hand, for she watched her youngest mistress intently, from kitchen to parlor, and from parlor back to kitchen; and once when Miss Hilary stood giving information as to the proper abode61 of broom, bellows62, etc., the little maid gazed at her with such admiring observation that the scuttle63 she carried was titled, and the coals were strewn all over the kitchen floor. At which catastrophe64 Miss Leaf looked miserable65. Miss Selina spoke66 crossly, and Ascott, who just then came in to his tea, late as usual, burst into a shut of laughter.
It was as much as Hilary could do to help laughing herself, she being too near her nephew's own age always to maintain a dignified67 aunt-like attitude, but nevertheless, when, having disposed of her sisters in the parlor, she coaxed68 Ascott into the school-room, and insisted upon his Latin being done—she helping69 him, Aunt Hilary scolded him well, and bound him over to keep the peace toward the new servant.
"But she is such a queer one. Exactly like a South Sea Islander. When she stood with her grim, stolid70 countenance71, contemplating72 the coals oh, Aunt Hilary, how killing73 she was!"
And the regular, rollicking, irresistible74 boy-laugh broke out again.
"She will be great fun. Is she really to stay?"
"I hope so," said Hilary, trying to be grave. "I hope never again to see Aunt Johanna cleaning the stairs, and getting up to light the kitchen fire of winter mornings, as she will do if we have not a servant to do it for her. Don't you see, Ascott?"
"Oh, I see," answered the boy, carelessly, "But don't bother me, please. Domestic affairs are for women, not men."
Ascott was eighteen, and just about to pass out of his caterpillar75 state as a doctor's apprentice-lad into the chrysalis condition of a medical student in London. "But," with sudden reflection, "I hope she won't be in my way. Don't let her meddle76 with any of my books and things."
"No; you need not be afraid. I have put them all into your room. I myself cleared your rubbish out of the box closet."
"The box-closet! Now, really, I can't stand—"
"She is to sleep in the box-closet; where else could she sleep?" said Hilary, resolutely77, though inly quaking a little; for somehow, the merry, handsome, rather exacting78 lad bad acquired considerable influence in this household of women. "You must put up with the loss of your 'den14.' Ascott; it would be a great shame if you did not, for the sake of Aunt Johanna and the rest of us."
"Um!" grumbled79 the boy, who, though he was not a bad fellow at heart, had a boy's dislike to "putting up" with the slightest inconvenience.
"Well, it won't last long. I shall be off shortly. What a jolly life
I'll have in London, Aunt Hilary! I'll see Mr. Lyon there too."
"Yes," said Aunt Hilary, briefly80, returning to Dido and Æneas; humble81 and easy Latinity for a student of eighteen; but Ascott was not a brilliant boy, and, being apprenticed82 early, his education had been much neglected, till Mr. Lyon came as usher83 to the Stowbury grammar-school, and happening to meet and take an interest in him, taught him and his Aunt Hilary Latin, Greek, and mathematics together, of evenings.
I shall make no mysteries here. Human nature is human nature all the world over. A tale without love in it would be unnatural84, unreal—in fact, a simple lie; for there are no histories and no lives without love in them: if there could be, Heaven pity and pardon them, for they would be mere85 abortions86 of humanity.
Thank Heaven, we, most of us, do not philosophize: we only live. We like one another, we hardly know why; we love one another, we still less know why. If on the day she first saw—in church it was—Mr. Lyon's grave, heavy-browed, somewhat severe face—for he was a Scotsman, and his sharp, strong Scotch87 features did look "hard" beside the soft, rosy88, well conditioned youth of Stowbury—if on that Sunday any one had told Hilary Leaf that the face of this stranger was to be the one face of her life, stamped upon brain and heart, and soul with a vividness that no other impressions were strong enough to efface89, and retained there with a tenacity90 that no vicissitudes91 of time, or place, or fortunes had power to alter, Hilary would—yes, I think she would—have quietly kept looking on. She would have accepted her lot, such as it was, with its shine and shade, its joy and its anguish92; it came to her without her seeking, as most of the solemn things in life do; and whatever it brought with it, it could have come from no other source than that from which all high, and holy, and pure loves ever must come—the will and permission of GOD.
Mr. Lyon himself requires no long description. In his first visit he had told Miss Leaf all about himself that there was to be known; that he was, as they were, a poor teacher, who had altogether "made himself," as so many Scotch students do. His father, whom he scarcely remembered, had been a small Ayrshire farmer; his mother was dead, and he had never had either brother or sister.
Seeing how clever Miss Hilary was, and how much as a schoolmistress she would need all the education she could get, he had offered to teach her along with her nephew; and she and Johanna were only too thankful for the advantage. But during the teaching he had also taught her another thing, which neither had contemplated93 at the time—to respect him with her whole soul, and to love him with her whole heart.
Over this simple fact let no more be now said. Hilary said nothing. She recognized it herself as soon as he was gone; a plain, sad, solemn truth, which there was no deceiving herself did not exist, even had she wished its non-existence. Perhaps Johanna also found it out, in her darling's extreme paleness and unusual quietness for a while; but she too said nothing. Mr. Lyon wrote regularly to Ascott, and once or twice to her, Miss Leaf; but though every one knew that Hilary was his particular friend in the whole family, he did not write to Hilary. He had departed rather suddenly, on account of some plan which he said, affected94 his future very considerably95; but which, though he was in the habit of telling them his affairs, he did not further explain. Still Johanna knew he was a good man, and though no man could be quite good enough for her darling, she liked him, she trusted him.
What Hilary felt none knew. But she was very girlish in some things; and her life was all before her, full of infinite hope. By-and-by her color returned, and her merry voice and laugh were heard about the house just as usual.
This being the position of affairs, it was not surprising that after Ascott's last speech Hilary's mind wandered from Dido and Æneas to vague listening, as the lad began talking of his grand future—the future of a medical student, all expenses being paid by his godfather, Mr. Ascott, the merchant, of Russell Square, once a shop boy of Stowbury.
Nor was it unnatural that all Ascott's anticipations96 of London resolved themselves, in his aunt's eyes, into the one fact that he would "see Mr. Lyon."
But in telling thus much about her mistresses, I have for the time being lost sight of Elizabeth Hand.
Left to herself, the girl stood for a minute or two looking around her in a confused manner, then, rousing her faculties97, began mechanically to obey the order with which her mistress had quitted the kitchen, and to wash up the tea-things. She did it in a fashion that, if seen, would have made Miss Leaf thankful that the ware98 was only the common set, and not the cherished china belonging to former days: still she did it, noisily it is true, but actively99, as if her heart were in her work. Then she took a candle and peered about her new domains100.
These were small enough; at least they would have seemed so to other eyes than Elizabeth's; for, until the school-room and box-closet above had been kindly added by the landlord, who would have done any thing to show his respect for the Misses Leaf, it had been merely a six-roomed cottage—parlor kitchen, back kitchen, and three upper chambers101. It was a very cozy102 house notwithstanding, and it seemed to Elizabeth's eyes a perfect palace.
For several minutes more she stood and contemplated her kitchen, with the fire shining on the round oaken stand in the centre, and the large wooden-bottomed chairs, and the loud-ticking clock, with its tall case, the inside of which, with its pendulum103 and weights, had been a perpetual mystery and delight, first to Hilary's and then to Ascott's childhood. Then there was the sofa, large and ugly, but, oh! so comfortable, with its faded, flowered chintz, washed and worn for certainly twenty years. And, overall, Elizabeth's keen observation was attracted by a queer machine apparently made of thin rope and bits of wood, which hung up to the hooks on the ceiling—an old-fashioned baby's swing. Finally, her eye dwelt with content on the blue and red diamond tiled floor, so easily swept and mopped, and (only Elizabeth did not think of that, for her hard childhood had been all work and no play) so beautiful to whip tops upon! Hilary and Ascott, condoling104 together over the new servant, congratulated themselves that their delight in this occupation had somewhat failed, though it was really not so many years ago since one of the former's pupils, coming suddenly out of the school-room, had caught her in the act of whipping a meditative105 top round this same kitchen floor.
Meantime Elizabeth penetrated106 farther, investigating the back kitchen, with its various conveniences; especially the pantry, every shelf of which was so neatly107 arranged and beautifully clean. Apparently this neatness impressed the girl with a sense of novelty and curiosity; and though she could hardly be said to meditate—her mind was not sufficiently108 awakened109 for that—still, as she stood at the kitchen fire, a slight thoughtfulness deepened the expression of her face, and made it less dull and heavy than it had at first appeared.
"I wonder which on 'em does it all. They must work pretty hard, I reckon; and two o' them's such little uns."
She stood a while longer; for sitting down appeared to be to Elizabeth as new a proceeding as thinking; then she went up stairs, still literally110 obeying orders, to shut windows and pull down blinds at nightfall. The bedrooms were small, and insufficiently111, nay112, shabbily furnished; but the floors were spotless—ah! poor Johanna!—and the sheets, though patched and darned to the last extremity113, were white and whole. Nothing was dirty, nothing untidy. There was no attempt at picturesque114 poverty—for whatever novelists may say, poverty can not be picturesque; but all things were decent and in order. The house, poor as it was, gave the impression of belonging to "real ladies;" ladies who thought no manner of work beneath them, and who, whatever they had to do, took the pains to do it as well as possible.
Mrs. Hand's roughly-brought-up daughter had never been in such a house before, and her examination of every new corner of it seemed quite a revelation. Her own little sleeping nook was fully30 as tidy and comfortable as the rest, which fact was not lost upon Elizabeth. That bright look of mingled115 softness and intelligence—the only thing which beautified her rugged116 face—came into the girl's eyes as she "turned down" the truckle-bed, and felt the warm blankets and sheets, new and rather coarse, but neatly sewed.
"Her's made 'em hersel', I reckon. La!" Which of her mistresses the "her" referred to remained unspecified; but Elizabeth, spurred to action by some new idea, went briskly back into the bedrooms, and looked about to see if there was any thing she could find to do. At last, with a sudden inspiration, she peered into a wash-stand, and found there an empty ewer117. Taking it in one hand and the candle in the other, she ran down stairs.
Fatal activity! Hilary's pet cat, startled from sleep on the kitchen hearth118, at the same instant ran wildly up stairs; there was a start—a stumble—and then down came the candle, the ewer, Elizabeth, and all.
It was an awful crash. It brought every member of the family to see what was the matter.
"What has the girl broken?" cried Selina.
"Where has she hurt herself?" anxiously added Johanna.
Hilary said nothing, but ran for a light, and then picked up first the servant, then the candle, and then the fragments of crockery.
"Why, it's my ewer, my favorite ewer, and it's all smashed to bits, and I never can match it again. You careless, clumsy, good-for-nothing creature!"
"Please, Selma," whispered her eldest sister.
"Very well, Johanna. You are the mistress, I suppose; why don't you speak to your servant?"
Miss Leaf, in an humbled119, alarmed way, first satisfied herself that no bodily injury had been sustained by Elizabeth, and then asked her how this disaster had happened? For a serious disaster she felt it was. Not only was the present loss annoying, but a servant with a talent for crockery breaking would be a far too expensive luxury for them to think of retaining. And she had been listening in the solitude120 of the parlor to a long lecture from her always dissatisfied younger sister, on the great doubts Selina had about Elizabeth's "suiting."
"Come, now," seeing the girl hesitated, "tell me the plain truth. How was it?"
"What a barefaced122 falsehood." exclaimed Selina. "You wicked girl, how could it possibly be the cat? Do you know that you are telling a lie, and that lies are hateful, and that all liars123 go to—"
"Nonsense, hush124!" interrupted Hilary, rather sharply; for Selina's "tongue," the terror of her childhood, now merely annoyed her. Selina's temper was a long understood household fact—they did not much mind it, knowing that her bark was worse than her bite—but it was provoking that she should exhibit herself so soon before the new servant.
The latter first looked up at the lady with simple surprise; then, as in spite of the other two, Miss Selina worked herself up into a downright passion, and unlimited125 abuse fell upon the victim's devoted126 head, Elizabeth's manner changed. After one dogged repetition of, "It was the cat!" not another word could be got out of her. She stood, her eyes fixed127 on the kitchen floor, her brows knitted, and her under lip pushed out—the very picture of sullenness128. Young as she was, Elizabeth evidently had, like her unfortunate mistress, "a temper of her own"—a spiritual deformity that some people are born with, as others with hare-lip or club-foot; only, unlike these, it may be conquered, though the battle is long and sore, sometimes ending only with life.
It had plainly never commenced with poor Elizabeth Hand. Her appearance, as she stood under the flood of sharp words poured out upon her, was absolutely repulsive129. Even Miss Hilary turned away, and began to think it would have been easier to teach all day and do house work half the night, than have the infliction130 of a servant—to say nothing of the disgrace of seeing Selina's "peculiarities131" so exposed before a stranger.
She knew of old that to stop the torrent132 was impracticable. The only chance was to let Selina expend133 her wrath134 and retire, and then to take some quiet opportunity of explaining to Elizabeth that sharp language was only "her way," and must be put up with. Humiliating as this was, and fatal to domestic authority that the first thing to be taught a new servant was to "put up" with one of her mistresses, still there was no alternative.—Hilary had already foreboded and made up her mind to such a possibility, but she had hoped it would not occur the very first evening.
It did, however, and its climax135 was worse even than she anticipated. Whether, irritated by the intense sullenness of the girl. Selina's temper was worse than usual, or whether, as is always the case with people like her, something else had vexed136 her, and she vented137 it upon the first cause of annoyance138 that occurred, certain it is that her tongue went on unchecked till it failed from sheer exhaustion139. And then, as she flung herself on the sofa—oh, sad mischance!—she caught sight of her nephew standing at the school-room door, grinning with intense delight, and making faces at her behind her back.
It was too much. The poor lady had no more words left to scold with; but she rushed up to Ascott, and big lad as he was, she soundly boxed his ears.
On this terrible climax let the curtain fall.
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alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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consultations
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| n.磋商（会议）( consultation的名词复数 )；商讨会；协商会；查找 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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inevitable
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| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
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smeared
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| 弄脏； 玷污； 涂抹； 擦上 | |
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scouring
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| 擦[洗]净，冲刷，洗涤 | |
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afterward
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sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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9
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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10
eldest
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| adj.最年长的，最年老的 | |
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11
toil
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| vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事 | |
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12
cogitation
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| n.仔细思考，计划，设计 | |
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13
prudent
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| adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的 | |
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14
den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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15
amend
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| vt.修改，修订，改进；n.[pl.]赔罪，赔偿 | |
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16
imposing
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| adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的 | |
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17
instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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18
momentary
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| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
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19
apron
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| n.围裙；工作裙 | |
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20
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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21
subdued
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| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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22
woolen
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| adj.羊毛(制)的；毛纺的 | |
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23
crookedly
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| adv. 弯曲地，不诚实地 | |
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24
bonnet
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| n.无边女帽；童帽 | |
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25
depreciatory
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| adj.贬值的，蔑视的 | |
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26
negotiation
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| n.谈判，协商 | |
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27
drooping
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| adj. 下垂的，无力的 动词droop的现在分词 | |
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28
proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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29
irresolute
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| adj.无决断的，优柔寡断的，踌躇不定的 | |
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30
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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31
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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32
likeness
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| n.相像，相似（之处） | |
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33
conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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34
maternal
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| adj.母亲的，母亲般的，母系的，母方的 | |
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35
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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36
dealing
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| n.经商方法，待人态度 | |
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37
facetious
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| adj.轻浮的，好开玩笑的 | |
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38
parlor
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| n.店铺，营业室；会客室，客厅 | |
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39
orphan
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| n.孤儿；adj.无父母的 | |
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40
solicitor
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| n.初级律师，事务律师 | |
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41
miserably
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| adv.痛苦地；悲惨地；糟糕地；极度地 | |
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42
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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43
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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44
maiden
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| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
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45
delicacy
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| n.精致，细微，微妙，精良；美味，佳肴 | |
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46
harmonious
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| adj.和睦的，调和的，和谐的，协调的 | |
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47
amiable
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| adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的 | |
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48
briskness
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| n.敏捷，活泼 | |
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49
inebriate
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| v.使醉 | |
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50
witty
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| adj.机智的，风趣的 | |
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51
irresistibly
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| adv.无法抵抗地，不能自持地；极为诱惑人地 | |
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52
supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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53
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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54
infancy
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| n.婴儿期；幼年期；初期 | |
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55
mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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56
wavy
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| adj.有波浪的，多浪的，波浪状的，波动的，不稳定的 | |
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57
labored
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| adj.吃力的，谨慎的v.努力争取(for)( labor的过去式和过去分词 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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58
quell
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| v.压制，平息，减轻 | |
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59
belle
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| n.靓女 | |
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60
artistically
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| adv.艺术性地 | |
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61
abode
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| n.住处，住所 | |
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62
bellows
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| n.风箱；发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的名词复数 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的第三人称单数 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫 | |
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63
scuttle
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| v.急赶，疾走，逃避；n.天窗；舷窗 | |
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64
catastrophe
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| n.大灾难，大祸 | |
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65
miserable
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|
| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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66
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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67
dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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68
coaxed
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|
| v.哄，用好话劝说( coax的过去式和过去分词 )；巧言骗取；哄劝，劝诱 | |
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69
helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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70
stolid
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| adj.无动于衷的，感情麻木的 | |
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71
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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72
contemplating
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| 深思，细想，仔细考虑( contemplate的现在分词 )； 注视，凝视； 考虑接受（发生某事的可能性）； 深思熟虑，沉思，苦思冥想 | |
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73
killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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74
irresistible
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| adj.非常诱人的，无法拒绝的，无法抗拒的 | |
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75
caterpillar
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|
| n.毛虫，蝴蝶的幼虫 | |
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76
meddle
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| v.干预，干涉，插手 | |
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77
resolutely
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|
| adj.坚决地，果断地 | |
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78
exacting
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| adj.苛求的，要求严格的 | |
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79
grumbled
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|
| 抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声 | |
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80
briefly
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|
| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
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81
humble
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|
| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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82
apprenticed
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| 学徒，徒弟( apprentice的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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83
usher
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|
| n.带位员，招待员；vt.引导，护送；vi.做招待，担任引座员 | |
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84
unnatural
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|
| adj.不自然的；反常的 | |
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85
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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86
abortions
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|
| n.小产( abortion的名词复数 )；小产胎儿；（计划）等中止或夭折；败育 | |
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87
scotch
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|
| n.伤口，刻痕；苏格兰威士忌酒；v.粉碎，消灭，阻止；adj.苏格兰(人)的 | |
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88
rosy
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|
| adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的 | |
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89
efface
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| v.擦掉，抹去 | |
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90
tenacity
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| n.坚韧 | |
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91
vicissitudes
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| n.变迁，世事变化；变迁兴衰( vicissitude的名词复数 )；盛衰兴废 | |
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92
anguish
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| n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼 | |
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93
contemplated
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|
| adj. 预期的 动词contemplate的过去分词形式 | |
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94
affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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95
considerably
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|
| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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96
anticipations
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| 预期( anticipation的名词复数 )； 预测； （信托财产收益的）预支； 预期的事物 | |
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97
faculties
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| n.能力( faculty的名词复数 )；全体教职员；技巧；院 | |
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98
ware
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| n.(常用复数)商品，货物 | |
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99
actively
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| adv.积极地，勤奋地 | |
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100
domains
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| n.范围( domain的名词复数 )；领域；版图；地产 | |
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101
chambers
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| n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅 | |
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102
cozy
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| adj.亲如手足的，密切的，暖和舒服的 | |
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103
pendulum
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| n.摆，钟摆 | |
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104
condoling
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| v.表示同情，吊唁( condole的现在分词 ) | |
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105
meditative
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| adj.沉思的，冥想的 | |
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106
penetrated
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| adj. 击穿的，鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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107
neatly
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| adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地 | |
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108
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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109
awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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110
literally
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| adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实 | |
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111
insufficiently
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| adv.不够地，不能胜任地 | |
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112
nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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113
extremity
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| n.末端，尽头；尽力；终极；极度 | |
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114
picturesque
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| adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的 | |
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115
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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116
rugged
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| adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的 | |
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117
ewer
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| n.大口水罐 | |
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118
hearth
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| n.壁炉炉床，壁炉地面 | |
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119
humbled
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| adj. 卑下的，谦逊的，粗陋的 vt. 使 ... 卑下，贬低 | |
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120
solitude
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| n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方 | |
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121
sobbed
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| 哭泣，啜泣( sob的过去式和过去分词 )； 哭诉，呜咽地说 | |
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122
barefaced
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| adj.厚颜无耻的，公然的 | |
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123
liars
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| 说谎者( liar的名词复数 ) | |
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124
hush
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| int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静 | |
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125
unlimited
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| adj.无限的，不受控制的，无条件的 | |
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126
devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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127
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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128
sullenness
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| n. 愠怒, 沉闷, 情绪消沉 | |
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129
repulsive
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| adj.排斥的，使人反感的 | |
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130
infliction
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| n.（强加于人身的）痛苦，刑罚 | |
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131
peculiarities
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| n. 特质, 特性, 怪癖, 古怪 | |
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132
torrent
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| n.激流，洪流；爆发，(话语等的)连发 | |
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133
expend
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| vt.花费，消费，消耗 | |
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134
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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135
climax
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| n.顶点；高潮；v.(使)达到顶点 | |
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136
vexed
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| adj.争论不休的；（指问题等）棘手的；争论不休的问题；烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论 | |
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137
vented
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| 表达，发泄（感情，尤指愤怒）( vent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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138
annoyance
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| n.恼怒，生气，烦恼 | |
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139
exhaustion
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| n.耗尽枯竭，疲惫，筋疲力尽，竭尽，详尽无遗的论述 | |
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