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rhimselftoldhimthatRobinhadgonewouldFritzingbelieveit."Thevillainhasfled,"hetoldPriscilla,comingbackdrenchedinbodybutunquenchableinspirit."Yourchastisement,ma'am,wasveryeffectual." "Ifhe'sgone,thendon'tletusthinkabouthimanymore." "Nay,ma'am,InowsetoutforCambridge.IfImaynotmeethimfairlyinduelandhavemychanceofhonourablyremovinghimfromaworldthathashadenoughofhim,Iwouldfaininmyturnboxhisears." ButPriscillacaughthimbybotharms."Why,Fritzi,"shecried,"hemightremoveyouandnotyouhim—andfromaworldthathasn'thadnearlyenoughofyou.Fritzi,youcannotleaveme.Iwon'tletyougo.IwishIhadnevertoldyou.Don'tletustalkofiteveragain.Itishatefultome.I—Ican'tbearit."Andshelookedintohisfacewithsomethingveryliketearsinhereyes. OfcourseFritzingstayed.Howcouldhegoawayevenforonehour,eveninsearchofacook,whensuchdreadfulthingshappened?Hewasboweddownbytheburdenofhisresponsibilities.Hewentintohissitting-roomandspentthemorningstridingupanddownitbetweenthestreetdoorandthedoorintothekitchen,—astrideandahalfoneway,andastrideandahalfbackbackagain,—doingwhatallevildoershavetodosoonerorlater,cudgellinghisbrainsforawayoutoflife'scomplications:andeverynowandthentheterriblenessofwhathadhappenedtohisPrincess,hisguardedPrincess,hisunapproachableone,cameoverhimwithafreshwaveofhorrorandhegroanedaloud. InthekitchensattheShuttleworthkitchenmaid,amostaccomplishedyoungperson,listeningtothegroansandwonderingwhatnext.Tussiehadsenther,withfearfulthreatsofwhatsortofcharactershewouldgetifsherefusedtogo.Shehadatoncegivennotice,buthadbeenforcedallthesametogo,beingdrivenoverinadog-cartintheearlymorningrainbyagroomwhomadelabouredpleasantriesatherexpense.Shecouldcookverywell,almostaswellasthatgreatpersonagetheShuttleworthcook,butshecouldonlycookiftherewerethingstobecookedandwhatshefoundatCreeperCottagewastherestofthegingerbiscuitsandsardines.Well,Iwillnotlingeroverthat.Priscilladidgetbreakfastsomehow,thegirl,aftertryingvainlytostrikesparksofhelpfulnessoutofAnnalise,goingtothestoreandorderingwhatwasnecessary.Thenshewashedup,whileAnnalisetrippedinandoutfortheexpresspurpose,soitseemed,ofturninguphernosethenshesatandwaitedandwonderedwhatnext.Foralongtimeshesupposedsomebodywouldsendforhertocomeandtalkaboutluncheonbutnobodydid.Sheheardtheceaselessstridingsinthenextroom,andeverynowandthenthegroans.Therainonthekitchenwindowdidnotpattermoreceaselesslythanthefootstepsstrodeupanddown,andthegroansgotverymuchontothegirl'snerves.Atlastshedecidedthatnopersonwhowasgroaninglikethatwouldeverwanttoorderluncheon,andshehadbettergototheyounglady.ShewentoutaccordinglyandknockedatPriscilla'sdoor.Priscillawasinherchairbythefire,lostintroublousthought.Shelookedvaguelyatthekitchenmaidforamoment,andthenaskedhertogoaway."I'mbusy,"explainedPriscilla,whosehandswerefoldedinherlap. "Pleasemiss,whatdoyouwishforluncheon?" "Whoareyou?" "