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blenottolikehim.Shedidlikehim.Shelikedhimquiteaswellasmostyoungmenandmuchbetterthanmany."I'mafraidyouareveryunhappy,"shesaidsuddenlytoLadyShuttleworth,struckbythelookonherfaceassheleanedback,silent,inhercorner. "Idofeelratheratmywits'end,"saidLadyShuttleworth."Forinstance,I'mwonderingwhetherwhatI'mdoingnowisn'tagreatmistake." "Whatyouaredoingnow?" "TakingyoutoseeTussie." "OhbutIpromisetobecheerful.I'lltellhimhowcomfortableweare.He'llseeIlookwelltakencareof." "ButforallthatI'mafraidhemay—hemay—" "Why,we'regoingtobetremendouslytakencareof.Evenhewillseethat.Onlythink—I'veengagedtwenty-fivecooks." "Twenty-fivecooks?"echoedLadyShuttleworth,staringinspiteofhersorrows."Butisn'tmykitchenmaid—?" "Ohsheleftusalmostatonce.Shecouldn'tstandmyuncle.Heisratherdifficulttostandatfirst.Youhavetoknowhimquitealongwhilebeforeyoucanbegintolikehim.AndIdon'tthinkkitchenmaidseverwouldbegin." "Butmydear,twenty-fivecooks?" AndPriscillaexplainedhowandwhyshehadcomebythemandthoughLadyShuttleworth,rememberingtheordertillnowprevailinginthevillageandthelownessofthewages,couldnothelpthinkingthatherewasagirlmorepotentformischiefthananygirlshehadevermet,yetafeeblegleamofamusementdid,asshelistened,slantacrosstheinkyblacknessofhersoul. Tussiewassittingupinbedwithagreatmanypillowsbehindhim,findingimmensedifficultyinbreathing,whenhismother,herbonnetoffandeverytraceofhavingbeenoutremoved,cameinandsaidMissNeumann-Schultzwasdownstairs. "Downstairs?Here?Inthishouse?"gaspedTussie,hiseyesroundwithwonderandjoy. "Yes.She—called.Wouldyoulikehertocomeupandseeyou?" "Ohmother!" LadyShuttleworthhurriedout.Howcouldshebearthis,shethought,stumblingalittleasthoughshedidnotseeverywell.ShewentdownstairswiththesoundofthatOhmotherthrobbinginherears. Tussie'stemperature,highalready,wentupbyleapsduringthefewminutesofwaiting.Hegavefeverishdirectionstothenurseaboutacomfortablechairbeingputexactlyintherightplace,abouthispillowsbeingsmoothed,hismedicinebottleshidden,andwasveryanxiousthattheflannelgarmenthewasmadetowearwhenill,agarmenthismothercalledanightingale—notafterthebirdbutthelady—andthatwasthebluestflannelgarmenteverseen,shouldbearrangedneatlyoverhisnarrowchest. Thenurselookeddisapproving.Shedidnotlikeherpatientstobehappy.Perhapsshewasright.Itisalwaysbetter,Ibelieve,tobecautiousandcareful,tohusbandyourstrength,tobedeadlyprudentanddeadlydull.Asyouwouldpoison,soshouldyouavoiddoingwhatthepoetcallslivingtoomuchinyourlargehours.Thetrulyprudentneverhavelargehoursnorshouldyou,ifyouwanttobecomfortable.Andyougetyourreward,Iamtold,inlivinglongerinhaving,thatis,afewmoreofthoseyearsthatclusterroundtheend,duringwhichyouarefedandcarriedandwashedbypersonswhogenerallygrumble.Whowantstobeaflame,doomedtobeblownoutbythesamegustofwindthathasfirstfannedittoitsverybrightest?Ifyouarenotaflameyoucannot,ofcourse,beblownout.Gustsnolongershakeyou.Tempestspassyoubyuntouched.Andifbesidesyouhavetheadditionaladvantageofbeingextremelysmug,extremelythick-skinned,youshallgoonlivingtillninety,andnotduringthewholeofthattimebestirredbysomuchasasingledraught. Priscillacameupdeterminedtobesocheerfulthatshebegantosmilealmostbeforeshegottothedoor."I'vecometotellyouhowsplendidl