CHAPTER XXII. THE VISIT

thepeoplemadeagreatroutabouthisleaving,”continuedshe,“muchtoMr.Hatfield’sdispleasureforHatfielddidn’tlikehim,becausehehadtoomuchinfluencewiththecommonpeople,andbecausehewasnotsufficientlytractableandsubmissivetohim—andforsomeotherunpardonablesins,Idon’tknowwhat.ButnowIpositivelymustgoanddress:thesecondbellwillringdirectly,andifIcometodinnerinthisguise,IshallneverheartheendofitfromLadyAshby.It’sastrangethingonecan’tbemistressinone’sownhouse!Justringthebell,andI’llsendformymaid,andtellthemtogetyousometea.Onlythinkofthatintolerablewoman—” “Who—yourmaid?” “No—mymother-in-law—andmyunfortunatemistake!Insteadoflettinghertakeherselfofftosomeotherhouse,assheofferedtodowhenImarried,Iwasfoolenoughtoaskhertoliveherestill,anddirecttheaffairsofthehouseformebecause,inthefirstplace,Ihopedweshouldspendthegreaterpartoftheyear,intown,andinthesecondplace,beingsoyoungandinexperienced,Iwasfrightenedattheideaofhavingahousefulofservantstomanage,anddinnerstoorder,andpartiestoentertain,andalltherestofit,andIthoughtshemightassistmewithherexperienceneverdreamingshewouldproveausurper,atyrant,anincubus,aspy,andeverythingelsethat’sdetestable.Iwishshewasdead!” Shethenturnedtogiveherorderstothefootman,whohadbeenstandingboltuprightwithinthedoorforthelasthalfminute,andhadheardthelatterpartofheranimadversionsand,ofcourse,madehisownreflectionsuponthem,notwithstandingtheinflexible,woodencountenancehethoughtpropertopreserveinthedrawing-room.Onmyremarkingafterwardsthathemusthaveheardher,shereplied—“Oh,nomatter!Inevercareaboutthefootmenthey’remereautomatons:it’snothingtothemwhattheirsuperiorssayordotheywon’tdaretorepeatitandastowhattheythink—iftheypresumetothinkatall—ofcourse,nobodycaresforthat.Itwouldbeaprettythingindeed,itweweretobetongue-tiedbyourservants!” Sosaying,sheranofftomakeherhastytoilet,leavingmetopilotmywaybacktomysitting-room,where,induetime,Iwasservedwithacupoftea.Afterthat,IsatmusingonLadyAshby’spastandpresentconditionandonwhatlittleinformationIhadobtainedrespectingMr.Weston,andthesmallchancetherewasofeverseeingorhearinganythingmoreofhimthroughoutmyquiet,drab-colourlife:which,henceforth,seemedtooffernoalternativebetweenpositiverainydays,anddaysofdullgreycloudswithoutdownfall.Atlength,however,Ibegantowearyofmythoughts,andtowishIknewwheretofindthelibrarymyhostesshadspokenofandtowonderwhetherIwastoremaintheredoingnothingtillbed-time. AsIwasnotrichenoughtopossessawatch,Icouldnottellhowtimewaspassing,exceptbyobservingtheslowlylengtheningshadowsfromthewindowwhichpresentedasideview,includingacornerofthepark,aclumpoftreeswhosetopmostbrancheshadbeencolonizedbyaninnumerablecompanyofnoisyrooks,andahighwallwithamassive