novel notes-第34节

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At　first；　owing　to　the　clamour　of　the　mob　outside；　who　were　hammering　at　the　door　and　shouting　curses　through　the　keyhole；　he　could　understand　nothing；　but　at　length　they　succeeded　in　explaining　to　him　that　they　were　domestic　servants　come　ill　answer　to　his　wife's　advertisement。　　The　man　went　and　told　his　wife；　and　his　wife　said　she　would　see　them；　one　at　a　time。

Which　one　should　have　audience　first　was　a　delicate　question　to　decide。　　The　man；　on　being　appealed　to；　said　he　would　prefer　to　leave　it　to　them。　　They　accordingly　discussed　the　matter　among　themselves。　　At　the　end　of　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　the　victor；　having　borrowed　some　hair…pins　and　a　looking…glass　from　our　charwoman；　who　had　slept　in　the　house；　went　upstairs；　while　the　remaining　fourteen　sat　down　in　the　hall；　and　fanned　themselves　with　their　bonnets。

〃A。　B。〃　was　a　good　deal　astonished　when　the　first　applicant　presented　herself。　　She　was　a　tall；　genteel…looking　girl。　　Up　to　yesterday　she　had　been　head　housemaid　at　Lady　Stanton's；　and　before　that　she　had　been　under…cook　for　two　years　to　the　Duchess　of　York。

〃And　why　did　you　leave　Lady　Stanton？〃　asked　〃A。　B。〃

〃To　come　here；　mum；〃　replied　the　girl。　　The　lady　was　puzzled。

〃And　you'll　be　satisfied　with　six　pounds　a　year？〃　she　asked。

〃Certainly；　mum；　I　think　it　ample。〃

〃And　you　don't　mind　hard　work？〃

〃I　love　it；　mum。〃

〃And　you're　an　early　riser？〃

〃Oh　yes；　mum；　it　upsets　me　stopping　in　bed　after　half…past　five。〃

〃You　know　we　do　the　washing　at　home？〃

〃Yes；　mum。　　I　think　it　so　much　better　to　do　it　at　home。　　Those　laundries　ruin　good　clothes。　　They're　so　careless。〃

〃Are　you　a　Unitarian？〃　continued　the　lady。

〃Not　yet；　mum；〃　replied　the　girl；　〃but　I　should　like　to　be　one。〃

The　lady　took　her　reference；　and　said　she　would　write。

The　next　applicant　offered　to　come　for　three　poundsthought　six　pounds　too　much。　　She　expressed　her　willingness　to　sleep　in　the　back　kitchen：　　a　shakedown　under　the　sink　was　all　she　wanted。　　She　likewise　had　yearnings　towards　Unitarianism。

The　third　girl　did　not　require　any　wages　at　allcould　not　understand　what　servants　wanted　with　wagesthought　wages　only　encouraged　a　love　of　foolish　finerythought　a　comfortable　home　in　a　Unitarian　family　ought　to　be　sufficient　wages　for　any　girl。

This　girl　said　there　was　one　stipulation　she　should　like　to　make；　and　that　was　that　she　should　be　allowed　to　pay　for　all　breakages　caused　by　her　own　carelessness　or　neglect。　　She　objected　to　holidays　and　evenings　out；　she　held　that　they　distracted　a　girl　from　her　work。

The　fourth　candidate　offered　a　premium　of　five　pounds　for　the　place；　and　then　〃A。　B。〃　began　to　get　frightened；　and　refused　to　see　any　more　of　the　girls；　convinced　that　they　must　be　lunatics　from　some　neighbouring　asylum　out　for　a　walk。

Later　in　the　day；　meeting　the　next…door　lady　on　the　door…step；　she　related　her　morning's　experiences。

〃Oh；　that's　nothing　extraordinary；〃　said　the　next…door　lady；　〃none　of　us　on　this　side　of　the　street　pay　wages；　and　we　get　the　pick　of　all　the　best　servants　in　London。　　Why；　girls　will　come　from　the　other　end　of　the　kingdom　to　get　into　one　of　these　houses。　　It's　the　dream　of　their　lives。　　They　save　up　for　years；　so　as　to　be　able　to　come　here　for　nothing。〃

〃What's　the　attraction？〃　asked　〃A。　B。；〃　more　amazed　than　ever。

〃Why；　don't　you　see；〃　explained　the　next　door　lady；　〃our　back　windows　open　upon　the　barrack　yard。　　A　girl　living　in　one　of　these　houses　is　always　close　to　soldiers。　　By　looking　out　of　window　she　can　always　see　soldiers；　and　sometimes　a　soldier　will　nod　to　her　or　even　call　up　to　her。　　They　never　dream　of　asking　for　wages。　　They'll　work　eighteen　hours　a　day；　and　put　up　with　anything　just　to　be　allowed　to　stop。〃

〃A。　B。〃　　profited　by　this　information；　and　engaged　the　girl　who　offered　the　five　pounds　premium。　　She　found　her　a　perfect　treasure　of　a　servant。　　She　was　invariably　willing　and　respectful；　slept　on　a　sofa　in　the　kitchen；　and　was　always　contented　with　an　egg　for　her　dinner。

The　truth　of　this　story　I　cannot　vouch　for。　　Myself；　I　can　believe　it。　　Brown　and　MacShaughnassy　made　no　attempt　to　do　so；　which　seemed　unfriendly。　　Jephson　excused　himself　on　the　plea　of　a　headache。　　I　admit　there　are　points　in　it　presenting　difficulties　to　the　average　intellect。　　As　I　explained　at　the　commencement；　it　was　told　to　me　by　Ethelbertha；　who　had　it　from　Amenda；　who　got　it　from　the　char…woman；　and　exaggerations　may　have　crept　into　it。　　The　following；　however；　were　incidents　that　came　under　my　own　personal　observation。　　They　afforded　a　still　stronger　example　of　the　influence　exercised　by　Tommy　Atkins　upon　the　British　domestic；　and　I　therefore　thought　it　right　to　relate　them。

〃The　heroine　of　them；〃　I　said；　〃is　our　Amenda。　　Now；　you　would　call　her　a　tolerably　well…behaved；　orderly　young　woman；　would　you　not？〃

〃She　is　my　ideal　of　unostentatious　respectability；〃　answered　MacShaughnassy

〃That　was　my　opinion　also；〃　I　replied。　　〃You　can；　therefore；　imagine　my　feelings　on　passing　her　one　evening　in　the　Folkestone　High　Street　with　a　Panama　hat　upon　her　head　（MY　Panama　hat）；　and　a　soldier's　arm　round　her　waist。　　She　was　one　of　a　mob　following　the　band　of　the　Third　Berkshire　Infantry；　then　in　camp　at　Sandgate。　　There　was　an　ecstatic；　far…away　look　in　her　eyes。　　She　was　dancing　rather　than　walking；　and　with　her　left　hand　she　beat　time　to　the　music。

〃Ethelbertha　was　with　me　at　the　time。　　We　stared　after　the　procession　until　it　had　turned　the　corner；　and　then　we　stared　at　each　other。

〃'Oh；　it's　impossible；'　said　Ethelbertha　to　me。

〃'But　that　was　my　hat；'　I　said　to　Ethelbertha。

〃The　moment　we　reached　home　Ethelbertha　looked　for　Amenda；　and　I　looked　for　my　hat。　　Neither　was　to　be　found。

〃Nine　o'clock　struck；　ten　o'clock　struck。　　At　half…past　ten；　we　went　down　and　got　our　own　supper；　and　had　it　in　the　kitchen。　　At　a　quarter…past　eleven；　Amenda　returned。　　She　walked　into　the　kitchen　without　a　word；　hung　my　hat　up　behind　the　door；　and　commenced　clearing　away　the　supper　things。

〃Ethelbertha　rose；　calm　but　severe。

〃'Where　have　you　been；　Amenda？'　she　inquired。

〃'Gadding　half　over　the　county　with　a　lot　of　low　soldiers；'　answered　Amenda；　continuing　her　work。

〃'You　had　on　my　hat；'　I　added。

〃'Yes；　sir；'　replied　Amenda；　still　continuing　her　work；　'it　was　the　first　thing　that　came　to　hand。　　What　I'm　thankful　for　is　that　it　wasn't　missis's　best　bonnet。'

〃Whether　Ethelbertha　was　mollified　by　the　proper　spirit　displayed　in　this　last　remark；　I　cannot　say；　but　I　think　it　probable。　　At　all　events；　it　was　in　a　voice　more　of　sorrow　than　of　anger　that　she　resumed　her　examination。

〃'You　were　walking　with　a　soldier's　arm　around　your　waist　when　we　passed　you；　Amenda？'　she　observed　interrogatively。

〃'I　know；　mum；'　admitted　Amenda；　'I　found　it　there　myself　when　the　music　stopped。'

〃Ethelbertha　looked　her　inquiries。　　Amenda　filled　a　saucepan　with　water；　and　then　replied　to　them。

〃'I'm　a　disgrace　to　a　decent　household；'　she　said；　'no　mistress　who　respected　herself　would　keep　me　a　moment。　　I　ought　to　be　put　on　the　doorstep　with　my　box　and　a　month's　wages。'

〃'But　why　did　you　do　it　then？'　said　Ethelbertha；　with　natural　astonishment。

〃'Because　I'm　a　helpless　ninny；　mum。　　I　can't　help　myself；　if　I　see　soldiers　I'm　bound　to　follow　them。　　It　runs　in　our　family。　　My　poor　cousin　Emma　was　just　such　another　fool。　　She　was　engaged　to　be　married　to　a　quiet；　respectable　young　fellow　with　a　shop　of　his　own；　and　three　days　before　the　wedding　she　ran　off　with　a　regiment　of　marines　to　Chatham　and　married　the　colour…sergeant。　　That's　what　I　shall　end　by　doing。　　I've　been　all　the　way　to　Sandgate　with　that　lot　you　saw　me　with；　and　I've　kissed　four　of　themthe　nasty　wretches。　I'm　a　nice　sort　of　girl　to　be　walking　out　with　a　respectable　milkman。'

〃She　was　so　deeply　disgusted　with　herself　that　it　seemed　superfluous　for　anybody　else　to　be　indignant　with　her；　and　Ethelbertha　changed　her　tone　and　tried　to　comfort　her。

〃'Oh；　you'll　get　over　all　that　nonsense；　Amenda；'　she　said；　laughingly；　'you　see　yourself　how　silly　it　is。　　You　must　tell　Mr。　Bowles　to　keep　you　away　from　soldiers。'

〃'Ah；　I　can't　look　at　it　in　the　same　light　way　that　you　do；　mum；'　returned　Amenda；　somewhat　reprovingly；　'a　girl　that　can't　see　a　bit　of　red　marching　down　the　street　without　wanting　to　rush　out　and　follow　it　ain't　fit　to　be　anybody's　wife。　　Why；　I　should　be　leaving　the　shop　with　nobody　in　it　about　twice　a　week；　and　he'd　have　to　go　the　round　of　all　the　barracks　in　London；　looking　for　me。　　I　shall　save　up　and　get　myself　into　a　lunatic　asylum；　that's　what　I　shall　do。'

〃Ethelbertha　began　to　grow　quite　troubled。　　'But　surely　this　is　something　altogether　new；　Amenda；'　she　said；　'you　must　have　often　met　soldiers　when　you've　been　out　in　London？'

〃'Oh　yes；　one　or　two　at　a　time；　walking　about　anyhow；　I　can　stand　that　all　right。　　It's　when　there's　a　lot　of　them　with　a　band　that　I　lose　my　head。'

〃'You　don't　know　what　it's　like；　mum；'　she　added；　noticing　Ethelbertha's　puzzled　expression；　'you've　never　had　it。　　I　only　hope　you　never　may。'

〃We　kept　a　careful　watch　over　Amenda　during　the　remainder　of　our　stay　at　Folkestone；　and　an　anxious　time　we　had　of　it。　　Every　day　some　regiment　or　other　would　march　t