第33部分(第5/7 页)

ok　over　all　her　“toilettes；”　as　she　called　frocks；　to　furbish　up　any　that　were　“passées；”　and　to　air　and　arrange　the　new。　For　herself；　she　did　nothing　but　caper　about　in　the　front　chambers；　jump　on　and　off　the　bedsteads；　and　lie　on　the　mattresses　and　piled…up　bolsters　and　pillows　before　the　enormous　fires　roaring　in　the　chimneys。　From　school　duties　she　was　exonerated：　Mrs。　Fairfax　had　pressed　me　into　her　service；　and　I　was　all　day　in　the　storeroom；　helping　（or　hindering）　her　and　the　cook；　learning　to　make　custards　and　cheese…cakes　and　French　pastry；　to　truss　game　and　garnish　desert…dishes。

The　party　were　expected　to　arrive　on　Thursday　afternoon；　in　time　for　dinner　at　six。　During　the　intervening　period　I　had　no　time　to　nurse　chimeras；　and　I　believe　I　was　as　active　and　gay　as　anybody—Adèle　excepted。　Still；　now　and　then；　I　received　a　damping　check　to　my　cheerfulness；　and　was；　in　spite　of　myself；　thrown　back　on　the　region　of　doubts　and　portents；　and　dark　conjectures。　This　was　when　I　chanced　to　see　the　third…storey　staircase　door　（which　of　late　had　always　been　kept　locked）　open　slowly；　and　give　passage　to　the　form　of　Grace　Poole；　in　prim　cap；　white　apron；　and　handkerchief；　when　I　watched　her　glide　along　the　gallery；　her　quiet　tread　muffled　in　a　list　slipper；　when　I　saw　her　look　into　the　bustling；　topsy…turvy　bedrooms；—just　say　a　word；　perhaps；　to　the　charwoman　about　the　proper　way　to　polish　a　grate；　or　clean　a　marble　mantelpiece；　or　take　stains　from　papered　walls；　and　then　pass　on。　She　would　thus　descend　to　the　kitchen　once　a　day；　eat　her　dinner；　smoke　a　moderate　pipe　on　the　hearth；　and　go　back；　carrying　her　pot　of　porter　with　her；　for　her　private　solace；　in　her　own　gloomy；　upper　haunt。　Only　one　hour　in　the　twenty…four　did　she　pass　with　her　fellow…servants　below；　all