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He smiled and shook his head。 〃I wish I might。 But they limited my stay with you to four minutes； and Wainwright has posted himself outside the door； with his watch in his hand。〃
Quite true。 There stood the careful surgeon； and the short interview was over almost as soon as it had begun。
The baby lived； and appeared likely to live； and of course the next thing was to look out for a maid for it。 Isabel did not get strong very quickly。 Fever and weakness had a struggle with each other and with her。 One day； when she was dressing and sitting in her easy chair； Miss Carlyle entered。
〃Of all the servants in the neighborhood； who should you suppose is come up after the place of nurse？〃
〃Indeed； I cannot guess。〃
〃Why； Wilson； Mrs。 Hare's maid。 Three years and five months she has been with them； and now leaves in consequence of a fall out with Barbara。 Will you see her？〃
〃Is she likely to suit？ Is she a good servant？〃
〃She's not a bad servant； as servants go；〃 responded Miss Carlyle。 〃She's steady and respectable； but she has got a tongue as long as from here to Lynneborough。〃
〃That won't hurt baby；〃 said Lady Isabel。 〃But if she has lived as lady's maid； she probably does not understand the care of infants。〃
〃Yes she does。 She was upper servant at Squire Pinner's before going to Mrs。 Hare's。 Five years she lived there。〃
〃I will see her；〃 said Lady Isabel。
Miss Carlyle left the room to send the servant in； but came back first alone。
〃Mind； Lady Isabel； don't you engage her。 If she is likely to suit you； let her come again for the answer； and meanwhile I will go down to Mrs。 Hare's and learn the ins and outs of her leaving。 It is all very plausible for her to put upon Barbara； but that is only one side of the question。 Before engaging her； it may be well to hear the other。〃
Of course this was but right。 Isabel acquiesced； and the servant was introduced； a tall； pleasant…looking woman； with black eyes。 Lady Isabel inquired why she was leaving Mrs。 Hare's。
〃My lady； it is through Miss Barbara's temper。 Latterlyoh； for this year past； nothing has pleased her； she had grown nearly as imperious as the justice himself。 I have threatened many times to leave； and last evening we came to another outbreak； and I left this morning。〃
〃Left entirely？〃
〃Yes； my lady。 Miss Barbara provoked me so； that I said last night I would leave as soon as breakfast was over。 And I did so。 I should be very glad to take your situation； my lady； if you would please to try me。〃
〃You have been the upper maid at Mrs。 Hare's？〃
〃Oh； yes； my lady。〃
〃Then possibly this situation might not suit you so well as you imagine。 Joyce is the upper servant here； and you would； in a manner； be under her。 I have great confidence in Joyce； and in case of my illness or absence； Joyce would superintend the nursery。〃
〃I should not mind that；〃 was the applicant's answer。 〃We all like Joyce； my lady。〃
A few more questions； and then the girl was told to come again in the evening for her answer。 Miss Carlyle went to the Grove for the 〃ins and outs〃 of the affair； where Mrs。 Hare frankly stated that she had nothing to urge against Wilson； save her hasty manner of leaving； and believed the chief blame to be due to Barbara。 Wilson； therefore； was engaged； and was to enter upon her new service the following morning。
In the afternoon succeeding to it； Isabel was lying on the sofa in her bedroom； asleep； as was supposed。 In point of fact； she was in that state； half asleep； half wakeful delirium； which those who suffer from weakness and fever know only too well。 Suddenly she was aroused from it by hearing her own name mentioned in the adjoining room； where sat Joyce and Wilson； the latter holding the sleeping infant on her knee； the former sewing； the door between the rooms being ajar。
〃How ill she does look；〃 observed Wilson。
〃Who？〃 asked Joyce。
〃Her ladyship。 She looks just as if she'd never get over it。〃
〃She is getting over it quickly； now；〃 returned Joyce。 〃If you had seen her but a week ago； you would not say she was looking ill now； speaking in comparison。〃
〃My goodness！ Would not somebody's hopes be up again if anything should happen？〃
〃Nonsense！〃 crossly rejoined Joyce。
〃You may cry out 'nonsense' forever； Joyce； but they would；〃 went on Wilson。 〃And she would snap him up to a dead certainty； she'd never let him escape her a second time。 She is as much in love with him as she ever was！〃
〃It was all talk and fancy；〃 said Joyce。 〃West Lynne must be busy。 Mr。 Carlyle never cared for her。〃
〃That's more than you know。 I have seen a little； Joyce； I have seen him kiss her。〃
〃A pack of rubbish！〃 remarked Joyce。 〃That tells nothing。〃
〃I don't say it does。 There's not a young man living but what's fond of a sly kiss in the dark； if he can get it。 He gave her that locket and chain she wears。〃
〃Who wears？〃 retorted Joyce； determined not graciously to countenance the subject。 〃I don't want to hear anything about it。〃
〃 'Who；' now！ Why； Miss Barbara。 She has hardly had it off her neck since； my belief is she wears it in her sleep。〃
〃More simpleton she；〃 returned Joyce。
〃The night before he left West Lynne to marry Lady Isabeland didn't the news come upon us like a thunderclap！Miss Barbara had been at Miss Carlyle's and he brought her home。 A lovely night it was； the moon rising； and nearly as light as day。 He somehow broke her parasol in coming home； and when they got to our gate there was a love scene。〃
〃Were you a third in it？〃 sarcastically demanded Joyce。
〃Yeswithout meaning to be。 It was a regular love scene； I could hear enough for that。 If ever anybody thought to be Mrs。 Carlyle； Barbara did that night。〃
〃Why； you great baby！ You have just said it was the night before he went to get married！〃
〃I don't care； she did。 After he was gone； I saw her lift up her hands and her face in ecstacy； and say he would never know how much she loved him until she was his wife。 Be you very sure； Joyce； many a love…passage had passed between them two； but I suppose when my lady was thrown in his way he couldn't resist her rank and her beauty； and the old love was cast over。 It is in the nature of man to be fickle； specially those that can boast of their own good looks； like Mr。 Carlyle。〃
〃Mr。 Carlyle's not fickle。〃
〃I can tell you more yet。 Two or three days after that； Miss Corny came up to our house with the news of his marriage。 I was in mistress's bedroom； and they were in the room underneath； the windows open； and I heard Miss Corny tell the tale； for I was leaning out。 Up came Miss Barbara upon an excuse and flew into her room； and I went into the corridor。 A few moments and I heard a noiseit was a sort of wail； or groanand I opened the door softly； fearing she might be fainting。 Joyce； if my heart never ached for anybody before； it ached then。 She was lying upon the floor； her hands writhed together； and her poor face all white； like one in mortal agony。 I'd have given a quarter's wages to be able to say a word of comfort to her； but I didn't dare interfere with such sorrow as that。 I came out again and shut the door without her seeing me。〃
〃How thoroughly stupid she must have been！〃 uttered Joyce； 〃to go caring for one who did not care for her。〃
〃I tell you； Joyce； you don't know that he did not care。 You are as obstinate as the justice； and I wish to goodness you wouldn't interrupt me。 They came up here to pay the wedding visitmaster； mistress； and she； came in state in the grand chariot； with the coachman and Jasper。 If you have got any memory at all； you can't fail to recollect it。 Miss Barbara remained behind at East Lynne to spend the rest of the day。〃
〃I remember it。〃
〃I was sent to fetch her home in the evening； Jasper being out。 I came the field way； for the dust by the road was enough to smother one； and by the last stile but one； what do you think I came upon？〃
Joyce lifted her eyes。 〃A snake perhaps。〃
〃I came upon Miss Barbara and Mr。 Carlyle。 What had passed； nobody knows but themselves。 She was leaning back against the stile； crying； low； soft sobs breaking from her； like one might expect to hear from a breaking heart。 It seemed as if she had been reproaching him； as if some explanation had passed； and I heard him say that from henceforth they could only be brother and sister。 I spoke soon； for fear they should see me； and Mr。 Carlyle got over the stile。 Miss Barbara said to him that he need not come any further； but he held out his arm； and came with her to our back gate。 I went on then to open the door； and I saw him with his head bent down to her； and her two hands held in his。 We don't know how it is between them； I tell you。〃
〃At any rate； she is a downright fool to suffer herself to love him still！〃 uttered Joyce； indignantly。
〃So she is； but she does do it。 She'll often steal out to the gate about the time she knows he'll be passing； and watch him by； not letting him see her。 It is nothing but her unhappiness； her jealousy of Lady Isabel； that makes her cross。 I assure you； Joyce； in this past year she had so changed that she's not like the same person。 If Mr。 Carlyle should ever get tired of my lady； and〃
〃Wilson；〃 harshly interrupted Joyce