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Does that er Miss that companion of yours, write also?" I laughed and informed him that writing was not one of Hephzibah's bad habits. "Extraordinary woman, isn't she," he said. "I met her just now, walking about, and I happened to mention that I was taking the air. She said she wouldn't quarrel with me because of that.
"Well, I guess she does." "Wouldn't she come here and get her lessons? Couldn't she come to see me every day, while I am here?" "I 'spose she'd jump out of her skin to do it," said Mrs. Harbonner. "Hephzibah's dreadful set on seeing you." "Mrs. Benoit," said Daisy, "may I have this little girl come to see me every day, while I am here?"
He used to come frequent-like before before " with a sharp glance over at her daughter, "a few months back. He's a good lad, and I thought as he'd make quite a companion for Hervey. An' it 'ud do 'em a deal of good to air them spare rooms. I'm sure they're smelling quite musty. What say?" Alice blushed and Hephzibah's old eyes twinkled with pleasure. Prudence answered at once
To have one's bedroom invaded at an early hour by a chambermaid who, apparently quite oblivious of the fact that the bed was still occupied by a male, proceeded to draw the curtains, bring the hot water and fill the tin tub for my bath, was astonishing and funny enough, Hephzibah's comments on the proceeding were funnier still.
Daisy then asked if she could read words; and getting an assenting nod again, she tried her in that. But here Hephzibah's education was defective; she could read indeed, after a fashion; but it was a slow and stumbling fashion; and Daisy and she were a good while getting through a page. Daisy shut the book up. "Now, Hephzibah," said she, "do you know anything about what is in the Bible?"
"He gets it out of everybody," said Hephzibah. "Tain't no odds." "But, Hephzibah, if those trees were yours, would you like to have Mr. Lamb come and take the nuts away?" "No. I'd get somebody to shoot him." Daisy hardly knew how to go along with her discourse; Hephzibah's erratic opinions started up so fast. She looked at her little rough pupil in absolute dismay.
And then followed a lesson the like of which Daisy had not given yet. Hephzibah's attention was on everything but the business in hand. Also, she had a little less awe of Daisy lying on Mrs. Benoit's couch in a loose gown, than when she met her in the Belvidere at Melbourne, dressed in an elegant cambrick frock with a resplendent sash. "C, a, spells ca, Hephzibah. Now what is that?"
The "pictures" were the posters advertising a popular musical comedy which Campbell had at first suggested our witnessing the afternoon of our stay in New York. Hephzibah's shocked expression and my whispered advice had brought about a change of plans. We saw a perfectly respectable, though thrilling, melodrama instead.
"Oh, Hosy!" she cried, "I'm so glad you've come. I wanted you so." "Wanted me?" I repeated. "Why, what do you mean? Has anything happened?" She nodded, solemnly. "Yes," she said, "somethin' has happened. Somethin' we might have expected, perhaps, but but Hosy, read that." I took what she handed me. It was a sheet of note paper, folded across, and with Hephzibah's name written upon one side.
Two of the most highly pitched American voices I have ever heard were saying civil things to our host and Lady Grenellen. More highly pitched than Hephzibah's, and that is the highest, I thought, there could be in the world. "She is awfully good-looking," whispered Babykins, who caught sight of them first as they came through the hall.
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