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She was the daughter of a farmer on the outskirts of their native village, was middle-aged, and had lived with them for the last ten years. One pleasant Monday morning she rose early and did the family washing before breakfast, which had been prepared by Mrs. Townsend and Adrianna, as was their habit on washing-days.
The flitting of the Townsends from the home of their ancestors was due to a sudden access of wealth from the death of a relative and the desire of Mrs. Townsend to secure better advantages for her son George, sixteen years old, in the way of education, and for her daughter Adrianna, ten years older, better matrimonial opportunities.
To-morrow we'll pack off bag and baggage to Townsend Centre, if it takes all the fire department to move us," said David. Adrianna smiled in the midst of her terror. She thought of Abel Lyons. The next day Mr. Townsend went to the real estate agent who had sold him the house. "It's no use," he said, "I can't stand it. Sell the house for what you can get. I'll give it away rather than keep it."
"How do you account for THAT?" said Mrs. Townsend in an awful voice, pointing to the veil. Adrianna did not look she was too engrossed with her own terrors. She began to speak in a breathless voice.
"I daresay it'll be gone when he gets there," began George, then he stared round the room. "What's to pay here?" he cried. "Oh, George, the whole house shook all at once, and all the looking-glasses broke," wailed his mother, and Adrianna and Cordelia joined. George whistled with pale lips. Then Mr. Townsend entered. "Well," asked George, "see anything?" "I don't want to talk," said his father.
He had been a humble suitor for Adrianna for years, but her mother had not approved, and Adrianna, who was dutiful, had repulsed him delicately and rather sadly. He was the only lover whom she had ever had, and she felt sorry and grateful; she was a plain, awkward girl, and had a patient recognition of the fact.
Her hands, sodden with soapsuds, hung twitching at her sides in the folds of her calico gown; her very hair, which was light and sparse, seemed to bristle with fear. All the Townsends turned and looked at her. David and George rose with a half-defined idea of burglars. "Cordelia Battles, what is the matter?" cried Mrs. Townsend. Adrianna gasped for breath and turned as white as the maid.
Then the whole company passed out of sight, as if through the wall, and the room was as before. Mrs. Townsend was shaking in a nervous chill, Adrianna was almost fainting, Cordelia was in hysterics. David Townsend stood glaring in a curious way at the sign of the Blue Leopard. George stared at him with a look of horror.
"I smelt cabbage cooking all the morning up in my room," Adrianna said faintly, "and here's codfish and potatoes for dinner." The Townsends all looked at one another. David rose with an exclamation and rushed out of the room. The others waited tremblingly. When he came back his face was lowering. "What did you " Mrs. Townsend asked hesitatingly.
With amazement Adrianna looked at the dishes on the table. "Why, that's queer!" she said. "What's queer?" asked her mother. Cordelia stopped short as she was about setting a tumbler of water beside a plate, and the water slopped over. "Why," said Adrianna, her face paling, "I thought there was boiled dinner. I smelt cabbage cooking."
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