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Miss Jillgall's keen observation noticed the impression that had been produced upon me. "Mr. Dunboyne's name seems to surprise you." she said. "This is the first time I have heard you mention it," I answered. She looked as if she could hardly believe me. "Surely you must have heard the name," she said, "when I told you about poor Euneece?" "No." "Well, then, Mr. Gracedieu must have mentioned it?"
Tenbruggen would wait to set her enterprise on foot, until I was out of her way; and I had calculated on my absence as an event which would at least put an end to suspense by encouraging her to begin. The first sentences in Miss Jillgall's letter explain the nature of her interest in the proceedings of her friend, and are, on that account, worth reading.
The letter, in which Mrs. Tenbruggen figures, inspired me with the hope of protection for Mr. Gracedieu, attainable through no less a person than Helena herself. To begin with, she would certainly share Philip's aversion to the Masseuse, and her dislike of Miss Jillgall would, just as possibly, extend to Miss Jillgall's friend. The hostile feeling thus set up might be trusted to keep watch on Mrs.
"Let us try," I suggested, "if we can't understand each other, at starting." Miss Jillgall's little eyes twinkled in their bony caverns. "The very thing I was going to propose!" she burst out. "Very well," I went on; "then, let me tell you plainly that flattery is not relished in this house." "Flattery?" She put her hand to her head as she repeated the word, and looked quite bewildered.
For the first time in her life she took the liberty of whispering to me: "I must ask you, miss, to let me send up the cauliflower plain boiled; I don't understand the directions in the book for doing it in the foreign way." Miss Jillgall's ears perhaps because they are so large possess a quickness of hearing quite unparalleled in my experience.
And now tell me is there no chance, in the house or out of the house, of my making myself useful? Oh, what's that? Do I see a chance? I do! I do!" Miss Jillgall's eyes are more than mortal. At one time, they are microscopes. At another time, they are telescopes. In an instant, she snatched a dirty little leather case out of her pocket, threaded her needle and began darning the curtain.
I don't complain; I have purposely kept out of your way, and out of Miss Jillgall's way; in short, I have afforded you every facility, as the prospectuses say. I only want to know if my turn has come at last. Once more, have I given you time enough, and opportunities enough?" "A great deal more than enough." "Do you mean that you have made up your mind about me without stopping to think?"
Before she could reply, or I could say anything more, the door that led to the landing was opened softly and slyly, and Miss Jillgall peeped in. Eunice instantly left me, and ran to the meddling old maid. They whispered to each other. Miss Jillgall's skinny arm encircled my sister's waist; they disappeared together.
If I could contrive to put them together again on fair sheets of paper, and fasten them in their right places with gum, I should be doing him a service, at a time when he was too busy to set his mistake right for himself. Here was the best excuse that I could desire for keeping out of Miss Jillgall's way.
Miss Jillgall's demonstrative hands flew up into the air again, and expressed the climax of astonishment by quivering over her head. "This is positively maddening," she declared. "What does it mean?" "Take my advice, cousin. Don't attempt to find out what it means." He left the room. Miss Jillgall appealed to me.
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