I fear I did not much heed the service on that particular Sunday; but I
still felt shy, so shy that, after I had held the door open for her to
pass out, I allowed others to come between us, and did not dare to
follow and ask how she was.
During the course of the next week came Miss Blake and Mr. Craven's
remark about the fifty pounds; and within four-and-twenty hours
something still more astounding occurred--a visit from Miss Blake and
her niece, who wanted "a good talking-to"--so Miss Blake stated.
It was a dull, foggy day, and when my eyes rested on the younger lady, I
drew back closer into my accustomed corner, frightened and amazed.
"You were in such a passion yesterday," began Miss Blake, coming into
the office, dragging her blushing niece after her, "that you put it out
of my head to tell you three things--one, that we have moved from our
old lodgings; the next, that I have not a penny to go on with; and the
third, that Helena here has gone out of her mind. She won't have River
Hall let again, if you please. She intends to go out as a
governess--what do you think of that?--and nothing I can say makes any
impression upon her. I should have thought she had had enough of
governessing the first day she went out to give a lesson: she got
herself run over and nearly killed; was brought back in a cab by some
gentleman, who had the decency to take the cab away again: for how we
should have paid the fare, I don't know, I am sure.
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