On his return, he found her spread all over with papers, her little table by her side, with the drawer pulled out.
Ha! what mischief are you up to? You have not got at those abominable accounts again!
I beg your pardon, said she, humbly. Nurse would not let me speak to the cook, but said instead I might write to mamma; so I sent for my little table, but I found the drawer in such disorder, that I was setting it to rights. Who can have meddled with it!
I can tell you that, said Arthur. I ran against it, and it came to grief, and there was a spread of all your goods and chattels on the floor.
Oh! I am so glad! I was afraid some of the servants had been at it.
What! arent you in a desperate fright? All your secrets displayed like a story, as you are so fond of sayingwhats the name of itwhere the husband, no, it was the wife, fainted away, and broke open the desk with her head.
My dear Arthur! and Violet laughed so much that nurse in the next room foreboded that he would tire her.
I vow it was so! Out came a whole lot of letters from the old love, a colonel in the Peninsula, that her husband had never heard of,an old lawyer he was.
The husband? What made her marry him?
They were all ruined horse and foot, and the old love was wounded, kilt, or disposed of, till he turned up, married to her best friend.
What became of her?
I forgetthere was a poisoning and a paralytic stroke in it.
Was there! How delightful! How I should like to read it. What was its name?
I dont remember. It was a green railway book. Theodora made me read it, and I should know it again if I saw it. Ill look out for it, and youll find I was right about her head. But how now. Havent you fainted away all this time?
No; why should I?
How do you know what I may have discovered in your papers? Are you prepared? It is no laughing matter, added he, in a Blue Beard tone, and drawing out the paper of calculations, he pointed to the tear marks. Look here. Whats this, I say, whats this, you naughty child?
I am sorry! it was very silly, whispered Violet, in a contrite ashamed way, shrinking back a little.
What business had you to break your heart over these trumpery butchers and bakers and candlestick makers?
Only candles, dear Arthur, said Violet, meekly, as if in extenuation.
But what on earth could you find to cry about?
It was very foolish! but I was in such a dreadful puzzle. I could not make the cooks accounts and mine agree, and I wanted to be sure whether she really
Cheated! exclaimed Arthur. Well, thats a blessing!
What is? asked the astonished Violet.
That I have cleared the house of that intolerable woman!
The cook gone! cried Violet, starting, so that her papers slid away, and Arthur shuffled them up in his hand in renewed confusion. The cook really gone? Oh! I am so glad!
Capital! cried Arthur. There was John declaring you would be in despair to find your precious treasure gone.
Oh! I never was more glad! Do tell me! Why did she go?
I had a skrimmage with her about some trout Fitzhugh sent, which I verily believe she ate herself.
Changed with the fishmonger!
I dare say. She sent us in some good-for-nothing wretches, all mud, and vowed these were stalethen grew impertinent.
And talked about the first families?
Exactly so, and when it came to telling me Mrs. Martindale was her mistress, I could stand no more. I paid her her wages, and recommended her to make herself scarce.
When did it happen?
Rather more than a fortnight ago.
Violet laughed heartily. O-ho! theres the reason nurse scolds if I dare to ask to speak to the cook. And oh! how gravely Sarah said yes, maam, to all my messages! How very funny! But how have we been living? When I am having nice things all day long, and giving so much trouble! Oh dear! How uncomfortable you must have been, and your brother too!
Am I not always telling you to the contrary? Sarah made everything look as usual, and I suspect Brown lent a helping hand. John said the coffee was made in some peculiar way Brown learnt in the East, and never practises unless John is very ill, or they are in some uncivilized place; but he told me to take no notice, lest Brown should think it infra dig.
Im afraid he thought this an uncivilized place. But what a woman Sarah is! She has all the work of the house, and yet she seems to me to be here as much as nurse!
She has got the work of ten horses in her, with the face of a deaths head, and the voice of a walking sepulchre!
But isnt she a thorough good creature! I cant think what will become of me without her! It will be like parting with a friend.
What would you part with her for? I thought she was the sheet-anchor.
That she is; but she wont stay where there are children. She told me so long ago, and only stayed because I begged her for the present. She will go when I am well.
Better give double wages to keep her, said Arthur.
Id do anything I could, but Im afraid. I was quite dreading the getting about again, because I should have to lose Sarah, and to do something or other with that woman.
What possessed you to keep her?
I wasnt sure about her. Your aunt recommended her, and I thought you might not likeand at first I did not know what things ought to cost, nor how long they ought to last, and that was what I did sums for. Then when I did prove it, I saw only dishonesty in the kitchen, and extravagance and mismanagement of my own.
So the little goose sat and cried!
I could not help it. I felt I was doing wrong; that was the terrible part; and I am glad you know the worst. I have been very weak and silly, and wasted your money sadly, and I did not know how to help it; and that was what made me so miserable. And now, dear Arthur, only say you overlook my blunders, and indeed Ill try to do better.
Overlook! The only thing I dont know how to forgive is your having made yourself so ill with this nonsense.
I cant be sorry for that, said Violet, smiling, though the tears came. That has been almost all happiness. I shall have the heart to try more than everand I have some experience; and now that cook is gone, I really shall get on.
Promise me youll never go bothering yourself for nothing another time. Take it easy! Thats the only way to get through the world.
Ah! I will never be so foolish again. I shall never be afraid to make you attend to my difficulties.
Afraid! That was the silliest part of all! But herewill you have another hundred a year at once? and then therell be no trouble.
Thank you, thank you! How kind of you! But do you know, I should like to try with what I have. I see it might be made to do, and I want to conquer the difficulty; if I cant, I will ask you for more.
Well, that may be best. I could hardly spare a hundred pounds without giving up one of the horses; and I want to see you riding again.
Besides, this illness must have cost you a terrible quantity of money. But I dare say I shall find the outgoings nothing to what the cook made them. And she was taking up the accounts, when he seized them, crumpling them in his hand. Nonsense! Let them alone, or I shall put them in the fire at once.
Oh, dont do that, pray! cried she, starting, or I shall be ruined. Oh, pray!