Hamlet. When Mrs. Elton left the breakfast table, she went straight to Miss Cameron’s room to inquire after her, expecting to find her maid with her. But when she knocked at the door, there was no reply. She went therefore to her own room, and sent her maid to find Euphra’s maid. She came. “Is your mistress going to get up to-day, Jane?” asked Mrs. Elton. “I don’t know, ma’am. She has not rung yet.” “Have you not been to see how she is?” “No, ma’am.” “How was it you brought that message at breakfast, then?” Jane looked confused, and did not reply. “Jane!” said Mrs. Elton, in a tone of objurgation. “Well, ma’am, she told me to say so,” answered Jane. “How did she tell you?” Jane paused again. “Through the door, ma’am,” she answered at length; and then muttered, that they would make her tell lies by asking her questions she couldn’t answer; and she wished she was out of the house, that she did. Mrs. Elton heard this, and, of course, felt considerably puzzled. “Will you go now, please, and inquire after your mistress, with my compliments?” “I daren’t, ma’am.” “Daren’t! What do you mean?” “Well, ma’am, there is something about my mistress—” Here she stopped abruptly; but as Mrs. Elton stood expectant, she tried to go on. All she could add, however, was—“No, ma’am; I daren’t.” “But there is no harm in going to her room.” “Oh, no, ma’am. I go to her room, summer and winter, at seven o’clock every morning,” answered Jane, apparently glad to be able to say something. “Why won’t you go now, then?” “Why—why—because she told me—” Here the girl stammered and turned pale. At length she forced out the words—“She won’t let me tell you why,” and burst into tears. “Won’t let you tell me?” repeated Mrs. Elton, beginning to think the girl must be out of her mind. Jane looked hurriedly over her shoulder, as if she expected to see her mistress standing behind her, and then said, almost defiantly: “No, she won’t; and I can’t.”