John Herring: A West of England Romance. Volume 3 (of 3)Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
General
John Herring: A West of England Romance. Volume 3 (of 3)
Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
West Country (England) -- Fiction
Orange threw the house door open, and the unconscious Mirelle was borne
into the hall by Genefer and the post-boy, and placed in an arm-chair,
where she gradually recovered.
’I’ll be quick, darling,’ said Genefer, ’and get a fire lighted and
something warm, and I’ll bring you your supper up to your own room.’
’You are over tired,’ said Orange. ’Genefer is right; go to bed.’
When the Trampleasures had removed to Welltown nothing definite was
settled as to where they would permanently take up their abode; the
furniture and all the contents of Dolbeare had therefore been left there
undisturbed, to be removed should they elect to live elsewhere. It was
convenient to them to have the house in condition to receive them at any
time for a short or lengthy stay as suited them. On their way to
Plymouth Mirelle and Orange had spent the night there, and Genefer had
attended to their requirements. Now that they had returned, the old
servant’s hands were full of work. She lighted the fire in the kitchen
and in the dining-room, filled the kettle and set it on to boil, and
began to prepare for supper. This occupied some time, during which she
was unable to attend to Mirelle. When the supper was ready she brought
it into the dining-room, and found Orange there seated musing by the
hearth.
’How be the mistress now?’ asked Grenefer.
’I do not know. I have not been upstairs.’
Genefer looked up at the pastille portrait above her head, and said,
’Him it was that I saw in the doorway with a warning wave of the hand,
and he sought to bar the door entrance with the stick, that we might not
come in. I durst not have passed, but when you went forward, Miss
Orange, then he seemed to vanish away like smoke. I reckon the mistress
saw un too, for her fainted with fright at the same moment. Did’y ever
hear, now, who he might be?’
’No, I know nothing of him,’ answered Orange, shortly.
’I reckon he don’t come for naught,’ said Genefer. ’But a veil is on my
face in the reading of events, as there be on the hearts of the Jews in
the study of Scripture, and till that veil be taken away I see naught
plain.’
’Go about your work,’ said Orange, impatiently, ’and do not trouble me
with your foolish fancies.’
Genefer looked at Orange, and shook her head, and muttered, ’There be
some folks like the fleece of Gideon on which the dew never falls though
the grass around be wet.’
Then she prepared a tray, and carried some supper upstairs to Mirelle.
’Ah!’ she continued, ’and there be others on whom the dew drops in
plenty whilst all around is dry.’
She found her mistress seated in a high-backed, old-fashioned chair
covered with red baize. She had her shawl wrapped about her. ’There, my
pretty,’ said the old woman; ’see, I’ve a brought you something at
last.’
’Oh, Geneviève, I am very cold,’ said Mirelle.
’Shall I light the fire, darling?’
’I should like it. I do not think I am well. I am exhausted, and sick
at heart. Feel my hand how it shakes.’
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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