Detective and mystery stories; English fiction -- 19th century
My name is Jane Whitworth. I am a widow, and gain my living by letting
furnished apartments at Bognor, Sussex. The principal season at Bognor
is during the Goodwood races, and there are very few visitors there in
the autumn and winter. On the 6th October, 1854, I let the whole upper
part of my house to a lady and gentleman, who arrived there late that
evening. They gave some foreign name; I forget what. It was some long
German name. They did not give the name at first. Not till I asked
for it. I don't know that the gentleman was particularly unwilling.
I said I wanted it for my bill; and he laughed, and said it did not
matter,--anything would do. Then I said, if letters came, and he
said:--"Oh! there won't be any letters," and went on reading the paper.
I went down stairs, and as I was going down he rang, and I went back,
and he told me of his own accord. That was at the end of the first week
when I was making out my bill. They said they intended remaining for
some weeks. It was the gentleman who said this. The lady took no part
in the business, and seemed out of spirits, and very much afraid of her
husband. He settled with me to take the apartments at thirty shillings
a week. He was to remain as long as he liked. Not beyond the next race
week, of course. We never let over the race week. He also made an
agreement with me about board. I was to find for him and the lady, and
the servant, for 2_l_. 15_s_. a week. That was without wine, beer, or
spirits. It is not a usual arrangement. We do it sometimes--not often.
The gentleman said it was because his wife was not well, and could
not be troubled. The servant was his. It was a maid. She did not come
with them. The gentleman hired her at Brighton. That is not a usual
arrangement. Certainly not. I never made such a one before, and I told
him so. He said it was because he was so particular about his servants.
He said he never would live where the servants were not under his own
hand--where he could not turn them away. I said I did not like it, it
was not the custom. He said he was sorry, but he could not take the
apartments without it, and then I gave way. Afterwards he followed me
down stairs, and gave me to understand it was something about his wife.
At first, I thought she was not quite right in her head. That was from
what he told me. I said I should be afraid to have her in the house,
but he laughed, and said it was not that. I then supposed it must be
temper. He was very pleasant about it. He was always very pleasant to
me. I don't know what he may have been to other people. I always had
my money to the day, and he was always pleasant. I can't say better
than that. He got a servant a few days after they came. I did not turn
away my own. I had none at the time. The season being over, it was a
great chance whether I let again, and I sent my servant away, and did
for myself. A charwoman did for the gentleman till he got a servant.
He got one from Brighton. I recommended two or three in Bognor, but
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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