Lady Maude's Mania Part 9

Dorothy Preen, Suss.e.x yeoman's daughter, was a young woman from the country, and was it because the air seemed _apropos_ that the maiden suddenly uttered an e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.i.o.n which sounded like _Ow_! and dropping the ivory-backed brush, plumped herself down upon the carpet, as if making a nursery cheese, and began to sob as if her heart would break?

Was it the appropriate nature of the air? No; it was the air producer.

"Oh, Dolly, Dolly, I don't know what to say," said Lady Maude gently, as she gave her hair a whisk and sent it all flying to one side. "I don't want to send you back home."

"No, no, no, my lady, please don't do that," blubbered the girl.

"But her ladyship is thinking very seriously about it, Dolly, and you see you were found talking to him."

"Ye--ye--yes, my lady."

"But, you foolish girl, don't you understand that he is little better than a beggar--an Italian mendicant?"

"Ye-ye-yes, my lady."

"Then how can you be so foolish?"

"I--I--I don't know, my lady."

"You, a respectable farmer's daughter, to think of taking up with a low man who goes about the streets turning the handle of an organ. Dolly, Dolly, my poor girl, what does it mean?"

"I--I--I don't know, my lady. Ow! I am so miserable."

"Of course you are, my good girl. There, promise me you'll forget it all, and I'll speak to her ladyship, and tell her you'll be more sensible, and get her to let you stay."

"I--I can't, my lady."

"Cannot what?"

"Forget him, my lady."

"Why not?"

"Be-be-because he is so handsome."

"Oh, Dolly, I've no patience with you."

"N-n-no, my lady, because you--you ain't--ain't in love," sobbed the girl with angry vehemence, as she covered her face with her hands and rocked herself to and fro.

"For shame, Dolly," cried Maude, with her face flamingly red. "If a woman is in love that is no reason for her degrading herself. I'm shocked at you."

"Ye-ye-yes, my lady, bu-bu-but you don't know; you--you--you haven't felt it yet. Wh-wh-when it comes over you some day, you--you--you'll be as bad as I am. Ow! ow! ow! I'm a wretched, unhappy girl."

"Then rouse yourself and think no more of this fellow. For shame of you!"

"I--I can't, my lady. He--he--he's so handsome, and I've tried ever so to give him up, but he takes hold of you like."

"Takes hold of you, Dolly? Oh, for shame!"

"I--I d-d-d-don't mean with his hands, my lady, b-b-but with his great dark eyes, miss, and--and he fixes you like; and once you're like I am you're always seeing them, and they're looking right into you, and it makes you--you--you feel as if you must go where he tells you to, and-- and I can't help it, and I'm a wretched, unhappy girl."

"You are indeed," said Maude with spirit. "It is degrading in the extreme. An organ-grinder--pah!"

"It--it--it don't matter what he is, my lady," sobbed Dolly. "It's the man does it. And--and some day wh-wh-when you feel as I do, miss, you'll--"

"Silence," cried Lady Maude. "I'll hear no more such nonsense. Get up, you foolish girl, and go on brushing my hair. You shall think no more of that wretched creature."

Just at that moment, after a dead silence, an air from _Trovatore_ rang out from the pavement below, and Dolly, who had picked up the brush, dropped it again, and stood gazing toward the window with so comical an expression of grief and despair upon her face that her mistress rose, and taking her arm gave her a sharp shake.

"You silly girl!" she cried.

"But--but he's so handsome, my lady, I--I can't help it. Do--do please send him away."

"Why, the girl's fascinated," thought Maude, whose cheeks were flushed, and whose heart was increasing its speed as she eagerly twisted up her hair and confined it behind by a spring band.

"If--if you could send him away, my lady."

"Send him away! Yes: it is disgraceful," cried Maude, and as if moved by some strange influence she rapidly made herself presentable and looked angrily from the window.

There was an indignant look in her eyes, and her lips parted to speak, but at that moment the mechanical music ceased, and the bearer of the green baize draped "kist of whustles" looked up, removed his soft hat, smiled and displayed his teeth as he exclaimed in a rich, mellow voice--

"Ah, signora--ah, bella signora."

Maude Diphoos' head was withdrawn rapidly and her cheeks paled, flushed, and turned pale again, as she stood gazing at her maid, and wondering what had possessed her to attempt to do such a thing as dismiss this man.

"Ah, signora! Ah, bella signora!" came again from below; and this seemed to arouse Maude to action, for now she hastily closed the window and seated herself before the gla.s.s.

"Undo my hair and finish brushing it," she said austerely; "and, Dolly, there is to be no more of this wicked folly."

"No, my lady."

"It is disgraceful. Mind, I desire that you never look out at this man, nor speak to him again."

"No, my lady."

"I shall ask her ladyship to look over your error, and mind that henceforth you are to be a very good girl."

"Yes, my lady."

"There: I need say no more; you are very sorry, are you not?"

"Ye-yes, my lady."

"Then mind, I shall expect you to do credit to my interference, for her ladyship will be exceedingly angry if anything of this kind occurs again. Now, you will try?"

"Ye-yes, my lady," sobbed poor Dolly, "I'll try; but you don't know, miss, how hard it is. Some day you may feel as I do, and then you'll be sorry you scolded me so much."

"Silence, Dolly; I have not scolded you so much. I have only interfered to save you from ruin and disgrace."

"Ruin and disgrace, my lady?"