FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80  
81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   >>   >|  
all the morning at machines turning round,' announced Horatia. 'And whatever you can find to please you in that passes me. Sykes says those woollen-mills are all one like another, and hot, dirty, greasy places!' declared Nancy. 'I believe you've fallen in love with Sykes,' said Horatia wickedly. 'Miss Horatia! Considering he's got a wife and family!' protested Nancy. But she quoted Sykes no more, which was just what Horatia wanted and expected. 'Now, Nanny, I'm quite all right, so you can get out my white muslin and blue ribbon,' she said. 'Not that white muslin, miss! You've worn it three times, and it is so plain compared with Miss Clay's,' objected the woman. 'So am I, so it's no good my trying to dress like her, and it's no use your getting angry about it, and arguing, because you know she's beautiful and I'm plain. And what's funnier still, I don't envy her a bit--oh, I don't mean her wealth, but I mean her face and figure--for she isn't a bit happy, and she doesn't enjoy life, and I do most awfully.' 'Because you try to make other people enjoy it, and you know the way to win people's hearts. Why, the way you've won Mr Clay's'---- Here Nancy paused. 'As Sykes says,' added Horatia slyly. 'Well, Miss Horatia, you will have your joke; and if I was going to say that it's no wonder, seeing that I have to sit at his right hand, as the place of honour, at the servants' hall dinner. And, oh, miss, if you did but see our table! Well, we live well at his Grace's; but here! You never saw such food--seven and eight courses we have, and fruit and wines. I'm sure I don't know how much they cost.' 'You'll be wanting to stay up here, Nanny; you will never be contented with our plain food after all these luxuries,' suggested Horatia. Nancy gave a scornful sniff. 'I suppose that is a joke, Miss Horatia; but it's a poor one. For if it were this house or the Union I'd not hesitate between them.' 'Is that a joke, or do you expect me to believe you'd rather live in the workhouse than this place?' inquired Horatia. 'It's no joke. Nothing would induce me to live here,' said Nancy. 'I wonder why,' said Horatia meditatively. It was just what Sarah said, she remembered. 'It's not half so wonderful as the way you seem to have taken to these people,' said Nancy; and then, feeling that she had gone too far, and that Horatia thought so, she changed the conversation and spoke of the dirt of Ousebank, which actua
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80  
81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Horatia

 

people

 

muslin

 
wonderful
 
feeling
 

courses

 

conversation

 

changed

 
thought
 

Ousebank


honour
 

dinner

 

servants

 

workhouse

 

suppose

 

scornful

 

expect

 

hesitate

 
suggested
 

luxuries


remembered

 

meditatively

 

induce

 

wanting

 

Nothing

 

inquired

 

contented

 

quoted

 

wanted

 

protested


family

 

Considering

 
expected
 

ribbon

 

wickedly

 

passes

 

announced

 
morning
 
machines
 

turning


woollen

 
greasy
 

places

 

declared

 
fallen
 
compared
 

objected

 

hearts

 

Because

 

paused