and whose movements were
more slow and heavy than those of any young girl she had ever seen.
When tea was over, the sisters proposed to Josephine a walk round the
garden, which was large and very beautiful; but she complained of being
excessively tired, and said that she would much rather go to bed. This
somewhat surprised her cousins, as they knew that Josephine had been
three days in the city with the friends under whose care she had come
from Maryland; and they thought that she must have had ample time to
recover from the fatigue of her journey: to which her last little trip
in the steamboat could not have added much. Rosalind, who was a year
younger than Josephine, accompanied her to the chamber prepared for her
accommodation, where Josephine, looking round disconsolately, inquired
if there was no servant to undress her. Rosalind volunteered to perform
this office; and Josephine said she would ring the bell for one of the
maids, when she wished to get up in the morning.
She kept the family waiting breakfast for her till nine o'clock, and
then came down in a white slip or loose gown; her hair still pinned up;
her eyes half shut; and her face evidently not washed. Mr. Edington,
whose business in the city made it necessary for him to be there at an
early hour, had long since breakfasted, and gone up to town in the boat;
and after a few days, the rest of the family ceased to wait for her; and
the housekeeper was directed to have a fresh breakfast prepared for Miss
Sherborough whenever she came down.
The first days of Josephine's visit ought, in Rosalind's opinion, to
have been devoted entirely to the amusement of their guest, and she was
urgent with Mrs. Mortlake, to allow Adelaide and herself a week of
holiday. Their governess told them that she would have been willing to
grant this indulgence if Josephine was to remain with them a week only:
but as she was to stay all summer, it would, of course, be impossible
for them, every day, to give up their usual occupations; and therefore
it was better to begin as they were to go on. She reminded Rosalind that
if they were attentive and industrious, they would get through their
lessons the sooner, and have the more time for recreation with their
visitor.
After Josephine had breakfasted, Mrs. Mortlake offered to show her the
children's library, that she might amuse herself with any of the books
she chose, while her cousins were engaged in their morning employments.
Jose
|