The Argosy — page 352: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

332 The Master of Greylands. ‘“‘ A lady has come here, sir, asking to see Mrs. Castlemaine. When I said the mistress was out, she said she would be glad to speak a few words to you. She is in the drawing-room, sir.” ‘What lady is it?” returned the Master of Greylands. “Well, sir, I’m not altogether sure, but I fancy it is the one staying at the Dolphin; her with the sick child. Anyway, she’s a very nice, pleasant-speaking young lady, sir, whoever it 1s.” I’m sure I don't know what she can want with me,” remarked Mr. Castlemaine, as he walked off to the drawing-room, and laid his hand on the door. Thought is quick: and a fancy of what might have brought her here came across his mind ere he turned the handle. She was seated near the fire in the handsome but low-ceilinged room 3 her face studiously turned from the one conspicuous.portrait that hung opposite the chimney-glass, for its likeness to her husband had struck on her with a chill. She rose at Mr. Castlemaine’s entrance and curt- sied as only a French woman can curtsey. He saw an elegant-looking young woman with a pleasing countenance and somewhat shnnking manner. Mr. Castlemaine took her to be timid; probably unused to society : for in these, the opening minutes of the interview, she trembled. visibly. The idea that had crossed him was, that this lady, having to encounter the detention at the Dolphin inn, might be finding herself short of funds to pursue her journey, and had come to apply to him in the difficulty. Readily would he have responded ; for he had a generous hand, an open heart. To hear therefore what the real object of her visit was—that of soliciting the situation of governess, vacant in his house- hold, surprised him not a little. The tale she told was plausible. Mr. Castlemaine, utterly unsus- picious, doubted nothing of its truth. The lady made a favourable impression on him, and he was very courteous to her. She was a widow, she said: and she had come over from Pans to this country for two objects. One was to seek out a relative that she believed was somewhere in it, though she did not know for certain whether he was dead or alive ; the other was to obtain employment as a governess— for she had been given to understand that good French governesses were at a premium in the English country, and her own means were but slender, not adequate to the support of herself and little girl, Journeying along by coach, she had found her child attacked with fever, which compelled her to halt at Greylands. Liking the place, perceiving that it was open and healthy, she had been thinking that she should do well to keep her child in it for a time, and therefore was hoping to make her arrangements to do so. Should she be so fortunate as to obtain the post in Mr. Castlemaine’s household, the thing would be easy. ‘“‘But—pardon me, madam—what, in that case, would you do with the child ?” asked Mr. Castlemaine. ECORNICLOOO SS (CO) in —_)