The Argosy — page 157: what you’re looking at

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

142 My First Situation. I grasped my card-case tightly in my hand, and found my teeth chattering and my voice very shaky, when, in answer to Jacob’s loud peal at the bell, after much unbarring and unlocking, a drowsy-look- ing man opened the door, saying in a grumbling voice: ‘ Well, whatever is the matter this time of night? Ach, Jacob! you, is it? We are all in bed and fast asleep,” and he showed evident signs of closing the door and continuing his slumbers. But before Jacob could answer I managed to say: “Is the Countess Dahlen here ?” and held out my card. “The Countess is not here, but the Count is,” added the man musingly. ‘ He is in bed, though, and fast asleep. Must I go up?” The latter was addressed to Jacob, as if for advice. That worthy shrugged his shoulders, and winked and blinked with his eyes—per- haps only at the lamp by which I was being inspected. I cut the matter short by saying peremptorily, ‘‘Take this card up immediately.” The drowsy man opened his eyes wider than they had been yet, stared hard at me, but withdrew at once, not, however, without care- fully closing the door behind him. Each incident of my day had seemed to be worse than its prede- cessor, but the ten minutes I had to wait for my messenger’s return, put the crowning touch to all. Floods of thought came rolling in. upon me. Petted, admired, made much of till so lately—now alone, neglected, insulted, left to wait at midnight for admission to the house where I was to earn my bread! ‘‘ How unkind, how selfish of them to treat me so: not even to let someone sit up for me! and after not keeping their appointment this morning!” It did seem a hard lot. Suddenly much rattling down a staircase, swift steps across the hall, and the sleepy porter, now with a smiling countenance, opened the door quickly, unbuttoned the apron, and letting down the steps, said: “The Herr Graf begs a thousand pardons, gracious Fraulein, that you should have been kept waiting an instant. Unfortunately he is in bed and asleep, or he would be down to welcome you. He only came home himself a few hours ago. The Countess is not here. The Herr Graf will explain everything to the gracious Fraulein to-morrow. Meanwhile I am to take the gracious Fraulein to her room—and here. it is, a nice room, is it not so? The Countess especially likes it.” By this time my loquacious companion had got himself quite out of breath, and me into a pretty little bedroom on the ground floor, not far from the front door—and, to my astonishment, he was lighting the candles for me, after telling Jacob to deposit my luggage in the hall. | ‘TI think the gracious Fraulein will find all she wants ; this room is always kept ready for unexpected guests.” (‘* Then I am unexpected after all,” I thought.) ‘*What does the gracious Fraulein command to eat?” : : | “Nothing, thank you.” I had biscuits in my bag—dear English Eomichbooks.co