Chapter 21

           Beforeanewday,inmyroom,hadfullybroken,myeyesopenedtoMrs.Grose,whohadcometomybedsidewithworsenews.Florawassomarkedlyfeverishthatanillnesswasperhapsathand;shehadpassedanightofextremeunrest,anightagitatedaboveallbyfearsthathadfortheirsubjectnotintheleastherformer,butwhollyherpresent,governess.Itwasnotagainstthepossiblere-entranceofMissJesselonthescenethatsheprotested—itwasconspicuouslyandpassionatelyagainstmine.Iwaspromptlyonmyfeetofcourse,andwithanimmensedealtoask;themorethatmyfriendhaddiscerniblynowgirdedherloinstomeetmeoncemore.ThisIfeltassoonasIhadputtoherthequestionofhersenseofthechild’ssincerityasagainstmyown.“Shepersistsindenyingtoyouthatshesaw,orhaseverseen,anything?”

           Myvisitor’strouble,truly,wasgreat.“Ah,miss,itisn’tamatteronwhichIcanpushher!Yetitisn’teither,Imustsay,asifImuchneededto.Ithasmadeher,everyinchofher,quiteold.”

           “Oh,Iseeherperfectlyfromhere.Sheresents,foralltheworldlikesomehighlittlepersonage,theimputationonhertruthfulnessand,asitwere,herrespectability.‘MissJesselindeed—she!’Ah,she’s‘respectable,’thechit!Theimpressionshegavemethereyesterdaywas,Iassureyou,theverystrangestofall;itwasquitebeyondanyoftheothers.Ididputmyfootinit!She’llneverspeaktomeagain.”

           Hideousandobscureasitallwas,itheldMrs.