Chapter 22

           Thehousemaid’sfoldingbackherwindow-shuttersateighto’clockthenextdaywasthesoundwhichfirstrousedCatherine;andsheopenedhereyes,wonderingthattheycouldeverhavebeenclosed,onobjectsofcheerfulness;herfirewasalreadyburning,andabrightmorninghadsucceededthetempestofthenight.Instantaneously,withtheconsciousnessofexistence,returnedherrecollectionofthemanuscript;andspringingfromthebedintheverymomentofthemaid’sgoingaway,sheeagerlycollectedeveryscatteredsheetwhichhadburstfromtherollonitsfallingtotheground,andflewbacktoenjoytheluxuryoftheirperusalonherpillow.Shenowplainlysawthatshemustnotexpectamanuscriptofequallengthwiththegeneralityofwhatshehadshudderedoverinbooks,fortheroll,seemingtoconsistentirelyofsmalldisjointedsheets,wasaltogetherbutoftriflingsize,andmuchlessthanshehadsupposedittobeatfirst.

           Hergreedyeyeglancedrapidlyoverapage.Shestartedatitsimport.Coulditbepossible,ordidnothersensesplayherfalse?Aninventoryoflinen,incoarseandmoderncharacters,seemedallthatwasbeforeher!Iftheevidenceofsightmightbetrusted,sheheldawashing-billinherhand.Sheseizedanothersheet,andsawthesamearticleswithlittlevariation;athird,afourth,andafifthpresentednothingnew.Shirts,stockings,cravats,andwaistcoatsfacedherineach.Twoothers,pennedbythesamehand,markedanexpenditurescarcelymoreinteresting,inletters,hair-powder,shoe-string,andbreeches-ball.