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had been a man； I am afraid I should have called for that deadly
poison （we are all temperance people in this house） known by the
name of Brandy。
〃If you will make me love you；〃 Miss Jillgall explained； 〃you
must expect to be kissed。 Dear girl； let us go back to my poor
little petition。 Oh； do make me useful！ There are so many things
I can do： you will find me a treasure in the house。 I write a
good hand； I understand polishing furniture； I can dress hair
（look at my own hair）； I play and sing a little when people want
to be amused； I can mix a salad and knit stockingswho is this？〃
The cook came in； at the moment； to consult me； I introduced her。
〃And； oh；〃 cried Miss Jillgall； in ecstasy； 〃I can cook！ Do；
please； let me see the kitchen。〃
The cook's face turned red。 She had come to me to make a
confession； and she had not （as she afterward said） bargained for
the presence of a stranger。 For the first time in her life she
took the liberty of whispering to me： 〃I must ask you； miss； to
let me send up the cauliflower plain boiled； I don't understand
the directions in the book for doing it in the foreign way。〃
Miss Jillgall's earsperhaps because they are so largepossess
a quickness of hearing quite unparalleled in my experience。 Not
one word of the cook's whispered confession had escaped her。
〃Here；〃 she declared； 〃is an opportunity of making myself useful！
What is the cook's name？ Hannah？ Take me downstairs； Hannah； and
I'll show you how to do the cauliflower in the foreign way。 She
seems to hesitate。 Is it possible that she doesn't believe me？
Listen； Hannah； and judge for yourself if I am deceiving you。
Have you boiled the cauliflower？ Very well； this is what you must
do next。 Take four ounces of grated cheese； two ounces of best
butter； the yolks of four eggs； a little bit of glaze；
lemon…juice； nutmegdear； dear； how black she looks。 What have I
said to offend her？〃
The cook passed over the lady who had presumed to instruct her；
as if no such person had been present； and addressed herself to
me： 〃If I am to be interfered with in my own kitchen； miss； I
will ask you to suit yourself at a month's notice。〃
Miss Jillgall wrung her hands in despair。
〃I meant so kindly；〃 she said； 〃and I seem to have made mischief。
With the best intentions； Helena； I have set you and your servant
at variance。 I really didn't know you had such a temper； Hannah；〃
she declared； following the cook to the door。 〃I'm sure there's
nothing I am not ready to do to make it up with you。 Perhaps you
have not got the cheese downstairs？ I'm ready to go out and buy
it for you。 I could show you how to keep eggs sweet and fresh for
weeks together。 Your gown doesn't fit very well； I shall be glad
to improve it； if you will leave it out for me after you have
gone to bed。 There！〃 cried Miss Jillgall； as the cook
majestically left the room； without even looking at her； 〃I have
done my best to make it up； and you see how my advances are
received。 What more could I have done？ I really ask you； dear； as
a friend； what more _could_ I have done？〃
I had it on the tip of my tongue to say： 〃The cook doesn't ask
you to buy cheese for her； or to teach her how to keep eggs； or
to improve the fit of her gown； all she wants is to have her
kitchen to herself。〃 But here again it was necessary to remember
that this odious person was my father's guest。
〃Pray don't distress yourself；〃 I began； 〃I am sure you are not
to blame； Miss Jillgall〃
〃Oh； don't！〃
〃Don'twhat？〃
〃Don't call me Miss Jillgall。 I call you Helena。 Call me Selina。〃
I had really not supposed it possible that she could be more
unendurable than ever。 When she mentioned her Christian name； she
succeeded nevertheless in producing that result。 In the whole
list of women's names； is there any one to be found so absolutely
sickening as 〃Selina〃？ I forced myself to pronounce it； I made
another neatly…expressed apology； I said English servants were so
very peculiar。 Selina was more than satisfied； she was quite
delighted。
〃Is that it； indeed？ An explanation was all I wanted。 How good of
you！ And now tell meis there no chance； in the house or out of
the house； of my making myself useful？ Oh； what's that？ Do I see
a chance？ I do！ I do！〃
Miss Jillgall's eyes are more than mortal。 At one time； they are
microscopes。 At another time； they are telescopes。 She discovered
（right across the room） the torn place in the window…curtain。 In
an instant； she snatched a dirty little leather case out of her
pocket； threaded her needle and began darning the curtain。 She
sang over her work。 〃My heart is light； my will is free〃 I can
repeat no more of it。 When I heard her singing voice； I became
reckless of consequences； and ran out of the room with my hands
over my ears。
CHAPTER XVI。
HELENA'S DIARY。
WHEN I reached the foot of the stairs； my father called me into
his study。
I found him at his writing…table； with such a heap of torn…up
paper in his waste…basket that it overflowed on to the floor。 He
explained to me that he had been destroying a large accumulation
of old letters； and had ended （when his employment began to grow
wearisome） in examining his correspondence rather carelessly。 The
result was that he had torn up a letter； and a copy of the reply；
which ought to have been set aside as worthy of preservation。
After collecting the fragments； he had heaped them on the table。
If I could contrive to put them together again on fair sheets of
paper； and fasten them in their right places with gum； I should
be doing him a service； at a time when he was too busy to set his
mistake right for himself。
Here was the best excuse that I could desire for keeping out of
Miss Jillgall's way。 I cheerfully set to work on the restoration
of the letters； while my father went on with his writing。
Having put the fragments togetherexcepting a few gaps caused by
morsels that had been lostI was unwilling to fasten them down
with gum； until I could feel sure of not having made any
mistakes； especially in regard to some of the lost words which I
had been obliged to restore by guess…work。 So I copied the
letters； and submitted them； in the first place； to my father's
approval。
He praised me in the prettiest manner for the care that I had
taken。 But； when he began； after some hesitation； to read my
copy； I noticed a change。 The smile left his face； and the
nervous quiverings showed themselves again。
〃Quite right； my child；〃 he said； in low sad tones。
On returning to my side of the table； I expected to see him
resume his writing。 He crossed the room to the window and stood
（with his back to me） looking out。
When I had first discovered the sense of the letters； they failed
to interest me。 A tiresome woman； presuming on the kindness of a
good…natured man to beg a favor which she had no right to ask；
and r eceiving a refusal which she had richly deserved； was no
remarkable event in my experience as my father's secretary and
copyist。 But the change in his face； while he read the
correspondence； altered my opinion of the letters。 There was more
in them evidently than I had discovered。 I kept my manuscript
cop