EMILY. [Calling.] Here, George, Mag.
[GEORGE comes in.
EMILY. Well, George, "tisn"t much worse nor I expected.
JESSIE. I don"t like Aunt Clara.
ROBIN. I hates her very much.
GEORGE. [Slowly.] And I don"t seem to fancy her neither.
[Curtain.]
ACT III.--Scene 1.
Two days have pa.s.sed by.
It is morning. CLARA, wearing an ap.r.o.n and a muslin cap on her head, sits by the kitchen table mending a lace handkerchief. MAGGIE, who is dusting the plates on the dressers, pauses to watch her.
MAGGIE. I"d sooner sweep the cow sheds out and that I would, nor have to set at such a niggly piece of sewing work as you.
CLARA. I cannot do it quickly, it is so fine.
MAGGIE. I count "tis very nigh as bad as the treadmills, serving a young miss such as yourn be.
CLARA. What makes you say that, Maggie?
MAGGIE. Missis be very high in her ways and powerful sharp in the tongue, but I declare as your young lady will be worser nor missis when she do come to that age.
CLARA. Why do you think this, Mag?
MAGGIE. O she do look at any one as though they was lower nor the very worms in the ground. And her speaks as though each word did cost she more nor a shilling to bring it out. And see how destructive she be with her fine clothing. A laced petticoat tore to ribbons last night, and to-day yon handkerchief.
CLARA. These things are soon mended.
[MAGGIE continues to dust for a few moments.
MAGGIE. The day you comed here, "twas a bit of ribbon as you did have around of your hair.
CLARA. [After a moment"s hesitation.] I put it on to keep my hair neat on the journeying.
MAGGIE. [Coming nearer.] I count as you"ve not missed it, have you?
CLARA. Indeed I have, and I think I must have lost it in the hayfield.
MAGGIE. "Tain"t lost.
CLARA. Where is it then?
MAGGIE. Look here, I could tell you, but I shan"t.
CLARA. If you have found it, Maggie, you may keep it.
MAGGIE. "Twould be a fine thing to be a grand serving maid as you be, and to give away ribbons, so "twould.
[CLARA takes no notice of her and goes on sewing.
MAGGIE. [More insistently.] "Twasn"t me as found the ribbon.
CLARA. Who was it then?
MAGGIE. I daresay you"d like for to know, but I"m not going to say nothing more about it.
[MAGGIE leans against the table watching CLARA as she sews.
[EMILY with both the children now come in. EMILY carries a basket of potatoes, and JESSIE a large bowl.
EMILY. [Setting down the basket.] Maggie, you idle, bad girl, whatever are you doing here when master expects you down in the meadow to help with the raking?
MAGGIE. I be just a-going off yonder, mistress.
EMILY. I"d thank other folk not to bring dressed up fine young serving minxes down here--you was bad enough afore, Maggie, but you"ll be a hundred times worser now.
MAGGIE. I"ll be off and help master. I"ve been and put the meat on to boil as you said, missis.
[MAGGIE goes off.
[CLARA continues to sew, quietly. JESSIE has put her bowl down on the table, and now comes to her side. ROBIN also comes close to her.
EMILY flings herself into a chair for a moment and contemptuously watches them.
JESSIE. We don"t care much about our new aunt, Joan.
ROBIN. Dad said as how Aunt would be sure to bring us sommat good from London town in them great boxes.
JESSIE. And Aunt has been here two days and more, and she hasn"t brought us nothing.
EMILY. Your fine aunt have been too much took up with her fancy gentlemen to think of what would be suitable behaviour towards you children.
JESSIE. Will Aunt Clara get married soon?
EMILY. "Tis to be hoped as she will be. Such a set out in the house I have never seen afore in all my days. Young women as is hale and hearty having their victuals took up to their rooms and a-lying in bed till "tis noon or later.
JESSIE. "Tis only one of them as lies in bed.