第97章

Herladyshipresignedherselftomeditation，withfrowningbrowandclose-shutlips。Shelookedherfullage，andayearortwomore，asshelaythinking，withherheadonherhand，andherelbowonthepillow。Aftercommittingherselftothephysician(andtotheredlavenderdraught)thecommonestregardforconsistencymadeitnecessarythatsheshouldkeepherbedforthatday。Andyetitwasessentialthattheproposedinquiriesshouldbeinstantlysetonfoot。Ontheonehand，theproblemwasnotaneasyonetosolve；ontheother，herladyshipwasnotaneasyonetobeat。HowtosendforthelandladyatCraigFernie，withoutexcitinganyspecialsuspicionorremark——wasthequestionbeforeher。InlessthanfiveminutesshehadlookedbackintohermemoryofcurrenteventsatWindygates——andhadsolvedit。

Herfirstproceedingwastoringthebellforhermaid。

“IamafraidIfrightenedyou，Hopkins。Thestateofmynerves。

Mrs。Glenarmwasalittlesuddenwithsomenewsthatsurprisedme。Iambetternow——andabletoattendtothehouseholdmatters。

Thereisamistakeinthebutcher’saccount。Sendthecookhere。“

Shetookupthedomesticledgerandthekitchenreport；correctedthebutcher；cautionedthecook；anddisposedofallarrearsofdomesticbusinessbeforeHopkinswassummonedagain。Having，inthisway，dextrouslypreventedthewomanfromconnectinganythingthathermistresssaidordid，afterMrs。Glenarm’sdeparture，withanythingthatmighthavepassedduringMrs。

Glenarm’svisit，LadyLundiefeltherselfatlibertytopavethewayfortheinvestigationonwhichshewasdeterminedtoenterbeforeshesleptthatnight。

“Somuchfortheindoorarrangements，“shesaid。“Youmustbemyprimeminister，Hopkins，whileIliehelplesshere。Isthereanythingwantedbythepeopleoutofdoors？Thecoachman？Thegardener？“

“Ihavejustseenthegardener，mylady。Hecamewithlastweek’saccounts。Itoldhimhecouldn’tseeyourladyshipto-day。“

“Quiteright。Hadheanyreporttomake？“

“No，mylady。“

“Surely，therewassomethingIwantedtosaytohim——ortosomebodyelse？Mymemorandum-book，Hopkins。Inthebasket，onthatchair。Whywasn’tthebasketplacedbymybedside？“

Hopkinsbroughtthememorandum-book。LadyLundieconsultedit(withouttheslightestnecessity)，withthesamemasterlygravityexhibitedbythedoctorwhenhewroteherprescription(withouttheslightestnecessityalso)。

“Hereitis，“shesaid，recoveringthelostremembrance。“Notthegardener，butthegardener’swife。AmemorandumtospeaktoheraboutMrs。Inchbare。Observe，Hopkins，theassociationofideas。

Mrs。Inchbareisassociatedwiththepoultry；thepoultryareassociatedwiththegardener’swife；thegardener’swifeisassociatedwiththegardener——andsothegardenergetsintomyhead。Doyouseeit？Iamalwaystryingtoimproveyourmind。Youdoseeit？Verywell。NowaboutMrs。Inchbare？Hasshebeenhereagain？“

“No，mylady。“

“Iamnotatallsure，Hopkins，thatIwasrightindecliningtoconsiderthemessageMrs。Inch