toentrapherintoalsousingherspeech，andfailed。Effortsweremadetoinducehertoanswerquestionsrelatingtoherpastlifeinherhusband’stime。Sheflatlydeclinedtoreplytothem，oneandall。Atcertainintervals，strangeimpulsestogetaholidayawayfromthehouseappearedtoseizeher。Ifshewasresisted，shepassivelydeclinedtodoherwork。Ifshewasthreatenedwithdismissal，sheimpenetrablybowedherhead，asmuchastosay，“Givemetheword，andIgo。“Overandoveragain，LadyLundiehaddecided，naturallyenough，onnolongerkeepingsuchaservantasthis；butshehadneveryetcarriedthedecisiontoexecution。Acookwhoisaperfectmistressofherart，whoasksfornoperquisites，whoallowsnowaste，whoneverquarrelswiththeotherservants，whodrinksnothingstrongerthantea，whoistobetrustedwithuntoldgold——isnotacookeasilyreplaced。Inthismortallifeweputupwithmanypersonsandthings，asLadyLundieputupwithhercook。Thewomanlived，asitwere，onthebrinkofdismissal——butthusfarthewomankeptherplace——gettingherholidayswhensheaskedforthemwhich，todoherjustice，wasnotoftenandsleepingalwaysgowhereshemightwiththefamilywithalockeddoor，inaroombyherself。
HesterDethridgeadvancedslowlytothetableatwhichLadyLundiewassitting。Aslateandpencilhungatherside，whichsheusedformakingsuchrepliesaswerenottobeexpressedbyagestureorbyamotionofthehead。Shetookuptheslateandpencil，andwaitedwithstonysubmissionforhermistresstobegin。
LadyLundieopenedtheproceedingswiththeregularformulaofinquirywhichshehadusedwithalltheotherservants“DoyouknowthatMissSilvesterhasleftthehouse？“
Thecooknoddedherheadaffirmatively，“Doyouknowatwhattimesheleftit？“
Anotheraffirmativereply。ThefirstwhichLadyLundiehadreceivedtothatquestionyet。Sheeagerlywentontothenextinquiry。