Herladyshipresignedherselftomeditation，withfrowningbrowandclose-shutlips。Shelookedherfullage，andayearortwomore，asshelaythinking，withherheadonherhand，andherelbowonthepillow。Aftercommittingherselftothephysicianandtotheredlavenderdraughtthecommonestregardforconsistencymadeitnecessarythatsheshouldkeepherbedforthatday。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。LadyLundieconsulteditwithouttheslightestnecessity，withthesamemasterlygravityexhibitedbythedoctorwhenhewroteherprescriptionwithouttheslightestnecessityalso。
“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。Inchbaresenttomeaboutthepoultry。
Whyshouldn’tsheoffertotakeanyfowlsthatIcanspareoffmyhands？Sheisarespectablewoman；anditisimportanttometoliveongoodtermswithalmyneighbors，greatandsmall。Hasshegotapoultry-yardofherownatCraigFernie？“
“Yes，mylady。Andbeautifullykept，Iamtold。“
“Ireallydon’tsee——onreflection，Hopkins——whyIshouldhesitatetodealwithMrs。Inchbare。Idon’tthinkitbeneathmetosellthegamekilledonmyestatetothepoulterer。Whatwasitshewantedtobuy？SomeofmyblackSpanishfowls？“
“Yes，mylady。Yourladyship’sblackSpaniardsarefamousallroundtheneighborhood。Nobodyhasgotthebreed。AndMrs。
Inchbare——“
“Wantstosharethedistinctionofhavingthebreedwithme，“
saidLadyLundie。“Iwon’tappearungracious。Iwillseehermyself，assoonasIamalittlebetter，andtellherthatIhavechangedmymind。SendoneofthementoCraigFerniewithamessage。Ican’tkeepatriflingmatterofthissortinmymemory——sendhimatonce，orImayforgetit。HeistosayIamwillingtoseeMrs。Inchbare，aboutthefowls，thefirsttimeshefindsitconvenienttocomethisway。“
“Iamafraid，mylady——Mrs。Inchbare’sheartissosetontheblackSpaniards——shewillfinditconvenienttocomethiswayatonceasfastasherfeetcancarryher。“
“Inthatcase，youmusttakehertothegardener’swife。Saysheistohavesomeeggs——oncondition，ofcourse，ofpayingthepriceforthem。Ifshedoescome，mindIhearofit。“
Hopkinswithdrew。Hopkins’smistressreclinedonhercomfortablepillowsandfannedherselfgently。Thevindictivesmilereappearedonherface。“IfancyIshallbewellenoughtoseeMrs。Inchbare，“shethoughttoherself。“Anditisjustpossiblethattheconversationmaygetbeyondtherelativemeritsofherpoultry-yardandmine。“
AlapseoflittlemorethantwohoursprovedHopkins’sestimateofthelatententhusiasminMrs。Inchbare’scharactertohavebeencorrectlyformed。TheeagerlandladyappearedatWindygatesontheheelsofthereturningservant。Amongthelonglistofhumanweaknesses，apassionforpoultryseemstohaveitspracticaladvantagesintheshapeofeggsascomparedwiththemoreoccultfrenziesforcollectingsnuff-boxesandfiddles，andamassingautographsandoldpostage-stamps。WhenthemistressofCraigFerniewasdulyannouncedtothemistressofWindygates，LadyLundiedevelopedasenseofhumorforthefirsttimeinherlife。Herladyshipwasfeeblymerrytheresult，nodoubt，oftheexhilaratingpropertiesoftheredlavenderdraughtonthesubjectofMrs。InchbareandtheSpanishfowls。
“Mostridiculous，Hopkins!Thispoorwomanmustbesufferingfromadeterminationofpoultrytothebrain。IllasIam，Ishouldhavethoughtthatnothingcouldamuseme。But，really，thisgoodcreaturestartingup，andrushinghere，asyousay，asfastasherfeetcancarryher——it’simpossibletoresistit!I
positivelythinkImustseeMrs。Inchbare。Withmyactivehabits，thisimprisonmenttomyroomisdreadful。Icanneithersleepnorread。Anything，Hopkins，todivertmymindfrommyself：It’seasytogetridofherifsheistoomuchforme。Sendherup。“
Mrs。Inchbaremadeherappearance，courtesyingdeferentially；
amazedatthecondescensionwhichadmittedherwithinthehallowedprecinctsofLadyLundie’sroom。
“Takeachair，“saidherladyship，graciously。“Iamsufferingfromillness，asyouperceive。“
“Mycertie!sickorwell，yerleddyship’sabrawsighttosee!“
returnedMrs。Inchbareprofoundlyimpressedbytheelegantcostumewhichillnessassumeswhenillnessappearsintheregionsofhighlife。
“Iamfarfrombeinginafitstatetoreceiveanybody，“
proceededLadyLundie。“ButIhadamotiveforwishingtospeaktoyouwhenyounextcametomyhouse。Ifailedtotreataproposalyoumadetome，ashorttimesince，inafriendlyandneighborlyway。IbegyoutounderstandthatIregrethavingforgottentheconsiderationduefromapersoninmypositiontoapersoninyours。Iamobligedtosaythisunderveryunusualcircumstances，“addedherladyship，withaglanceroundhermagnificentbedroom，“throughyourunexpectedpromptitudeinfavoringmewithacall。Youhavelostnotime，Mrs。Inchbare，inprofitingbythemessagewhichIhadthepleasureofsendingtoyou。“
“Eh，myleddy，Iwasna’thatsureyerleddyshiphavingancechangedyermindbutthatyemighte’enchangeagainifIfailedtostrike，astheysay，whiletheiron’shet。Icraveyerpardon，I’msure，ifIha’beenowerhasty。Theprideo’myhairt’sinmypowltry——andtheblackSpaniards’astheyca’themareasairtemptationtometobreakthetenthcommandment，saelangasthey’rea’inyerleddyship’spossession，andnaneo’theminmine。“
“IamshockedtohearthatIhavebeentheinnocentcauseofyourfallingintotemptation，Mrs。Inchbare!Makeyourproposal——andI
shallbehappytomeetit，ifIcan。“
“Imuste’enbecontentwi’whatyerleddyshipwillcondescendon。Ahaitcho’eggsifIcancomebynaethingelse。“
“Thereissomethingelseyouwouldprefertoahatchofeggs？“
“Iwadprefer，“saidMrs。Inchbare，modestly，“acockandtwapullets。“
“Openthecaseonthetablebehindyou，“saidLadyLundie，“andyouwillfindsomewritingpaperinside。Givemeasheetofit——andthepenciloutofthetray。“
EagerlywatchedbyMrs。Inchbare，shewroteanordertothepoultry-woman，andhelditoutwithagracioussmile。
“Takethattothegardener’swife。Ifyouagreewithherabouttheprice，youcanhavethecockandthetwopullets。“
Mrs。Inchbareopenedherlips——nodoubttoexpresstheutmostextremityofhumangratitude。Beforeshehadsaidthreewords，LadyLundie’simpatiencetoreachtheendwhichshehadkeptinviewfromthetimewhenMrs。Glenarmhadleftthehousebursttheboundswhichhadsuccessfullyrestraineditthusfar。Stoppingthelandladywithoutceremony，shefairlyforcedtheconversationtothesubjectofAnneSilvester’sproceedingsattheCraigFernieinn。
“Howareyougettingonatthehotel，Mrs。Inchbare？Plentyoftourists，Isuppose，atthistimeofyear？“