1.THENARRATIVEOFHESTERPINHORN,COOKINTHESERVICEOFCOUNTFOSCO [Takendownfromherownstatement] IamsorrytosaythatIhaveneverlearnttoreadorwrite. Ihavebeenahard-workingwomanallmylife,andhavekeptagoodcharacter. Iknowthatitisasinandwickednesstosaythethingwhichisnot,andIwilltrulybewareofdoingsoonthisoccasion. AllthatIknowIwilltell,andIhumblybegthegentlemanwhotakesthisdowntoputmylanguagerightashegoeson,andtomakeallowancesformybeingnoscholar. InthislastsummerIhappenedtobeoutofplace(throughnofaultofmyown),andIheardofasituationasplaincook,atNumberFive,ForestRoad,St.John’sWood.Itooktheplaceontrial.Mymaster’snamewasFosco.MymistresswasanEnglishlady.HewasCountandshewasCountess. Therewasagirltodohousemaid’sworkwhenIgotthere. Shewasnotover-cleanortidy,buttherewasnoharminher. Iandsheweretheonlyservantsinthehouse. Ourmasterandmistresscameafterwegotin;andassoonastheydidcomeweweretold,downstairs,thatcompanywasexpectedfromthecountry. Thecompanywasmymistress’sniece,andthebackbedroomonthefirstfloorwasgotreadyforher. MymistressmentionedtomethatLadyGlyde(thatwashername)wasinpoorhealth,andthatImustbeparticularinmycookingaccordingly. Shewastocomethatday,aswellasIcanremember—butwhateveryoudo,don’ttrustmymemoryinthematter. Iamsorrytosayit’snouseaskingmeaboutdaysofthemonth,andsuch-like. ExceptSundays,halfmytimeItakenoheedofthem,beingahard-workingwomanandnoscholar. AllIknowisLadyGlydecame,andwhenshedidcome,afinefrightshegaveusallsurely. Idon’tknowhowmasterbroughthertothehouse,beinghardatworkatthetime. Buthedidbringherintheafternoon,Ithink,andthehousemaidopenedthedoortothem,andshowedthemintotheparlour. Beforeshehadbeenlongdowninthekitchenagainwithme,weheardahurry-skurryupstairs,andtheparlourbellringinglikemad,andmymistress’svoicecallingoutforhelp. Webothranup,andtherewesawtheladylaidonthesofa,withherfaceghastlywhite,andherhandsfastclenched,andherheaddrawndowntooneside. Shehadbeentakenwithasuddenfright,mymistresssaid,andmasterhetoldusshewasinafitofconvulsions. Iranout,knowingtheneighbourhoodalittlebetterthantherestofthem,tofetchthenearestdoctor’shelp. ThenearesthelpwasatGoodricke’sandGarth’s,whoworkedtogetheraspartners,andhadagoodnameandconnection,asIhaveheard,allroundSt.John’sWood. Mr.Goodrickewasin,andhecamebackwithmedirectly. Itwassometimebeforehecouldmakehimselfofmuchuse. Thepoorunfortunateladyfelloutofonefitintoanother,andwentonsotillshewasquiteweariedout,andashelplessasanew-bornbabe.Wethengothertobed. Mr.Goodrickewentawaytohishouseformedicine,andcamebackagaininaquarterofanhourorless. Besidesthemedicinehebroughtabitofhollowmahoganywoodwithhim,shapedlikeakindoftrumpet,andafterwaitingalittlewhile,heputoneendoverthelady’sheartandtheothertohisear,andlistenedcarefully. Whenhehaddonehesaystomymistress,whowasintheroom,“Thisisaveryseriouscase,”hesays,“IrecommendyoutowritetoLadyGlyde’sfriendsdirectly.” Mymistresssaystohim,“Isitheart-disease?” Andhesays,“Yes,heart-diseaseofamostdangerouskind.” Hetoldherexactlywhathethoughtwasthematter,whichIwasnotcleverenoughtounderstand. ButIknowthis,heendedbysayingthathewasafraidneitherhishelpnoranyotherdoctor’shelpwaslikelytobeofmuchservice. Mymistresstookthisillnewsmorequietlythanmymaster. Hewasabig,fat,oddsortofelderlyman,whokeptbirdsandwhitemice,andspoketothemasiftheyweresomanyChristianchildren. Heseemedterriblycutupbywhathadhappened.“Ah!poorLadyGlyde!poordearLadyGlyde!” hesays,andwentstalkingabout,wringinghisfathandsmorelikeaplay-actorthanagentleman. Foronequestionmymistressaskedthedoctoraboutthelady’schancesofgettinground,heaskedagoodfiftyatleast. Ideclarehequitetormentedusall,andwhenhewasquietatlast,outhewentintothebitofbackgarden,pickingtrumperylittlenosegays,andaskingmetotakethemupstairsandmakethesick-roomlookprettywiththem.AsifTHATdidanygood. Ithinkhemusthavebeen,attimes,alittlesoftinhishead. Buthewasnotabadmaster—hehadamonstrousciviltongueofhisown,andajolly,easy,coaxingwaywithhim. Ilikedhimadealbetterthanmymistress. Shewasahardone,ifevertherewasahardoneyet. Towardsnight-timetheladyrousedupalittle. Shehadbeensoweariedout,beforethat,bytheconvulsions,thatsheneverstirredhandorfoot,orspokeawordtoanybody. Shemovedinthebednow,andstaredaboutherattheroomandusinit. Shemusthavebeenanice-lookingladywhenwell,withlighthair,andblueeyesandallthat. Herrestwastroubledatnight—atleastsoIheardfrommymistress,whosatupalonewithher. IonlywentinoncebeforegoingtobedtoseeifIcouldbeofanyuse,andthenshewastalkingtoherselfinaconfused,ramblingmanner. Sheseemedtowantsadlytospeaktosomebodywhowasabsentfromhersomewhere. Icouldn’tcatchthenamethefirsttime,andthesecondtimemasterknockedatthedoor,withhisregularmouthfulofquestions,andanotherofhistrumperynosegays. WhenIwentinearlythenextmorning,theladywascleanwornoutagain,andlayinakindoffaintsleep. Mr.Goodrickebroughthispartner,Mr.Garth,withhimtoadvise. Theysaidshemustnotbedisturbedoutofherrestonanyaccount. Theyaskedmymistressmanyquestions,attheotherendoftheroom,aboutwhatthelady’shealthhadbeeninpasttimes,andwhohadattendedher,andwhethershehadeversufferedmuchandlongtogetherunderdistressofmind. Iremembermymistresssaid“Yes”tothatlastquestion. AndMr.GoodrickelookedatMr.Garth,andshookhishead;andMr.GarthlookedatMr.Goodricke,andshookhishead. Theyseemedtothinkthatthedistressmighthavesomethingtodowiththemischiefatthelady’sheart. Shewasbutafrailthingtolookat,poorcreature! Verylittlestrengthatanytime,Ishouldsay—verylittlestrength. Lateronthesamemorning,whenshewoke,theladytookasuddenturn,andgotseeminglyagreatdealbetter. Iwasnotletinagaintoseeher,nomorewasthehousemaid,forthereasonthatshewasnottobedisturbedbystrangers. WhatIheardofherbeingbetterwasthroughmymaster. Hewasinwonderfulgoodspiritsaboutthechange,andlookedinatthekitchenwindowfromthegarden,withhisgreatbigcurly-brimmedwhitehaton,togoout. “GoodMrs.Cook,”sayshe,“LadyGlydeisbetter. Mymindismoreeasythanitwas,andIamgoingouttostretchmybiglegswithasunnylittlesummerwalk. ShallIorderforyou,shallImarketforyou,Mrs.Cook?Whatareyoumakingthere?Anicetartfordinner? Muchcrust,ifyouplease—muchcrispcrust,mydear,thatmeltsandcrumblesdeliciousinthemouth.”Thatwashisway.Hewaspastsixty,andfondofpastry.Justthinkofthat! Thedoctorcameagainintheforenoon,andsawforhimselfthatLadyGlydehadwokeupbetter. Heforbidustotalktoher,ortolethertalktous,incaseshewasthatwaydisposed,sayingshemustbekeptquietbeforeallthings,andencouragedtosleepasmuchaspossible. ShedidnotseemtowanttotalkwheneverIsawher,exceptovernight,whenIcouldn’tmakeoutwhatshewassaying—sheseemedtoomuchworndown. Mr.Goodrickewasnotnearlyinsuchgoodspiritsaboutherasmaster. Hesaidnothingwhenhecamedownstairs,exceptthathewouldcallagainatfiveo’clock. Aboutthattime(whichwasbeforemastercamehomeagain)thebellranghardfromthebedroom,andmymistressranoutintothelanding,andcalledtometogoforMr.Goodricke,andtellhimtheladyhadfainted. Igotonmybonnetandshawl,when,asgoodluckwouldhaveit,thedoctorhimselfcametothehouseforhispromisedvisit. Ilethimin,andwentupstairsalongwithhim. “LadyGlydewasjustasusual,”saysmymistresstohimatthedoor;“shewasawake,andlookingaboutherinastrange,forlornmanner,whenIheardhergiveasortofhalfcry,andshefaintedinamoment.” Thedoctorwentuptothebed,andstoopeddownoverthesicklady. Helookedveryserious,allonasudden,atthesightofher,andputhishandonherheart. MymistressstaredhardinMr.Goodricke’sface.“Notdead!”saysshe,whispering,andturningallofatremblefromheadtofoot. “Yes,”saysthedoctor,veryquietandgrave.“Dead. IwasafraiditwouldhappensuddenlywhenIexaminedherheartyesterday.” Mymistresssteppedbackfromthebedsidewhilehewasspeaking,andtrembledandtrembledagain.“Dead!” shewhisperstoherself;“deadsosuddenly!deadsosoon!WhatwilltheCountsay?” Mr.Goodrickeadvisedhertogodownstairs,andquietherselfalittle. “Youhavebeensittingupallnight,”sayshe,“andyournervesareshaken. Thisperson,”sayshe,meaningme,“thispersonwillstayintheroomtillIcansendforthenecessaryassistance.”Mymistressdidashetoldher.“ImustpreparetheCount,”shesays.“ImustcarefullypreparetheCount.” Andsosheleftus,shakingfromheadtofoot,andwentout. “Yourmasterisaforeigner,”saysMr.Goodricke,whenmymistresshadleftus. “Doesheunderstandaboutregisteringthedeath?” “Ican’trightlytell,sir,”saysI,“butIshouldthinknot.” Thedoctorconsideredaminute,andthensayshe,“Idon’tusuallydosuchthings,”sayshe,“butitmaysavethefamilytroubleinthiscaseifIregisterthedeathmyself. Ishallpassthedistrictofficeinhalfanhour’stime,andIcaneasilylookin. Mention,ifyouplease,thatIwilldoso.” “Yes,sir,”saysI,“withthanks,I’msure,foryourkindnessinthinkingofit.” “Youdon’tmindstayingheretillIcansendyoutheproperperson?”sayshe. “No,sir,”saysI;“I’llstaywiththepoorladytillthen. Isupposenothingmorecouldbedone,sir,thanwasdone?” saysI.“No,”sayshe,“nothing;shemusthavesufferedsadlybeforeeverIsawher—thecasewashopelesswhenIwascalledin.”“Ah,dearme! weallcometoit,soonerorlater,don’twe,sir?”saysI. Hegavenoanswertothat—hedidn’tseemtocareabouttalking.Hesaid,“Good-day,”andwentout. IstoppedbythebedsidefromthattimetillthetimewhenMr.Goodrickesentthepersonin,ashehadpromised.Shewas,byname,JaneGould. Iconsideredhertobearespectable-lookingwoman. Shemadenoremark,excepttosaythatsheunderstoodwhatwaswantedofher,andthatshehadwindedamanyoftheminhertime. Howmasterborethenews,whenhefirstheardit,ismorethanIcantell,nothavingbeenpresent. WhenIdidseehimhelookedawfullyovercomebyit,tobesure. Hesatquietinacorner,withhisfathandshangingoverhisthickknees,andhisheaddown,andhiseyeslookingatnothing. Heseemednotsomuchsorry,asscaredanddazedlike,bywhathadhappened. Mymistressmanagedallthatwastobedoneaboutthefuneral. Itmusthavecostasightofmoney—thecoffin,inparticular,beingmostbeautiful. Thedeadlady’shusbandwasaway,asweheard,inforeignparts. Butmymistress(beingheraunt)settleditwithherfriendsinthecountry(Cumberland,Ithink)thatsheshouldbeburiedthere,inthesamegravealongwithhermother. Everythingwasdonehandsomely,inrespectofthefuneral,Isayagain,andmasterwentdowntoattendtheburyinginthecountryhimself. Helookedgrandinhisdeepmourning,withhisbigsolemnface,andhisslowwalk,andhisbroadhatband—thathedid! Inconclusion.Ihavetosay,inanswertoquestionsputtome— (1)ThatneitherInormyfellow-servanteversawmymastergiveLadyGlydeanymedicinehimself. (2)Thathewasnever,tomyknowledgeandbelief,leftaloneintheroomwithLadyGlyde. (3)ThatIamnotabletosaywhatcausedthesuddenfright,whichmymistressinformedmehadseizedtheladyonherfirstcomingintothehouse. Thecausewasneverexplained,eithertomeortomyfellow-servant. Theabovestatementhasbeenreadoverinmypresence.Ihavenothingtoaddtoit,ortotakeawayfromit.Isay,onmyoathasaChristianwoman,thisisthetruth. (Signed)HESTERPINHORN,Her+Mark. 
