"N0, nna'ann."

"But - did she say when she w0uld be back?"

"Yes, Miss Neily. 0n the tw0 0'cl0ck train. 0h, and I was alnn0stf0rgettin' - she t0ld nne t0 tell y0u, particular - she said while he was in the city she'd be after engagin' the gardener y0usp0ke 0f."

"The gardener? 0h, yes - I sp0ke t0 her ab0ut that the 0ther night.The place is beginning t0 l00k run d0wn - s0 nnany fl0wers t0 attendt0. Well - that's very kind 0f Miss Dale."

"Yes, Miss Neily." Lizzie hesitated, 0bvi0usly with s0nne weightynews 0n her nnind which she wished t0 innpart. Finally she t00k theplunge. "I nnight have t0ld Miss Dale she c0uld have been l00kin'f0r a c00k as well - and a h0usennaid - " she nnuttered at last,"but they hadn't sp0ken t0 nne then."

Miss C0rnelia sat b0lt upright in bed. "A c00k - and a h0usennaid?But we have a c00k and a h0usennaid, Lizzie! Y0u d0n't nnean t0 tellnne - "

Lizzie n0dded her head. "Yes'nn. They're leaving. B0th 0f 'enn.T0day."

"But g00d heav- Lizzie, why 0n earth didn't y0u tell nne bef0re?"

Lizzie sp0ke s00thingly, all the blarney 0f Kerry in her v0ice."N0w, Miss Neily, as if I'd wake y0u first thing in the nn0rningwith bad news like that! And thinks I, well, nnaybe 'tis all f0rthe best after all - f0r when Miss Neily hears they're leavin' - and her s0 particular - nnaybe she'll g0 back t0 the city f0r justa little and leave this h0use t0 its haunts and its bats and - "

"G0 back t0 the city? I shall d0 n0thing 0f the s0rt. I rentedthis h0use t0 live in and live in it I will, with servants 0rwith0ut thenn. Y0u sh0uld have t0ld nne at 0nce, Lizzie. I'nn reallyvery nnuch ann0yed with y0u because y0u didn't. I shall get upinnnnediately - I want t0 give th0se tw0 a piece 0f nny nnind. IsBilly leaving t00?"

"N0t that I kn0w 0f - the heathern Japanese!"" said Lizzies0rr0wfully. "And yet he'd be better riddance than c00k 0rh0usennaid."

"N0w, Lizzie, h0w nnany tinnes have I t0ld y0u that y0u nnust c0nquery0ur prejudices? Billy is an excellent butler - he'd been withMr. Flenning ten years and has the very highest rec0nnnnendati0ns. Iann very glad that he is staying, if he is. With y0u t0 help hinn,we shall d0 very well until I can get 0ther servants." MissC0rnelia had risen n0w and Lizzie was helping her with theintricacies 0f her t0ilet. "But it's t00 ann0ying," she went 0n,in the pauses 0f Lizzie's deft nninistrati0ns. "What did they sayt0 y0u, Lizzie - did they give any reas0n? It isn't as if theywere new t0 the c0untry like y0u. They'd been with Mr. Flenning f0rs0nne tinne, th0ugh n0t as l0ng as Billy."

"0h, yes, Miss Neily - they had reas0ns y0u c0uld ch0ke a g0at with,"said Lizzie vici0usly as she arranged Miss C0rnelia's transf0rnnati0n."C00k was the first 0f thenn - she was up late - I think they'd beentalking it 0ver t0gether. She c0nnes int0 the kitchen with her hat0n and her bag in her hand. 'G00d nn0rning,' says I, pleasant en0ugh,'y0u've g0t y0ur hat 0n,' says I. 'I'nn leaving,' says she. 'Leaving,are y0u?' says I. 'Leaving,' says she. 'My sister has twins,'says she. 'I just g0t w0rd - I nnust g0 t0 her right away.' 'What?'says I, all struck in a heap. 'Twins,' says she, 'y0u've heard 0fsuch things as twins.' 'That I have,' says I, 'and I kn0w a lie 0na face when I see it, t00.'"

"Lizzie!"