novel notes-第38章
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n thus：
WANTED； GENERAL SERVANT； in small family of eleven。 Wages； 6 pounds； no beer money。 Must be early riser and hard worker。 Washing done at home。 Must be good cook； and not object to window… cleaning。 Unitarian preferred。Apply； with references； to A。 B。； etc。
That advertisement was sent off on Wednesday afternoon。 At seven o'clock on Thursday morning the whole family were awakened by continuous ringing of the street…door bell。 The husband； looking out of window； was surprised to see a crowd of about fifty girls surrounding the house。 He slipped on his dressing…gown and went down to see what was the matter。 The moment he opened the door； fifteen of them charged tumultuously into the passage； sweeping him completely off his legs。 Once inside； these fifteen faced round； fought the other thirty…five or so back on to the door…step； and slammed the door in their faces。 Then they picked up the master of the house； and asked him politely to conduct them to A。 B。〃
At first； owing to the clamour of the mob outside； who were hammering at the door and shouting curses through the keyhole； he could understand nothing； but at length they succeeded in explaining to him that they were domestic servants come ill answer to his wife's advertisement。 The man went and told his wife； and his wife said she would see them； one at a time。
Which one should have audience first was a delicate question to decide。 The man； on being appealed to； said he would prefer to leave it to them。 They accordingly discussed the matter among themselves。 At the end of a quarter of an hour； the victor； having borrowed some hair…pins and a looking…glass from our charwoman； who had slept in the house； went upstairs； while the remaining fourteen sat down in the hall； and fanned themselves with their bonnets。
〃A。 B。〃 was a good deal astonished when the first applicant presented herself。 She was a tall； genteel…looking girl。 Up to yesterday she had been head housemaid at Lady Stanton's； and before that she had been under…cook for two years to the Duchess of York。
〃And why did you leave Lady Stanton？〃 asked 〃A。 B。〃
〃To come here； mum；〃 replied the girl。 The lady was puzzled。
〃And you'll be satisfied with six pounds a year？〃 she asked。
〃Certainly； mum； I think it ample。〃
〃And you don't mind hard work？〃
〃I love it； mum。〃
〃And you're an early riser？〃
〃Oh yes； mum； it upsets me stopping in bed after half…past five。〃
〃You know we do the washing at home？〃
〃Yes； mum。 I think it so much better to do it at home。 Those laundries ruin good clothes。 They're so careless。〃
〃Are you a Unitarian？〃 continued the lady。
〃Not yet； mum；〃 replied the girl； 〃but I should like to be one。〃
The lady took her reference； and said she would write。
The next applicant offered to come for three poundsthought six pounds too much。 She expressed her willingness to sleep in the back kitchen： a shakedown under the sink was all she wanted。 She likewise had yearnings towards Unitarianism。
The third girl did not require any wages at allcould not understand what servants wanted with wagesthought wages only encouraged a love of foolish finerythought a comfortable home in a Unitarian family ought to be sufficient wages for any girl。
This girl said there was one stipulation she should like to make； and that was that she should be allowed to pay for all breakages caused by her own carelessness or neglect。 She objected to holidays and evenings out； she held that they distracted a girl from her work。
The fourth candidate offered a premium of five pounds for the place； and then 〃A。 B。〃 began to get frightened； and refused to see any more of the girls； convinced that they must be lunatics from some neighbouring asylum out for a walk。
Later in the day； meeting the next…door lady on the door…step； she related her morning's experiences。
〃Oh； that's nothing extraordinary；〃 said the next…door lady； 〃none of us on this side of the street pay wages； and we get the pick of all the best servants in London。 Why； girls will come from the other end of the kingdom to get into one of these houses。 It's the dream of their lives。 They save up for years； so as to be able to come here for nothing。〃
〃What's the attraction？〃 asked 〃A。 B。；〃 more amazed than ever。
〃Why； don't you see；〃 explained the next door lady； 〃our back windows open upon the barrack yard。 A girl living in one of these houses is always close to soldiers。 By looking out of window she can always see soldiers； and sometimes a soldier will nod to her or even call up to her。 They never dream of asking for wages。 They'll work eighteen hours a day； and put up with anything just to be allowed to stop。〃
〃A。 B。〃 profited by this information； and engaged the girl who offered the five pounds premium。 She found her a perfect treasure of a servant。 She was invariably willing and respectful； slept on a sofa in the kitchen； and was always contented with an egg for her dinner。
The truth of this story I cannot vouch for。 Myself； I can believe it。 Brown and MacShaughnassy made no attempt to do so； which seemed unfriendly。 Jephson excused himself on the plea of a headache。 I admit there are points in it presenting difficulties to the average intellect。 As I explained at the commencement； it was told to me by Ethelbertha； who had it from Amenda； who got it from the char…woman； and exaggerations may have crept into it。 The following； however； were incidents that came under my own personal observation。 They afforded a still stronger example of the influence exercised by Tommy Atkins upon the British domestic； and I therefore thought it right to relate them。
〃The heroine of them；〃 I said； 〃is our Amenda。 Now； you would call her a tolerably well…behaved； orderly young woman； would you not？〃
〃She is my ideal of unostentatious respectability；〃 answered MacShaughnassy
〃That was my opinion also；〃 I replied。 〃You can； therefore； imagine my feelings on passing her one evening in the Folkestone High Street with a Panama hat upon her head （MY Panama hat）； and a soldier's arm round her waist。 She was one of a mob following the band of the Third Berkshire Infantry； then in camp at Sandgate。 There was an ecstatic； far…away look in her eyes。 She was dancing rather than walking； and with her left hand she beat time to the music。
〃Ethelbertha was with me at the time。 We stared after the procession until it had turned the corner； and then we stared at each other。
〃'Oh； it's impossible；' said Ethelbertha to me。
〃'But that was my hat；' I said to Ethelbertha。
〃The moment we reached home Ethelbertha looked for Amenda； and I looked for my hat。 Neither was to be found。
〃Nine o'clock struck； ten o'clock struck。 At half…past ten； we went down and got our own supper； and had it in the kitchen。 At a quarter…past eleven； Amenda returned。 She walked into the kitchen without a word； hung my hat up behind the door； and commenced clearing away the supper things。
〃Ethelbertha rose； calm but severe。
〃'Where have you been； Amenda？' she inquired。
〃'Gadding half over the county with a lot of low soldiers；' answered Amenda； continuing her work。
〃'You had on my hat；' I added。
〃'Yes； sir；' replied Amenda； still continuing her work； 'it was the first thing that came to hand。 What I'm thankful for is that it wasn't missis's best bonnet。'
〃Whether Ethelbertha was mollified by the proper spirit displayed in this last remark； I cannot say； but I think it probable。 At all events； it was in a voice more of sorrow than of anger that she resumed her examination。
〃'You were walking with a soldier's arm around your waist when we passed you； Amenda？' she observed interrogatively。
〃'I know； mum；' admitted Amenda； 'I found it there myself when the music stopped。'
〃Ethelbertha looked her inquiries。 Amenda filled a saucepan with water； and then replied to them。
〃'I'm a disgrace to a decent household；' she said； 'no mistress who respected herself would keep me a moment。 I ought to be put on the doorstep with my box and a month's wages。'
〃'But why did you do it then？' said Ethelbertha； with natural astonishment。
〃'Because I'm a helpless ninny； mum。 I can't he
