But Lord Harry was obstinate. Chafing under the sense of his helpless
pecuniary position, he was determined to hear, at once, what remedy for
it Vimpany had discovered.
"We can set that woman's curiosity at defiance," he said.
"How?"
"When you were learning your profession, you lived in Paris for some
years, didn't you?
"All right!"
"Well, then, you can't have entirely forgotten your French?"
The doctor at once understood what this meant, and answered
significantly by a wink. He had found an opportunity (he said) of
testing his memory, not very long since. Time had undoubtedly deprived
him of his early mastery over the French language; but he could still
(allowing for a few mistakes) make a shift to understand it and speak
it. There was one thing, however, that he wanted to know first. Could
they be sure that my lady's maid had not picked up French enough to use
her ears to some purpose? Lord Harry easily disposed of this doubt. So
entirely ignorant was the maid of the language of the place in which
she was living, that she was not able to ask the tradespeople for the
simplest article of household use, unless it was written for her in
French before she was sent on an errand.
This was conclusive. When Fanny returned to the dining-room, she found
a surprise waiting for her. The two gentlemen had taken leave of their
nationality, and were talking the language of foreigners.
An hour later, when the dinner-table had been cleared, the maid's
domestic duties took her to Lady Harry's room to make tea. She noticed
the sad careworn look on her mistress's face, and spoke of it at once
in her own downright way.
"I thought it was only an excuse," she said, "when you gave me that
message to the gentlemen, at dinner-time. Are you really ill, my lady?"
"I am a little out of spirits," Iris replied.
Fanny made the tea. "I can understand that," she said to herself, as
she moved away to leave the room; "I'm out of spirits myself."
Iris called her back: "I heard you say just now, Fanny, that you were
out of spirits yourself. If you were speaking of some troubles of your
own, I am sorry for you, and I won't say any more. But if you know what
my anxieties are, and share them--"
"Mine is the biggest share of the two," Fanny broke out abruptly. "It
goes against the grain with me to distress you, my lady; but we are
beginning badly, and you ought to know it. The doctor has beaten me
already."