ring to me: "I must ask you, miss, to let me send up the
cauliflower plain boiled; I don't understand the directions in the book
for doing it in the foreign way."

Miss Jillgall's ears--perhaps because they are so large--possess a
quickness of hearing quite unparalleled in my experience. Not one word
of the cook's whispered confession had escaped her.

"Here," she declared, "is an opportunity of making myself useful! What
is the cook's name? Hannah? Take me downstairs, Hannah, and I'll show
you how to do the cauliflower in the foreign way. She seems to hesitate.
Is it possible that she doesn't believe me? Listen, Hannah, and judge
for yourself if I am deceiving you. Have you boiled the cauliflower?
Very well; this is what you must do next. Take four ounces of grated
cheese, two ounces of best butter, the yolks of four eggs, a little bit
of glaze, lemon-juice, nutmeg--dear, dear, how black she looks. What
have I said to offend her?"

The cook passed over the lady who had presumed to instruct her, as if no
such person had been present, and addressed herself to me: "If I am
to be interfered with in my own kitchen, miss, I will ask you to suit
yourself at a month's notice."

Miss Jillgall wrung her hands in despair.

"I meant so kindly," she said; "and I seem to have made mischief.
With the best intentions, Helena, I have set you and your servant at
variance. I really didn't know you had such a temper, Hannah," she
declared, following the cook to the door. "I'm sure there's nothing I
am not ready to do to make it up with you. Perhaps you have not got the
cheese downstairs? I'm ready to go out and buy it for you. I could
show you how to keep eggs sweet and fresh for weeks together. Your gown
doesn't fit very well; I shall be glad to improve it, if you will leave
it out for me after you have gone to bed. There!" cried Miss Jillgall,
as the cook majestically left the room, without even looking at her,
"I have done my best to make it up, and you see how my advances are
received. What more could I have done? I really ask you, dear, as a
friend, what more _could_ I have done?"

I had it on the tip of my tongue to say: "The cook doesn't ask you to
buy cheese for her, or to teach her how to keep eggs, or to improve the
fit of her gown; all she wants is to have her kitchen to herself." But
here again it was necessary to remember that this odious person was my
father's guest.

"Pray don't distress yourself," I began; "I am su