“But study is so tiresome!” sighed Jessy.
“It costs us something, my dear; like rich furniture, it is not to be had for the mere wishing. But it is well worth the trouble which it costs. And remember, Jessy, with the mind, as with the house, it cannot be entirely empty. Where knowledge is neglected folly will come—the dust gathers, the spider spins her web. If we are not learning we are losing—a mind left to itself is a mind left to decay!”
“I wonder if any one lives here!” said Jessy, who was rather desirous to turn the conversation. “No one takes the trouble to answer the bell.”
“I believe that we shall find Madame L’Ame in one of the upper rooms,” replied her mother. “She knows me well, and therefore will not regard my visit as an intrusion; besides, to-day she expects me, as I have to speak to her on important business, regarding a large property to which she is heir.”
Mrs. Warner, therefore, followed by her daughter, proceeded up the dusty uncarpeted stair, Jessy feeling some curiosity to see the mistress of the beautiful but neglected mansion. They reached the landing-place, where Mrs. Warner knocked at the door of one of the upper rooms. As the sound brought no answer, the lady knocked again, when a shrill voice bade her “come in;” and she and Jessy entered an apartment as unsightly as the rest of the interior of the house. There was not, perhaps, the same deficiency of furniture, but everything was in confusion and disorder, as it might be heaped together in the warehouse of a broker. At one corner of the room a maidservant on her knees was engaged in cutting out pictures from old magazines of fashion, figures of slender-waisted belles and coxcomicallooking beaux, and pasting them on a large screen. This Jessy observed when she had a little leisure to look around her, but at first her attention was engaged by the mistress of the house, who advanced to meet Mrs. Warner.
Madame L’Ame was very much stunted in size, so much so as to appear almost a dwarf; and she looked shorter than she really was from a habit of constant stooping. She seldom raised her eyes from the ground, but moved them restlessly to and fro, as if always searching for something on the floor. Her mouth, which she usually kept a little open, had a vacant, silly expression; which gave Jessy an idea, at first sight, that the lady possessed a very small share of sense. The young girl was confirmed in this impression by Madame L’Ame’s conduct during the whole of the visit.
Notwithstanding the very serious and important business upon which Mrs. Warner soon entered—business which concerned the lady’s title to succeed to an immense property, and even her claim to all that she then possessed—Madame L’Ame appeared as though she thought the subject not worthy a moment’s attention. She was constantly interrupting Mrs. Warner with some frivolous remark which had nothing to do with the question at issue. She was far more taken up with the tricks and gambols of Plaisir, her petted and pampered monkey, than she was with business on which might depend her future wealth or absolute beggary. The screen also occupied much of her attention, and Madame L’Ame often interrupted the flow of her childish gossip to give directions to the maid about placing the pictures upon it.
“My dear Madame,” said Mrs. Warner, earnestly, after concluding a statement which would have appeared interesting to any one but the person chiefly concerned, “it is now high time for you to take a decided part. Your enemies are powerful and active, your claim doubtful—”
“Now, does he not look droll?” exclaimed Madame L’Ame, who had twisted a gauze scarf over the head of her favourite, and was laughing at his efforts to free himself from his veil.
“Really this is no time for trifling,” said the visitor, “when so much is at stake; I have been informed that—”