"Which jools, ma'am, I can in no wise accept."
"Why, Ann, dear, whatever—"
"Which jools, ma'am, having been a dream, must for me so remain, me not bein' faithful in my dooties to you an' Mr. Geoffrey. Consequently I begs to tender you now my resignation, yieldin' up my post in your service to one better worthy, and returnin' t' th' place wherefrom I come."
Here Mrs. Trapes put on her bonnet, setting it a little askew in her agitation.
"Th' labourer is worthy of his hire, but if he ain't—so be it!"
Here Mrs. Trapes tied her bonnet strings so tightly and with such resolute hands that she choked.
"Why, Ann dear," cried Hermione, "whatever do you mean? As if I could bear to part with you!" Here she untied the bonnet strings. "As if I could ever let you go back to Mulligan's!" Here she took off the bonnet. "As if I could ever forget all your tender love and care for me in the days when things were so hard and so very dark!" Here she tossed the bonnet into a corner.
"My land!" sighed Mrs. Trapes, "me best bonnet—"
"I know, Ann. I made it for you over a year ago, and it's time you had another, anyway! Now, open that parcel—this minute!"
But instead of doing so, Mrs. Trapes sank down in the chair beside the table and bowed her head in her hands.