Now, I could make nothing out of this, so I asked her to be good enough to explain.
Then it all came out: "Did I want a person to char?"
This was remarkable—very. Her question amazed me to such an extent that I had to ask her in, and request her to seat herself on one of the hall chairs, and go upstairs myself, and think the matter over before I answered her.
It had been so impressed upon me that no one in the neighbourhood would come near River Hall, that I should as soon have thought of Victoria by the grace of God paying me a friendly visit, as of being waited on by a charwoman.
I went downstairs again.
At sight of me my new acquaintance rose from her seat, and began curling up the corner of her apron.
"Do you know," I said, "that this house bears the reputation of being haunted?"
"I have heard people say it is, sir," she answered.
"And do you know that servants will not stay in it—that tenants will not occupy it?"
"I have heard so, sir," she answered once again.