“Yes, Madame,” answered Tizzia. “I shall be happy to do so. You are going away?” she ventured timidly.
Clarinda looked at her as if appraising her, as if trying to decide whether she asked questions from interest in her, or only from the spirit of inquisitiveness. The maid stood in front of her. Her whole being to Clarinda seemed to betoken sorrow at her condition, and it gave Clarinda confidence.
“You know,” Clarinda went on. She spoke slowly thinking deeply of every word she uttered. “I don’t trust you. I don’t know if your apparent interest is from curiosity or just from the liking you have for other people’s sorrows.”
“Ah, Madame! I am sorry you said that!” she broke in quickly. “I don’t want your confidence—unless Madame feels I am not just curious. I sympathize with you, Madame, deeply. I’ve seen something of life, too, Madame, I, too, am a woman. I—”
Clarinda arose from the divan, and she strode about the room. She took great steps, as if in their length she could find relief.
Presently, she spoke quickly, not stopping her march. “I don’t care. I don’t care if you listen to me from curiosity or from real sympathy. I must talk to someone. It might as well be you. I’ve no one in the world to turn to. You don’t know the desperateness of such a situation. The meanest people in the world usually have someone. Sit down there!” she commanded.
“I would rather stand, please, Madame.”
“Sit down!”
Tizzia sat down. She placed her body upon the extreme edge of the chair. Clarinda still walked. She spoke loudly, without intermittence, and her words fell over one another, yet she appeared to think of each word as she uttered it. The maid listened and followed as best she could. At times the maid wept. At other times she trembled with fear, then again she thought Clarinda would drop from exhaustion. It seemed to her that she ran instead of walked from one end of the room to the other.
“I’ve thought it all out, Tizzia! I’ve thought it all out! Last night I didn’t sleep. I walked this room and my bedroom all night. I heard you come along the hall. I waited for you to come. It seemed to me as if it were years—years and years! You would be surprised how long it is from daylight to daylight, when you are waiting for some one. The hours are so long. The time goes so slowly. I don’t know how I lived through those hours. It was terrible, but it is over, it is gone! I’ve done my duty today. I’ve heard the will read, I am rich. I am under the domination of a little man and a great Trust Company.” Clarinda laughed. “I’ve three hundred thousand dollars, and when my mother dies, I shall have hundreds of thousands more. After I am dead, it goes to the child. He will be rich. Isn’t that splendid for him?” Clarinda’s voice rang with bitter sarcasm. For a moment she stopped in her march and stood in front of Tizzia. “Are you listening, Tizzia?” she asked. Tizzia nodded her head in assent.