"Was it a private school?"
"Yes."
That short answer warned Iris to be careful.
"Recollections of school," she said good-humouredly, "are not the
pleasantest recollections in some of our lives. Perhaps I have touched
on a subject which is disagreeable to you?"
"You have touched on one of my disappointments, Miss. While my mother
lived, she was my teacher. After her death, my father sent me to
school. When he failed in business, I was obliged to leave, just as I
had begun to learn and like it. Besides, the girls found out that I was
going away, because there was no money at home to pay the fees--and
that mortified me. There is more that I might tell you. I have a reason
for hating my recollections of the school--but I mustn't mention that
time in my life which your goodness to me tries to forget."
All that appealed to her, so simply and so modestly, in that reply, was
not lost on Iris. After an interval of silence, she said: "Can you guess what I am thinking of, Fanny?"
"No, Miss."
"I am asking myself a question. If I try you in my service shall I
never regret it?"
For the first time, strong emotion shook Fanny Mere. Her voice failed
her, in the effort to speak. Iris considerately went on.
"You will take the place," she said, "of a maid who has been with me
for years--a good dear creature who has only left me through
ill-health. I must not expect too much of you; I cannot hope that you
will be to me what Rhoda Bennet has been."
Fanny succeeded in controlling herself. "Is there any hope," she asked,
"of my seeing Rhoda Bennet?"
"Why do you wish to see her?"
"You are fond of her, Miss---that is one reason."
"And the other?"
"Rhoda Bennet might help me to serve you as I want to serve you; she
might perhaps encourage me to try if I could follow her example." Fanny
paused, and clasped her hands fervently. The thought that was in her
forced its way to expression. "It's so easy to feel grateful," she
said--"and, oh, so hard to show it!"
"Come to me," her new mistress answered, "and show it to-morrow."
Moved by that compassionate impulse, Iris said the words which restored
to an unfortunate creature a lost character and a forfeited place in
the world.