Her eyes glittered above the
darkened lower lids; her gaze was self-conscious and yet bold; a faint
languor showed beneath her happy energy. But there was no sign that on
the previous evening she had been indisposed.
Mrs. Tams was respectfully maternal, but preoccupied. She fetched the
egg for Rachel, and Rachel, having deposited it in a cooking-spoon,
held it over the small black saucepan of incontestably boiling water
until the hand of the clock precisely covered a minute mark, whereupon
she deftly slipped the egg into the saucepan; the water ceased to boil
for a few seconds and then bubbled up again. And amid the heavenly
frizzling of bacon and the odour of her own special coffee Rachel
stood sternly watching the clock while Mrs. Tams rattled plates and
did the last deeds before serving the meal. Then Mrs. Tarns paused and
said--
"I don't hardly like to tell ye, ma'm--I didn't hardly like to tell ye
last night when ye were worried like--no, and I dunna like now like,
but its like as if what must be--I must give ye notice to leave. I
canna stop here no longer."
Rachel turned to her, protesting--
"Now, Mrs. Tams, what _are_ you talking about? I thought you were
perfectly happy here.
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