Louis sat down. She smiled at
him. He smiled back. But in his exquisite demeanour there was a faint
reserve of melancholy which persisted. She had not yet that morning
been able to put it to flight; she counted, however, on doing so very
soon, and in the meantime it did not daunt her. After all, was it not
natural?
She began--
"I say, what do you think? Mrs. Tams has given me notice."
She pretended to be aggrieved and to be worried, but essential joy
shone through these absurd masks. Moreover, she found a certain
naive satisfaction in being a mistress with cares, a mistress to whom
"notice" had to be given, and who would have to make serious inquiry
into the character of future candidates for her employment.
Louis raised his eyebrows.
"Don't you think it's a shame?"
"Oh," said he cautiously, "you'll get somebody else as good,
_and_ better. What's she leaving for?"
Rachel repeated Mrs. Tams's rigmarole.
"Ah!" murmured Louis.
He was rather sorry for Mrs. Tams. His good-nature was active enough
this morning. But he was glad that she had taken the initiative. And
he was content that she should go. After the scene of the previous
night, their relations could not again have been exactly what the
relations between master and servant ought to be.
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