to be my governess, highly recommended and perfectly qualified. My heart
sank with a sure presage of ill. I already disliked, distrusted, and feared
her.

I had more than an apprehension of her temper and fear of possibly abused
authority. The large-featured, smirking phantom, saluting me so oddly in
the moonlight, retained ever after its peculiar and unpleasant hold upon my
nerves.

'Well, Miss Maud, dear, I hope you'll like your new governess--for it's
more than _I_ do, just at present at least,' said Mrs. Rusk, sharply--she
was awaiting me in my room. 'I hate them French-women; they're not natural,
I think. I gave her her supper in my room. She eats like a wolf, she does,
the great raw-boned hannimal. I wish you saw her in bed as I did. I put her
next the clock-room--she'll hear the hours betimes, I'm thinking. You never
saw such a sight. The great long nose and hollow cheeks of her, and oogh!
such a mouth! I felt a'most like little Red Riding-Hood--I did, Miss.'

Here honest Mary Quince, who enjoyed Mrs. Rusk's satire, a weapon in which
she was not herself strong, laughed outright.

'Turn down the bed, Mary. She's very agreeable--she is, just now--all
new-comers is; but she did not get many compliments from me, Miss--no,
I rayther think not. I wonder why honest English girls won't answer the
gentry for governesses, instead of them gaping, scheming, wicked furriners?
Lord forgi' me, I think they're all alike.'

Next morning I made acquaintance with Madame de la Rougierre. She was tall,
masculine, a little ghastly perhaps, and draped in purple silk, with a
lace cap, and great bands of black hair, too thick and black, perhaps, to