This was not very encouraging, but she was told that she could come every
day and sit as long as she liked in the waiting-room. There were always
several girls and women there--a row of them sitting chatting together on
chairs ranged against the wall--house, parlour, and kitchen-maids out of
places; and a few others of a better description, modest-looking, well-
dressed young women, who came and stood about for a few minutes and then
went away again. Of the girls of this kind Fan alone remained patiently
at her post, taking no interest in the conversation of the others,
anxious only to avoid their bold inquisitive looks and to keep herself
apart from them. Yet their conversation, to anyone wishing to know
something of the lights and shadows of downstair life, was instructive
and interesting enough.

"Only seven days in your last place!"

"Oh, I say!"

"But what did you leave for?"

"Because she was a beast--my missus was; and what I told her was that it
was seven days too much."

"You never did!"

"Oh, I say!"

"And what did she say?"

"Well, it was like this. I was a-doing of my hair in the kitchen with the
curling-iron, when down comes Miss Julia. 'Oh, you are frizzing your