ERMENGARDE'S SIN.
Late that evening, after the young folk had gone to bed, Miss Nelson,
having attired herself in a very neat black silk dress, with ruffles
of real lace round her neck and wrists, her best brooch at her throat,
and a pretty little head-dress of lace and ribbon becomingly arranged
over her iron-gray hair, went down past the schoolroom, past the heavy
oak door which divided the children's part of the house from that
portion where, according to Ermengarde, all the gay life and all the
fun went on, and finally tapped at Mr. Wilton's study-door.
It so happened that there were no visitors staying at Wilton Chase
to-night; many friends were expected the following day, but to-night
Miss Nelson knew that she would find Mr. Wilton and probably his
sister disengaged.
Her tap was responded to by a hearty "Come in!" She was right. Mr. and
Miss Wilton were both in the study. Miss Wilton was seated at her
davenport scribbling off letters at furious speed, and Mr. Wilton was
indulging in a cigar by the open window.
"Well, Miss Nelson," he said courteously; "I am glad to see you."
He placed a chair for the governess, and waited for her to speak.
"I have come----" said Miss Nelson.
She cleared her throat, she felt a little nervous.
"I have come about a--a shark----"
"Oh! oh!" exclaimed Miss Wilton. She quite jumped, and the pen dropped
from her hand. "You hear her, Roderick. How interesting! Has one been
seen off the coast?"
"I mean a ferret," said Miss Nelson. "Its name is Shark. I've got
confused. Pray pardon me. One of the boys has brought it home."
"Oh, Eric," said Mr. Wilton. "I heard him chattering about it, the
little scamp. Well, Miss Nelson," he could not help laughing. "Has
that young prodigy of mine tried to frighten you unnecessarily."
"He did say the creature had six rows of teeth," said Miss Nelson; "of
course that is nonsense; but is a ferret a safe animal to have in the
house, with so many young children about, and nurse not too careful?"
"Certainly not. Thank you for coming and telling us about it, Miss
Nelson. Ferrets are not safe creatures to have near children, and
Eric's shall be removed to the gamekeeper's to-morrow."
Miss Nelson rose at once to leave the room.
"Sit down, Miss Nelson," suddenly interrupted Miss Wilton. "As you are
here I have just a word to say to you. Do you think it well to allow
Ermengarde to drive in the carriage without your escort. It so
happened that my brother was able to accompany her to-day but I--of
course I don't like to interfere--still I should have thought that it
was scarcely wise. Ermengarde is inclined to be too forward as it is."
"Ermie in the carriage to-day!" exclaimed Miss Nelson. She forgot to
keep her seat. She stood up, her pale face was deeply flushed.
"Impossible, Miss Wilton! Pardon me, you must be mistaken. Ermengarde
was not--not quite--she infringed some of my rules, and I was obliged
to give her a detention lesson. She certainly did ask to go and meet
her brothers, but I was obliged to refuse. Ermie spent the afternoon
indoors."
Miss Wilton sounded a gong by her side. A page appeared, to whom she
gave some letters.
"See they are posted at once," she said. Then the turned to the
window. "Roderick, are you asleep, or did you hear what Miss Nelson
said?"
"I beg your pardon, my dear, I confess I was not attending. I thought
you ladies were discussing some domestic matter."
"We were; a very domestic matter. Roderick, kindly tell Miss Nelson
who was your companion to the railway station this afternoon."
"Why, Ermengarde, of course. And very pleasant she made herself. I was
going to tell you, Miss Nelson, when I had the opportunity, how
pleased I am with the progress of your pupil."
"Thank you," said Miss Nelson. The flush on her face had changed to
pallor.
"You did not know of this?" continued Miss Wilton eagerly. "You are
astonished!"
Miss Nelson was silent for several seconds.
"I will speak to Ermie," she said; then in a low voice, "there has
been a misunderstanding."
She did not add any more, and Mr. Wilton, thinking that the governess
looked tired and ill, tried to engage her in some general
conversation. She answered a question or two in a very abstracted
manner, and presently left the room.
Miss Nelson had a private sitting-room, which was not thrown open to
her pupils. It was a tiny room, but the governess loved it very much.
She kept her favorite photographs here, and her best prized books.
Here she was absolutely her own mistress, and she sometimes called the
little room "Home, sweet Home." Miss Nelson was a well-educated woman;
she was between forty and fifty years of age; she had a staid and
somewhat cold manner, but she was a good disciplinarian, and
thoroughly conscientious. When Mrs. Wilton had died three years ago,
Miss Nelson had come to the Chase. Mrs. Wilton on her deathbed had
asked her husband to secure Miss Nelson's services, if possible, for
the children, and this fact alone would have prevented his ever
parting with the governess.
Miss Nelson was all that was honorable and kind, but a sort of
impenetrable reserve prevented her showing the real affection she felt
for her pupils. Consequently Ermengarde disliked her, Lucy tolerated
her, the nursery children were supremely indifferent to her, and
Marjorie alone loved her. This latter fact did not raise Miss Nelson
in anyone's estimation. It was Marjorie's fashion to love people; it
would have been unnatural, uncanny to hear round, good humored
Marjorie abusing people. Marjorie's affection was bestowed on all
creatures, therefore being common, it was in Ermie's opinion at
least, a rather worthless thing to secure.
Miss Nelson went into her private room now, shut and locked the door,
sat down in her easy-chair, and burst into tears. She was shocked at
Ermengarde's disobedience; Ermie's open defiance of her authority
almost terrified her. She loved all the children whom she taught, she
would have done anything, gone to the length of any sacrifice, for
their sakes. She wanted them to grow up good, honorable, worthy of
their mother, whose memory she revered. It was easy to prophesy a
bright future for Marjorie. Little Lucy, too, was a fairly amenable
child; but Ermengarde, who was as proud and reserved as Miss Nelson
herself--the governess trembled when she reflected how small was her
power over this wayward child.
She thought for a long time; three courses of action were open to her.
She might go to Mr. Wilton, open her heart to him, tell him all her
doubts and fears, and ask him to remove Ermengarde from her care. Or
she might talk to the little girl, tell her that she would shield her
from her father's anger, show her in gentle words how wrong her action
had been, assure her of the deep love she really felt for her, and
finally forgive her. Or again she might speak severely to Ermengarde,
and her severe words might be followed by severe discipline. She could
promise not to reveal her pupil's guilt to Mr. Wilton, but the
punishment she would herself inflict would be a grave one.
Miss Nelson thought far into the night, Before she went to bed, she
decided to pursue the last idea which came to her, for it seemed quite
plain to her own mind that Ermengarde's sin could not be expiated
except through punishment.