Part 30 (1/2)

”No, not as if it were a slave market,” said Lefferts, ”because, of course, it isn't.”

”I can see no reason, Reed,” said Crane, ”why you shouldn't give us a hint as to whether Miss Revelly is blond or brunette, tall or short.”

”Perhaps I see reasons that you do not, sir,” answered the wretched real estate man.

”Well,” said Crane, ”I tell you what, Jane-Ellen must have seen her often,--Jane-Ellen,” he added, ”you've seen Miss Revelly. What does she look like?”

Jane-Ellen advanced into the room thoughtfully.

”Well, sir,” she said, ”it isn't for me to criticize my superiors, nor to say a word against a young lady whom Mr. Reed admires so much, but I have my own reasons, sir, for thinking that there was more in those stories of her engagement than perhaps Mr. Reed himself knows. Servants hear a good deal, you know, sir, and they do say that Miss Revelly--”

”Claudia!” burst from Reed.

”Miss Claudia Revelly, I should say,” the cook corrected herself. ”Well, sir, as for looks--let me see--she's a tall, commanding looking lady--”

”With flas.h.i.+ng black eyes?” asked Crane.

”And ma.s.ses of blue-black hair.”

”A n.o.ble brow?”

”A mouth too large for perfect beauty.”

”A queenly bearing?”

”An irresistible dignity of manner.”

”Jane-Ellen,” said Crane, ”I feel almost as if Miss Claudia Revelly were standing before me.”

”Oh, indeed, sir, if it were she, it's you who would be standing,” said the cook.

”For my part,” said Crane, turning again to the table, ”I had imagined her to myself as quite different. I had supposed her small, soft-eyed, with tiny hands and feet and a mouth--” He was looking at Jane-Ellen's mouth, as if that might give him an inspiration, when Reed interrupted.

”I regret to say, Mr. Crane,” he said, ”that if this conversation continues to deal disrespectfully with the appearance of a young lady for whom--”

”Disrespectfully!” cried Crane. ”I a.s.sure you, I had no such intention.

I leave it to you, Jane-Ellen, whether anything disrespectful was said about this young lady.”

”It did not seem so to me, sir,” answered the cook, with all her gentlest manner. ”But,” she added, glancing humbly at Reed, ”of course, it would never do for a servant like me to be setting up my opinion on such a matter against a gentleman like Mr. Reed.”

”What I mean is, if Miss Revelly were here, do you think she would object to anything we have said?”

”Indeed, I'm sure she would actually have enjoyed it, sir.”

”Well, then, she ought not,” shouted Reed sternly.

Jane-Ellen shook her head sadly.