Chapter 7 Chapter One

- "Rosemary, Fountain of Memory" Lucilla Derek was "twittering" like a bird, as the family used to say about her, and found that to be an apt adjective for her voice. She had so many things to worry about this morning that she couldn't concentrate on any one thing.The day of moving back to the city was approaching, and with it all the chores.Servants, housework, winter supplies, and so on—all of which brought a scowl to Iris's face. "Honestly, my dear, I'm really worried for you--you look so pale--as if you haven't slept--have you? If you can't sleep, there's medicine from the nurse Or Dr. Gasker?—reminds me—I ought to talk to the grocer myself—either the maids are stealing the stuff themselves, or he's lying to us. Boxes of soap—and I I have never ordered more than three yuan in a week. Or would it be better to drink some supplements? Eaton syrup, I used to drink it when I was young. By the way, spinach is also good, I will tell the kitchen to eat spinach at noon today."

Vingris was too tired, and too used to Mrs. Derek's ramblings, to ask her why talking about Dr. Gasco reminded her of the grocer. If she had asked, she would have answered right away: " Because the grocer's name is Cronford, my dear." Aunt Lucilla's reasons were always understood only to herself. Iris just said with the last of her strength, "I'm fine, Auntie." "The circles of your eyes are dark," said Mrs. Derek. "You're doing too much." "I haven't done anything—for weeks." "That's up to you, dear. Too much tennis is too much work for a young girl. And I think the air here is sluggish. It's such a lousy place. If only George could Just talk it over with me instead of that girl."

"girl?" "It's the girl he thinks so highly of. She's pretty good at the office, I dare say—it's a big mistake to let her do it. It's kind of encouraging her to think of herself as part of the family. I should That said, she really doesn't need any more encouragement." "Oh, Aunt Lucilla, Ruth is practically part of our family." Mrs. Derek sniffed: "She's trying to—that's obvious. Poor George—to be like a baby in a swaddle when he meets a woman. But it won't work, Iris. George has to want Be on guard, and if I were you, I would tell him frankly that no matter how good Miss Lessing may be, any idea of ​​marriage is out of the question."

Iris was surprised for a while by her indifference. " It never occurred to me that George would marry Ruth. " "You have big eyes, but you don't see anything, kid. Of course, you don't have the same life experience as I do." Iris couldn't help laughing.Sometimes Aunt Lucilla was really funny. "That young woman came out to find a husband to marry." "Does that matter?" Iris asked. "Is it related? Of course it is." "Isn't that better?" her aunt glared at her. "I mean, be good to George. I think you're right about her, and you know that. I think she likes him. And she'll be a good wife for him, and take good care of him." .”

Mrs. Derek exhaled two heavy breaths from her nostrils, and at the same time, her sheep-like kind face showed an expression almost angry. "George is well taken care of now. What more could he ask for? I'd like to know. Excellent food, and his clothes are mended. He is a blessing from his previous life to have a beautiful and charming young man like you." Girls around. When you get married one day, I hope I still have the ability to take care of his daily life, and his health. It's better than a young woman from an office - what kind of housework does she know Administration? Numbers, ledgers, shorthand, typing—what use are these in a man's house?"

Iris smiled, then shook her head, but she didn't argue.She was thinking of the smooth satin kerchief on Ruth's head, of her fair and clean face, of her beautiful, well-cut figure.Poor Aunt Lucilla, her thoughts were on the comforts of life and the management of the house, and romance was far behind her, perhaps she had forgotten its meaning--if so, Iris thought of her uncle marriage, it is really significant. Lucilla Derek is the half-sister of Hector Marr.After the death of her biological mother, she played the role of mother, took care of her younger brother, and took care of the housework at the same time, thus gradually becoming a full-fledged spinster.When she met Clay Derek, he was close to the age of "not confused", and he had also passed the mark of "knowing the fate".Her married life was short, only two years, and then she became a widow with a baby boy.The belated, unexpected role of real mother was the most important experience in Lucilla Derek's life.Her son has become her source of anxiety, a source of distress and a chronic money-sucker—but she has never been disappointed.Mrs. Derek refused to acknowledge all of her son's vices except for some innocuous weaknesses in his character.Vito is too trusting - too easy to be led astray by his bad companions.Vito was out of luck.Vito was lied to.Vito was cheated out of money.He was played in the hands of those who saw through his innocence.Whenever someone criticized her son, her sheep-like face immediately darkened, showing a serious protest expression.She knew her own son.He was a sweet boy, happy to live his life, and his so-called "friends" used him and took advantage of him.No one, she thought, knew better than she how much her son disliked asking her for money.But when the poor boy is really in trouble, what can he do but ask his mother for help?He couldn't seem to find anyone to turn to for help other than her.

She admitted that it was providence that George asked her to come and live with them in order to care for Iris while she was sinking into a kind of "elegant" extreme poverty.During the past year, she lived comfortably and happily.It would be counterintuitive for her to be complacent about the prospect of a modern, capable young woman taking her place.She thought the woman was only trying to marry George for his money.That's what she's after, of course - a good family and a rich and doting husband.At Aunt Lucilla's age, you can't convince her that any modern woman actually likes to be self-reliant!Women are still women after all - if they can find a man who can make them live comfortably, they still prefer to give up their jobs, marry him, and live the life of a young lady.Ruth Lessing was a clever girl, and she gradually gained George's confidence, helped him decorate the house, and made herself an indispensable assistant-yet, thankfully, there was at least one other person who saw her evil intentions !

Lucilla Derek nodded smugly a few times in a row, causing her slack double chin to twitch, her lips lifted in a superhumanly intelligent look.She changed the subject to an equally interesting, perhaps more urgent subject. "I don't know what to do with those blankets, honey, you know. I don't know if we're not going to be here until next spring or if George wants to keep coming here for the holidays. He won't say." "I don't think he's quite aware of it himself." Iris tried to draw her attention to it as if it didn't matter. "It's nice to come here once in a while if the weather is nice, though I don't think I'd want to. But if If we really wanted to come, the house would still be here."

It's a good word, my dear, but it must be known.Because, you know, if we're not coming back until next year, these blankets should be stuffed with moth pellets.But if we're coming back soon, there's no need, as the blankets will be needed again soon - and the moth pellets don't smell good. " "Okay, then don't put moth-proof pills." "Okay, but it's been so hot this summer and so many bugs. Everyone says it's been a lot of bugs this year. No wasps, of course. Hutchins told me yesterday, he said, that thirty hornets' nests have been found this summer— —Thirty—think about—”

Iris thinks of Hutchins—walking out at dusk—potassium cyanide in hand—potassium cyanide—Rosemary—why does everything recall—? Aunt Lucilla's high-pitched voice began again—on a different subject this time— "—and should silver be kept in a bank anyway? Mrs. Alexander says there are a lot of thieves—although we have good burglar shields—I personally don't like her haircut—it makes her face look So gritty - but I think she's a gritty woman and she's nervous. Everyone is nervous now. When I was a girl, people didn't know what a nerve was. That reminds me, I don't like it George's face lately—I wonder if he's just getting the flu? Once or twice, I thought he had a fever. But maybe it's some kind of business worry. You know, he looks so I feel like I'm overwhelmed."

Iris shuddered, and Lucilla Derek exclaimed triumphantly: "Look, I said you caught a cold."