Chapter 11 fourth quarter

The next morning, Joanna and I came down for breakfast a bit late, I mean, late by Lynstack standards.It was half past nine.In London, Joanna might have just opened one eye, and I'm afraid I'd be asleep with my head covered. But Patridge said, "Is breakfast at eight-thirty or nine?" Neither Joanna nor I had the courage to stay in bed for another hour. I was not very pleased to find Amy Griffey talking to Meghan at the door. Upon seeing us, she showed her usual eagerness: "Hey slob, I've been up for hours." That was her business, of course.The doctor, of course, had to have an early breakfast, and the conscientious sister should be there to pour tea or coffee for him.But in any case, she had no reason to bother her sleepy neighbors, and nine-thirty in the morning was not an appropriate time to visit.

Megan walked back to the restaurant in a hurry. She must have been interrupted by Amy Griffey in the middle of her meal. "I said I didn't want to come in," said Amy Griffey, "but I don't see why it's better to talk in the house than at the door. I just want to ask Miss Burton if there are any extra greens." Get the Red Cross to give alms on the way. If there is, I'll ask Owen to drive." "You left early," I said. "The early bird catches the worm," said Amy. "It's easier to find what you want at this time. I'm going to Mr. Pip's later, and I'm going to see Brandon this afternoon."

"I'm exhausted hearing all your activity," I said. Then the phone rang, and I went into the lobby to answer it, leaving Joanna talking rhubarb and French beans in an uncertain tone, showing that she didn't know much about vegetable gardens. "Who's there?" I asked over the phone. A thick female voice said in a suspicious tone: "Oh!" "Who is it?" I asked again in an encouraging tone. "Oh," said the voice again, and then asked vaguely, "is it—I mean—is it Little Foz?" "Yes, it's Little Foz." "Oh!" This tone was clearly ready to speak, and the other party asked cautiously: "May I have a word with Miss Patridge?"

"Of course," I said, "should I tell her who's calling?" "Oh, tell her it's Agnes, will you? Agnes Ward." "Agnes Ward?" "yes." I put down the receiver and called upstairs to where Patrige was busy: "Patridge! Patridge!" Patridge appeared at the top of the stairs, clutching a long mop, and despite the constant respect on her face, I could tell she was thinking, "What's the big deal 'again'?" "Is there something wrong, sir." "Agnes Ward is calling for you." "what?"

I raised my voice and said, "Agnes Ward." I pronounced the name I had in mind, and Patridge said, "Agnes Wardale—what's the matter with her this time?" Visibly losing her usual composure, Patridge put the mop aside, grabbed hold of her clothes, and hurried down the stairs. I walked cautiously into the dining room, and Megan, unlike Amy Griffey, wasn't putting on a "cheerful morning look" as she ate her bacon and kidneys with her head down.I said good morning to her and she just gave me a casual look and went back to her breakfast. I opened the morning paper and read it, and after a while Joanna walked in, seemingly very dejected.

"Phew!" she said, "I'm exhausted! I think I must be acting stupid. I don't even know what vegetables grow in what season. Don't we have lentils at this time?" "Only in autumn," Megan said. "Oh, but London has seasons of the year," said Joanna defensively. "It's in a can, dear fool," I said, "and it's been refrigerated and shipped in from some remote place." "Like apes and ivory and peacocks?" Joanna asked. "Exactly." "I'd rather have a peacock," said Joanna thoughtfully.

"I'd rather have a monkey," said Megan. While peeling the orange, Joanna mused: "I don't know what it feels like to be someone like Amy Griffey, full of energy and content with life. Do you think she feels tired or disappointed or sad sometimes?" I said I was sure Amy Griffey would never be sad, and followed Meghan through the French windows and down the corridor. I was standing packing the tobacco when I heard Patridge come into the dining room and say seriously, "May I talk to you for a minute, miss." "Jesus," I thought, "Patridge don't give us any advice, or Emily Button will be very angry with us."

Patridge added: "Miss, I have to apologize that someone called me. The young man who called should be more sensible. I never use the phone myself, and I have never allowed my friends to call me, but this kind of thing happened today. I’m so sorry for asking the owner to answer the phone and call me.” "Oh, it's okay, Patridge," Joanna reassured her. "If your friends have something to talk to you, why can't they call you?" Although I didn't see it, I could feel it. Patridge's expression became more serious. She replied coldly: "This kind of thing has never happened in this house, and Miss Emily will never allow it. I said, I'm sorry that this happened, but it's all because of the girl who called, Agnes Huadai Er is too young, very upset, and doesn't understand the rules of big families."

I thought happily: "Even you are cursing together, Joanna." "Miss, call my Agnes," Patridge said again, "I was supposed to help. She was only sixteen years old when she came out of the orphanage. You know, she has no relatives, and She doesn't have her own home, so she often comes to me, you know, and I can teach her all kinds of rules." "Oh?" Joanna could hear that she had more to say, and waited for her to continue. "That's why I take the liberty to ask you, miss, can Agnes be allowed to come to the kitchen for afternoon tea this afternoon? Today is her day off, and she has something on her mind to ask me. Otherwise, I would not have made such a request of."

Joanna asked puzzledly, "But why can't you invite your friends to have afternoon tea with you?" Joanna later told me that when Patridge heard this, she straightened up and said: "This kind of thing has never happened in this house, miss. Old Mrs. Barton never allows guests to visit us in the kitchen. Unless we don't want to go out on holidays, we can entertain friends in the kitchen. Otherwise, this kind of thing will never be allowed to happen." .The current Miss Emily still maintains this old custom." Joanna was very kind to the servants, and most of the servants liked her very much.

"It's no use, silly girl," I said to Joanna when Joanna came outside the house after Patridge walked away, "People don't appreciate your compassion and generosity. A big family has its rules, and Pai Triggie was very adamant about that." "I never heard such a bully thing about not letting friends see them," said Joanna. "It's all very well, Jerry, but they can't be willing to be treated like niggers." "It's a pity they obviously do," I said. "At least Patrige does." "I really don't understand why she doesn't like me. Many people like me." "Perhaps she thinks you're not a competent hostess and looks down on you, you never run your hands over the shelves on the wall to see if there's any dust, never ask where the leftover chocolate shortbread went, Never asked her to make a proper bread pudding." "Oh!" said Joanna in disgust. She said sadly again: "I really failed today. Amy looked down on me because I couldn't tell the seasons of vegetables. Patridge scolded me because I was human. I think I'd better eat in the garden." Forget about the bug." "Meghan has gone first," I said. Megan had been wandering in the garden for a while, and now she was standing aimlessly in a piece of grass, like a bird looking for food. But she came over again, and suddenly said, "I think, I should go back today." "What?" I felt disappointed. She blushed, said nervously but firmly: "You guys have been so nice to me, I guess I must be annoying and scary, but I'm really comfortable. I should go now, because anyway, well, that's my home after all, and I can't escape forever It, so, I guess I should go back this morning." Joanna and I tried our best to keep her, but she was very stubborn. In the end, Joanna went to drive, and Megan went downstairs to organize things. After a while, she went downstairs with her luggage. The only one who was probably happy was Patridge, who could hardly hide the smile on her face, because she still didn't like Megan very much. I was standing in the grass when Joanna came back. She asked me if I thought I was a sundial. "why?" "Standing there like an ornament in a garden, it's a shame there's no way to tell the time. You know, you look like a Thunder God!" "I'm not in the mood for jokes, first Amy Griffey" -- "'God,'" Joanna imitated Amy's tone and said, "'I gotta talk about those vegetables!'" -- "Meghan was anxious Hurrying away, I was going to take her out for a walk." "Collars and chains, I suppose," said Joanna. "what?" Joanna walked around to the other side of the room and said loudly and clearly, "I mean, you still need a collar and a chain? The master lost a dog, that's what's wrong with you!"