The Young Wife CHAPTER 7.
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But this calm, alas! was but the preluding hush of the coming tempest! For about two weeks everything went on as smoothly as anyone could desire. At the end of that time, Biddy asked for her wages, and took an afternoon to herself. About the time for putting on the teakettle, she returned, and proceeded, as usual, to prepare the supper. Frank came home at an early hour, and was sitting in the dining-room with Julia, when Biddy made her appearance for the purpose of setting the table.
"What can be the matter with Biddy?" he asked, as the cook left the room. "She acts strangely."
"So it seemed to me; but I am sure I do not know. She took up two weeks' wages today, and has been out all the afternoon."
"Has she been out for any length of time, before?"
"No, she has kept herself closely in the house ever since she has been here."
At that moment Biddy re-entered with a platter, which she placed upon the table, and then turned again towards the kitchen. As she passed out of the door, she struck against one side of it, bounded to the other, and then staggered off along the passage.
"She is drunk, as I live!" exclaimed Frank, the moment she had passed out of hearing.
"Mercy on us!" Mrs. Lawton ejaculated, rising to her feet, her face instantly becoming pale.
"Really this is too bad!" Frank said, also rising, and pacing the room backward and forwards. "You had better call Sally to finish setting the table, and I will try and persuade Biddy to go off to bed. A night's sleep will sober her; and no doubt tomorrow morning she will be heartily ashamed of herself."
"But isn't it dreadful, Frank, to have a drunken person about the house? I shall not have a quiet moment while she is here!"
"Don't be alarmed, Julia; but go and call Sally, while I see what I can do with the Irish woman."
While Mrs. Lawton went up to her chamber, Frank proceeded to the kitchen. There he found Biddy endeavoring to fill the tea-pot. But she had become, by this time, so much under the influence of the liquor she had taken, that instead of pouring the hot water into the tea-pot, she was pouring it all over the hearth.
"Biddy!" he said, kindly, "I don't think you are well this evening. Sally will finish getting the supper, and you had better go upstairs to your bed."
Now Biddy, although pretty far gone, had a distinct idea of her situation, and dreaded its being perceived. As soon, therefore, as Mr. Lawton alluded to her not being well, she raised herself up, and, while her face crimsoned with drunken indignation, said,
"I'm just as well, sir, as ever I was — and I don't want no lazy chambermaid to get the tray for me."
"Yes, but see, Biddy, how you have poured the boiling water over the hearth."
"And what if I have, then? It's only a few drops. And sure a person may do that, any day."
"Then, Biddy, if I must speak out plainly," Mr. Lawton said, for he began to feel worried, "you have been drinking this afternoon."
"Never a bit, sir!"
"Yes, but Biddy, I know better. And now let me tell you plainly, that unless you go right off to bed, and quietly too, I won't have you in the house a day longer. But if you will go upstairs, without any disturbance, and will promise not to do so again, we will overlook this first offence."
As drunk as Biddy O'Riley was, she had yet sense enough left to understand perfectly the meaning of what Mr. Lawton said, and it cooled her down in a moment.
"Bless your heart!" she began; "I only took a little drop of the stuff. But, indeed, indeed, I'll never touch another bit while I'm in your house; now that you are so good and kind to me — bless your pretty young face!"
"But let all that pass, Biddy. And so go right off to bed, if you expect to be pardoned for this offence."
Unexpectedly to himself, Mr. Lawton got Biddy up to her chamber without trouble, and then returned to the dining-room to soothe Julia's mind.
"I can't have her in the house another day, Frank, indeed I cannot! A drunken woman of all things in the world, I dread!"
"But I don't think Biddy is wicked, even while under the influence of liquor. I got her to go off to bed with very little trouble. Tomorrow you can talk to her while she is sober, and tell her plainly, that for the next offence there will be no forgiveness."
"Indeed, indeed, Frank, I cannot keep her about me! I wouldn't have any peace of my life. I never could tell the moment when she would get drunk. It might be some day when we were alone together, and I would be frightened almost to death."
"Really, I am grieved that this has happened," Lawton said. "I felt in hopes that Biddy, as unpromising as her appearance was, would turn out to be a valuable servant."
"And I had begun to hope so too; but it is all over now."
On the next morning, Biddy was up at her usual early hour, and prepared breakfast in her best style. She had lost her last place, which was a good one, in consequence ofdrunkenness — an infirmity under which she had occasionally suffered for many years; and now, under the fear that she would lose her present situation, did she proceed to do everything in the best possible manner.
"Biddy has cooked us a very nice breakfast, I see," Mr. Lawton remarked, as he and Julia drew up to the table.
"O, I am so sorry this has happened," his wife said; "for she would suit me so well. I rarely have to tell her how to do anything, and you know that she always has her meals cooked in time."
"I really think, Julia, that you had better try her again."
"I'm afraid; indeed I am, Frank!"
"But, perhaps, if you were to talk the matter over calmly with her, and let her know distinctly, that you will not pass by the second offence — she will be more careful in future."
"O, I can't say a word to her about it."
"Then, Julia, if you will consent to give her another trial, I will state the case to her in terms that she will not misunderstand."
Julia finally consented, and so Biddy's first offence was passed over. Everything went on smoothly enough again for nearly a month, when Biddy could hold out no longer. The spirit was willing, but the flesh was weak.
Poor Mrs. Lawton had begun to feel some degree of confidence in her cook, who, barring a little slovenliness about her kitchen, was good-tempered and obliging, when this second lapse almost broke her down again. This time, Biddy was not so easily managed as before; but, finally, Mr. Lawton, who was home upon this occasion also, got her off to bed.
After some persuasion, and a good deal of begging and promising on the part of Biddy, Mrs. Lawton was induced to give her another trial, although she had positively promised a discharge from her service for the second offence. And so sinning and repenting, Biddy remained in her place for a whole year, when she got so bad that it was absolutely necessary to send her off.
A year's experience had helped Mrs. Lawton a good deal in an approximation towards a correct idea of her true position and relations. On many and many occasions during that time, had she become discouraged, and urged upon her husband the propriety of giving up their house. But on this point, he could not be moved — either by persuasions or tears. She could not help thinking him a little selfish in the matter — and, perhaps, he was. But his consideration extended to her, for he knew much better than she did, the kind of satisfaction a boarding-house afforded, in comparison with the delights of a real home. And, moreover, he was sensible enough to think that Julia ought rather to enter into and perform her domestic duties — than shun them. In this he found it necessary to conceal, in a great degree, his real sentiments, for it soon became apparent that Julia could not appreciate them, and he did not, of course, wish her to think him unregardful of her comfort.
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