The sub-mother looked out of the window, which opened upon little more
than the once husband-sheltering apple-tree, and then, after a general
glance around the room, she looked at me, and for the first time
addressed me.
"I will come for the sister at twelve o'clock," she said, and with that
she followed my grandmother out of the room, and locked the door behind
her.
I stood and looked through the grating at my new secretary. I am not
generally a diffident man, and have never been so with persons in my
employment; but now, I must admit, I did not feel at my ease. The nun
sat perfectly motionless; her hands were folded in her gray lap, and her
gray bonnet was slightly bowed, so that I did not know whether she was
gazing down at the table or out of the window.
She was evidently ready for work, but I was not. I did not know exactly
how to begin with such a secretary. With the others I had been outspoken
from the first; I had told them what I wanted and what I did not want,
and they had been ready enough to listen and ready enough to answer. But
to this silent, motionless gray figure I did not feel that I could be
outspoken. No words suggested themselves as being appropriate to speak
out. If I could see her face but for a moment, and discover whether she
were old or young, cross-looking or gentle, I might know what to say to
her.
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