human
I think they will do now,
gpt
All but the flowers. said Dionetta.
human
No, grandmother, that desk is wrong; it is my lady's own desk, and is to be placed exactly in this corner, by the window. There--it is right now. Be sure that everything is in its proper place, and that the rooms are sweet and bright--be sure--be sure! She has said that twenty times this week.
gpt
Ah, said Mother Denise testily,
human
Easy to say, hard to do, grumbled Martin, entering slowly with a basket of cut flowers.
gpt
My bones get more obstinate every day. Here's my lady been teasing me out of my life to cut every flower worth looking at. She would have made the garden a wilderness, and spoilt every bed, if I had not argued with her.
human
And what did she say, asked Mother Denise,
gpt
Say? Smiled, and showed all her white teeth at once. I never saw such teeth in my young days, nor such eyes, nor such hair, nor such hands--enough to drive a young man crazy.
human
Or an old one either, interrupted Mother Denise.
gpt
She smiled as sweet as honey--you silly old man--and wheedled you, and wheedled you, till she got what she wanted.
human
Pretty well, pretty well. You see, Dionetta, there are two ways of getting a thing done, a soft way and a hard way.
gpt
There, there, there! cried Mother Denise impatiently.
human
Do your work with a still tongue, and let us do ours. Get back to the garden, and repair the mischief my lady has caused you to do. What does a man want with a room full of roses?
gpt
It is a welcome home, said Dionetta.
human
If I were absent from my place a long, long while, it would make me feel glad when I returned, to see my rooms as bright as this. It is as though the very roses remembered you.
gpt
You are young, said Mother Denise,
human
It was ten years since the master was here, you have told me, grandmother.
gpt
Yes, Dionetta, yes, ten years ago this summer, and even then he did not sleep in the house. Christian Almer hates the place, and of all the rooms in the villa, this is the room he would be most anxious to avoid.
human
But why, grandmother? asked Dionetta, her eyes growing larger and rounder with wonder;
gpt
My lady is a headstrong woman; she would not listen to me when I advised her to select other rooms for the young master, and she declares--in a light way to be sure, but these are not things to make light of--that she is very disappointed to find that the villa is not haunted. Haunted! I have never seen anything, nor has Martin, nor you, Dionetta.
human
Oh, grandmother! said the girl, in a timid voice,
gpt
I don't know whether I have or not. Sometimes I have fancied----
human
Of course you have fancied, and that is all; and you have woke up in the night, and been frightened by nothing. Mark me, Dionetta, if you do no wrong, and think no wrong, you will never see anything of the White Shadows of this house.
gpt
I am certain, said Dionetta, more positively,
human
I am certain, retorted Mother Denise,
gpt
But Fritz says----
human
Fritz is a fool, a cunning, lazy fool. If I were the owner of this property I would pack him off. There's no telling which master he serves--Christian Almer or Master Pierre Lamont. He likes his bread buttered on both sides, and accepts money from both gentlemen. That is not the conduct of a faithful servant. If I acted in such a manner I should consider myself disgraced.
gpt
I am sure, murmured Dionetta,
human
Let those who are older than you, said Mother Denise, in a sharp tone,
gpt
Oh, grandmother, whoever thinks of marrying?
human
Not you, of course, child--would you have me believe that? When I was your age I thought of nothing else, and when you are my age you will see the folly of it. No, I am not in love with the Advocate. He is performing unholy work down there in Geneva. The priest says as much. If that murderer escapes from justice, the guilt of blood will weigh upon the Advocate's soul.
gpt
Oh, grandmother! If my lady heard you she would never forgive you.
human
If she hears it, it will not be from my tongue. Dionetta, it was a young girl who was murdered, about the same age as yourself. It might have been you--ah, you may well turn white--and this clever lawyer, this stranger it is, who comes among us to prevent justice being done upon a murderous wretch. He will be punished for it, mark my words.
gpt
Tell me, grandmother, why Mr. Almer should be more anxious to avoid this room than any other room in the house? I think it is the prettiest of all.
human
The story connected with this part of the house, she presently said,
gpt
Hush, grandmother, said Dionetta, holding up her hand.
human
My lady.
gpt
It is excellently done, she said,
human
Yes, my lady.
gpt
You have exquisite taste, really exquisite. Mother Denise, I am really obliged to you.
human
I have done nothing, said Mother Denise,
gpt
Such an unpleasant way of putting it; for there is a way of doing things----
human
Just what grandfather said, cried Dionetta, gleefully,
gpt
And then becoming suddenly aware of her rudeness in interrupting her mistress, she curtsied, and with a bright colour in her face, said,
human
I beg your pardon, my lady.
gpt
There's no occasion, child, said Adelaide graciously.
human
Grandfather is quite right, and everything in this room has been done beautifully. She held a framed picture in her hand, a coloured cabinet photograph of herself, and she looked round the walls to find a place for it.
gpt
This will do, she said, and she took down the picture of a child which hung immediately above her desk, and put her own in its stead.
human
It is nice, she said to Mother Denise, smiling,
gpt
The picture you have taken down, said Mother Denise,
human
Indeed! How old was he then?
gpt
Five years, my lady.
human
He was a handsome boy. His hair and eyes are darker now. You were speaking of him, Mother Denise, as I entered. You were saying he was thirty-one last birthday, and that you remember the day he was born.
gpt
Yes, my lady.
human
And you were about to tell Dionetta why this villa was called the House of White Shadows. Give me the privilege of hearing the story.
gpt
I would rather not relate it, my lady.
human
Nonsense, nonsense! If Dionetta may hear it, there can be no objection to me. Mr. Almer would be quite angry if he knew you refused me so simple a thing. Listen to what he says in his last letter, and Adelaide took a letter from her pocket, and read:
gpt
Well, my lady, if you insist----
human
Of course I insist, you dear creature. I am sure there is no one in the village who can tell a story half as well as you. Come and stand by me, Dionetta, for fear of ghosts.