dropped the curtains, and went back to the table and
to her knitting.

Suddenly, with what seemed uncanny suddenness,
the telephone bell rang in the hall.

Now Anna had never got used to the telephone.
She had not opposed its introduction into the Trellis
House, because it had been done by Miss Rose's wish,
but once it was installed, Anna had bitterly regretted
its being there. It was the one part of her work that
she carried out badly, and she knew that this was so.
Not only did she find it most difficult to understand
what was said through the horrible instrument, but
her mistress's friends found even more difficulty in
hearing her, Anna. Sometimes -- but she was very
much ashamed of this -- she actually allowed the telephone
bell to go on ringing, and never answered it
at all! She only did this, however, when her two
ladies were away from Witanbury, and when, therefore,
the message, whatever it might happen to be,
could not possibly be delivered.

She waited now, hoping that the instrument would
grow weary, and leave off ringing. But no; on it
went, ping, ping, ping, ping -- so at last very reluctantly
Anna opened the kitchen door and went out
into the hall.

Taking up the receiver, she said in a grumpy tone,
"Ach! What is it? Yes?" And then her face
cleared, and she even smiled into the telephone
receiver.

To her great surprise -- but the things that had
happened today were so extraordinary that there
was no real reason why she should be surprised at

[[34]]

p033 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p034w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p035

v?