Herladyshipresignedherselftomeditation，withfrowningbrowandclose-shutlips。Shelookedherfullage，andayearortwomore，asshelaythinking，withherheadonherhand，andherelbowonthepillow。Aftercommittingherselftothephysicianandtotheredlavenderdraughtthecommonestregardforconsistencymadeitnecessarythatsheshouldkeepherbedforthatday。Andyetitwasessentialthattheproposedinquiriesshouldbeinstantlysetonfoot。Ontheonehand，theproblemwasnotaneasyonetosolve；ontheother，herladyshipwasnotaneasyonetobeat。HowtosendforthelandladyatCraigFernie，withoutexcitinganyspecialsuspicionorremark——wasthequestionbeforeher。InlessthanfiveminutesshehadlookedbackintohermemoryofcurrenteventsatWindygates——andhadsolvedit。
　　Herfirstproceedingwastoringthebellforhermaid。
　　“IamafraidIfrightenedyou，Hopkins。Thestateofmynerves。
　　Mrs。Glenarmwasalittlesuddenwithsomenewsthatsurprisedme。Iambetternow——andabletoattendtothehouseholdmatters。
　　Thereisamistakeinthebutcher’saccount。Sendthecookhere。“
　　Shetookupthedomesticledgerandthekitchenreport；correctedthebutcher；cautionedthecook；anddisposedofallarrearsofdomesticbusinessbeforeHopkinswassummonedagain。Having，inthisway，dextrouslypreventedthewomanfromconnectinganythingthathermistresssaidordid，afterMrs。Glenarm’sdeparture，withanythingthatmighthavepassedduringMrs。
　　Glenarm’svisit，LadyLundiefeltherselfatlibertytopavethewayfortheinvestigationonwhichshewasdeterminedtoenterbeforeshesleptthatnight。
　　“Somuchfortheindoorarrangements，“shesaid。“Youmustbemyprimeminister，Hopkins，whileIliehelplesshere。Isthereanythingwantedbythepeopleoutofdoors？Thecoachman？Thegardener？“
　　“Ihavejustseenthegardener，mylady。Hecamewithlastweek’saccounts。Itoldhimhecouldn’tseeyourladyshipto-day。“
　　“Quiteright。Hadheanyreporttomake？“
　　“No，mylady。“
　　“Surely，therewassomethingIwantedtosaytohim——ortosomebodyelse？Mymemorandum-book，Hopkins。Inthebasket，onthatchair。Whywasn’tthebasketplacedbymybedside？“
　　Hopkinsbroughtthememorandum-book。LadyLundieconsulteditwithouttheslightestnecessity，withthesamemasterlygravityexhibitedbythedoctorwhenhewroteherprescriptionwithouttheslightestnecessityalso。
　　“Hereitis，“shesaid，recoveringthelostremembrance。“Notthegardener，butthegardener’swife。AmemorandumtospeaktoheraboutMrs。Inchbare。Observe，Hopkins，theassociationofideas。
　　Mrs。Inchbareisassociatedwiththepoultry；thepoultryareassociatedwiththegardener’swife；thegardener’swifeisassociatedwiththegardener——andsothegardenergetsintomyhead。Doyouseeit？Iamalwaystryingtoimproveyourmind。Youdoseeit？Verywell。NowaboutMrs。Inchbare？Hasshebeenhereagain？“
　　“No，mylady。“
　　“Iamnotatallsure，Hopkins，thatIwasrightindecliningtoconsiderthemessageMrs。Inchbaresenttomeaboutthepoultry。
　　Whyshouldn’tsheoffertotakeanyfowlsthatIcanspareoffmyhands？Sheisarespectablewoman；anditisimportanttometoliveongoodtermswithalmyneighbors，greatandsmall。Hasshegotapoultry-yardofherownatCraigFernie？“
　　“Yes，mylady。Andbeautifullykept，Iamtold。“
　　“Ireallydon’tsee——onreflection，Hopkins——whyIshouldhesitatetodealwithMrs。Inchbare。Idon’tthinkitbeneathmetosellthegamekilledonmyestatetothepoulterer。Whatwasitshewantedtobuy？SomeofmyblackSpanishfowls？“
　　“Yes，mylady。Yourladyship’sblackSpaniardsarefamousallroundtheneighborhood。Nobodyhasgotthebreed。AndMrs。
　　Inchbare——“
　　“Wantstosharethedistinctionofhavingthebreedwithme，“
　　saidLadyLundie。“Iwon’tappearungracious。Iwillseehermyself，assoonasIamalittlebetter，andtellherthatIhavechangedmymind。SendoneofthementoCraigFerniewithamessage。Ican’tkeepatriflingmatterofthissortinmymemory——sendhimatonce，orImayforgetit。HeistosayIamwillingtoseeMrs。Inchbare，aboutthefowls，thefirsttimeshefindsitconvenienttocomethisway。“
　　“Iamafraid，mylady——Mrs。Inchbare’sheartissosetontheblackSpaniards——shewillfinditconvenienttocomethiswayatonceasfastasherfeetcancarryher。“
　　“Inthatcase，youmusttakehertothegardener’swife。Saysheistohavesomeeggs——oncondition，ofcourse，ofpayingthepriceforthem。Ifshedoescome，mindIhearofit。“
　　Hopkinswithdrew。Hopkins’smistressreclinedonhercomfortablepillowsandfannedherselfgently。Thevindictivesmilereappearedonherface。“IfancyIshallbewellenoughtoseeMrs。Inchbare，“shethoughttoherself。“Anditisjustpossiblethattheconversationmaygetbeyondtherelativemeritsofherpoultry-yardandmine。“
　　AlapseoflittlemorethantwohoursprovedHopkins’sestimateofthelatententhusiasminMrs。Inchbare’scharactertohavebeencorrectlyformed。TheeagerlandladyappearedatWindygatesontheheelsofthereturningservant。Amongthelonglistofhumanweaknesses，apassionforpoultryseemstohaveitspracticaladvantagesintheshapeofeggsascomparedwiththemoreoccultfrenziesforcollectingsnuff-boxesandfiddles，andamassingautographsandoldpostage-stamps。WhenthemistressofCraigFerniewasdulyannouncedtothemistressofWindygates，LadyLundiedevelopedasenseofhumorforthefirsttimeinherlife。Herladyshipwasfeeblymerrytheresult，nodoubt，oftheexhilaratingpropertiesoftheredlavenderdraughtonthesubjectofMrs。InchbareandtheSpanishfowls。
　　“Mostridiculous，Hopkins!Thispoorwomanmustbesufferingfromadeterminationofpoultrytothebrain。IllasIam，Ishouldhavethoughtthatnothingcouldamuseme。But，really，thisgoodcreaturestartingup，andrushinghere，asyousay，asfastasherfeetcancarryher——it’simpossibletoresistit!I
　　positivelythinkImustseeMrs。Inchbare。Withmyactivehabits，thisimprisonmenttomyroomisdreadful。Icanneithersleepnorread。Anything，Hopkins，todivertmymindfrommyself：It’seasytogetridofherifsheistoomuchforme。Sendherup。“
　　Mrs。Inchbaremadeherappearance，courtesyingdeferentially；
　　amazedatthecondescensionwhichadmittedherwithinthehallowedprecinctsofLadyLundie’sroom。
　　“Takeachair，“saidherladyship，graciously。“Iamsufferingfromillness，asyouperceive。“
　　“Mycertie!sickorwell，yerleddyship’sabrawsighttosee!“
　　returnedMrs。Inchbareprofoundlyimpressedbytheelegantcostumewhichillnessassumeswhenillnessappearsintheregionsofhighlife。
　　“Iamfarfrombeinginafitstatetoreceiveanybody，“
　　proceededLadyLundie。“ButIhadamotiveforwishingtospeaktoyouwhenyounextcametomyhouse。Ifailedtotreataproposalyoumadetome，ashorttimesince，inafriendlyandneighborlyway。IbegyoutounderstandthatIregrethavingforgottentheconsiderationduefromapersoninmypositiontoapersoninyours。Iamobligedtosaythisunderveryunusualcircumstances，“addedherladyship，withaglanceroundhermagnificentbedroom，“throughyourunexpectedpromptitudeinfavoringmewithacall。Youhavelostnotime，Mrs。Inchbare，inprofitingbythemessagewhichIhadthepleasureofsendingtoyou。“
　　“Eh，myleddy，Iwasna’thatsureyerleddyshiphavingancechangedyermindbutthatyemighte’enchangeagainifIfailedtostrike，astheysay，whiletheiron’shet。Icraveyerpardon，I’msure，ifIha’beenowerhasty。Theprideo’myhairt’sinmypowltry——andtheblackSpaniards’astheyca’themareasairtemptationtometobreakthetenthcommandment，saelangasthey’rea’inyerleddyship’spossession，andnaneo’theminmine。“
　　“IamshockedtohearthatIhavebeentheinnocentcauseofyourfallingintotemptation，Mrs。Inchbare!Makeyourproposal——andI
　　shallbehappytomeetit，ifIcan。“
　　“Imuste’enbecontentwi’whatyerleddyshipwillcondescendon。Ahaitcho’eggsifIcancomebynaethingelse。“
　　“Thereissomethingelseyouwouldprefertoahatchofeggs？“
　　“Iwadprefer，“saidMrs。Inchbare，modestly，“acockandtwapullets。“
　　“Openthecaseonthetablebehindyou，“saidLadyLundie，“andyouwillfindsomewritingpaperinside。Givemeasheetofit——andthepenciloutofthetray。“
　　EagerlywatchedbyMrs。Inchbare，shewroteanordertothepoultry-woman，andhelditoutwithagracioussmile。
　　“Takethattothegardener’swife。Ifyouagreewithherabouttheprice，youcanhavethecockandthetwopullets。“
　　Mrs。Inchbareopenedherlips——nodoubttoexpresstheutmostextremityofhumangratitude。Beforeshehadsaidthreewords，LadyLundie’simpatiencetoreachtheendwhichshehadkeptinviewfromthetimewhenMrs。Glenarmhadleftthehousebursttheboundswhichhadsuccessfullyrestraineditthusfar。Stoppingthelandladywithoutceremony，shefairlyforcedtheconversationtothesubjectofAnneSilvester’sproceedingsattheCraigFernieinn。
　　“Howareyougettingonatthehotel，Mrs。Inchbare？Plentyoftourists，Isuppose，atthistimeofyear？“