In this way
the day wore on; early dinner, early tea seemed to make it
preternaturally long to Ruth; the only event was some unexplained
absence of Sally's, who had disappeared out of the house in the
evening, much to Miss Benson's surprise, and somewhat to her
indignation.
At night, after Ruth had gone up to her room, this absence was
explained to her at least. She had let down her long waving
glossy hair, and was standing absorbed in thought in the middle
of the room, when she heard a round clumping knock at her door,
different from that given by the small knuckles of delicate
fingers, and in walked Sally, with a judge-like severity of
demeanour, holding in her hand two widow's caps of commonest make
and coarsest texture. Queen Eleanor herself, when she presented
the bowl to Fair Rosamond, had not a more relentless purpose
stamped on her demeanour than had Sally at this moment. She
walked up to the beautiful, astonished Ruth, where she stood in
her long, soft, white dressing-gown, with all her luxuriant brown
hair hanging dishevelled down her figure, and thus Sally spoke--
"Missus--or miss, as the case may be--I've my doubts as to you.
I'm not going to have my master and Miss Faith put upon, or shame
come near them. Widows wears these sort o' caps, and has their
hair cut off; and whether widows wears wedding-rings or not, they
shall have their hair cut off--they shall. I'll have no half work
in this house.
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