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r face was lumpen and her nose was pudgy。 she was plain； if not worse than plain； but plainness on hester had not remotely the same effect that it might on any other woman。 she drew the eye。
emmeline； at the foot of the stairs； had been sobbing with hunger a moment ago； yet the instant hester appeared in all her glory； she stopped crying and stared； apparently placated； as though it were a cakestand piled high with cake that had appeared before her。
‘how nice to see you；“ said hester； ing down the stairs。 ”now； who are you？ adeline or emmeline？“
emmeline； openmouthed； was silent。
‘no matter；“ the governess said。 ”would you like some supper？ and where is your sister？ would she like some； too？“
‘yum；“ said emmeline； and i didn’t know if it was the word supper or hester herself who had provoked it。
hester looked around； seeking the other twin。 the curtain appeared to her as just a curtain； for after a cursory glance she turned all her attention to emmeline。 “e with me。” she smiled。 she drew a key out of her blue pocket。 it was a clean blue…silver； buffed to a high shine； and it glinted tantalizingly in the blue light。
it did the trick。 “shiny；” emmeline pronounced and； without knowing what it was or the magic it could work； she followed the key—and hester with it—back through the cold corridors to the kitchen。
in the folds of the curtain my hunger pangs gave way to anger。 hester and her key！ emmeline！ it was like the perambulator all over again。 it was love。
that was the first night and it was hester’s victory。
the grubbiness of the house did not transfer itself to our pristine governess the way one might have expected。 instead it was the other way around。 the few rays of light； drained and dusty； that managed to penetrate the uncleaned windows and the heavy curtains seemed always to fall on hester。 she gathered them to herself and reflected them back into the gloom； refreshed and vitalized by their contact with her。 little by little the gleam extended from hester herself to the house。 on the first full day it was just her own room that was affected。 she took the curtains down and plunged them into a tub of soapy water。 she pegged them on the line where the sun and wind woke up the unsuspected pattern of pink and yellow roses。 while they were drying； she cleaned the window with newspaper and vinegar to let the light in； and when she could see what she was doing； she scrubbed the room from floor to ceiling。 by nightfall she had created a little haven of cleanliness within those four walls。 and that was just the beginning。
with soap and with bleach； with energy and with determination； she imposed hygiene on that house。 where for generations the inhabitants had lumbered half…seeing and purposeless； circling after nothing but their own squalid obsessions； hester came as a spring…cleaning miracle。 for thirty years the pace of life indoors had been measured by the slow movement of the motes of dust caught in an occasional ray of weary sunlight。 now hester’s little feet paced out the minutes and the seconds； and with a vigorous swish of a duster； the motes were gone。
after cleanliness came order； and the house was first to feel the changes。 our new governess did a very thorough tour。 she went from bottom to top； tutting and frowning on every floor。 there was not a single cupboard or alcove that escaped her attention； with pencil and notebook in hand； she scrutinized every room； noting damp patches and rattling windows； testing doors and floorboards for squeaks； trying old keys in old locks； and labeling them。 she left doors locked behind her。 though it was only a first “going over；” a preparatory stage to the main restoration； nevertheless she made a change in every room she entered： a pile of blankets in a corner folded and left tidily on a chair； a book picked up and tucked under her arm to be returned later to the library； the line of a curtain set straight。 all this done with noticeable haste but without the slightest impression of hurry。 it seemed she had only to cast her eye about a room for the darkness in it to recede； for the chaos to begin shamefacedly to put itself in order； for the ghosts to beat a retreat。 in this manner； every room was hestered。
the attic； it is true； did stop her in her tracks。 her jaw dropped and she looked aghast at the state of the roof cavity。 but even in this chaos she was invincible。 she gathered herself together； tightening her lips； and scratched and scribbled away at her page with even greater vigor。 the very next day； a builder came。 we knew him from the village—an unhurried man with a strolling pace。 in speech he stretched out his vowel sounds to give his mouth a rest before the next consonant。 he kept six or seven jobs going at once and rarely finished any of them； he spent his working days smoking cigarettes and eyeing the job in hand with a fatalistic shake of the head。 he climbed our stairs in his typical lazy fashion； but after he’d been five minutes with hester we heard his hammer going nineteen to the dozen。 she had galvanized him。
within a few days there were mealtimes； bedtimes； getting…up times。 a few days more and there were clean shoes for indoors； clean boots for out。 not only that； but the silk dresses were cleaned； mended； made to fit and hung away for some mythical “best；” and new dresses in navy and green cotton poplin with white sashes and collars appeared for everyday。
emmeline thrived under the new regime。 she was well fed at regular hours； allowed to play—under tight supervision—with hester’s shiny keys。 she even developed a passion for baths。 she struggled at first； yelled and kicked as hester and the missus stripped her and lowered her into the tub； but when she saw herself in the mirror afterward； saw herself clean and with her hair neatly braided and tied with a green bow； her mouth opened and she fell into another of her trances。 she liked being shiny。 whenever emmeline was in hester’s presence she used to study her face on the sly； on the lookout for a smile。 when hester did smile—it was not infrequent—emmeline gazed at her face in delight。 before long she learned to smile back。
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