The closing of the hour had brought with it a surcease of the pleasure Utena found in embroidery, and she lay dozing across the rose pattern of the divan when the maid came upon her. A young girl of Hindu extraction, she went quietly about her business until her mistress yawned, stretched fitfully, and opened wide blue eyes on the sun-drenched room. The maid startled and moved to flee when Utena spoke.
"There's no need to be afraid, my dear," said she, outstretched palm a gesture of warmth and good faith. "Sit here with me."
The young girl obliged, smoothing her dress and folding her hands like a child at lessons. Utena took the role of the schoolmarm.
"And what is your name?"
"Anthy, miss."
"What a lovely name! So..." She made a pretty gesture with her hands, causing the lace of her sleeves to dance. "Foreign!"
"Yes, miss."
"Well, Anthy, I am tired of embroidery, as I'm sure you are tired of scrubbing. Why don't we think of something to entertain ourselves for a while?"
The young maid looked skeptical. "Madam said I mustn't speak to you, and that I must tend to my work."
"But they won't be home for simply hours! Surely there's something we could do."
"Well..." The dark-haired girl put a finger to her lips. "There is one thing we do where I come from that you might enjoy. I've heard it called the game of flats."
"Flats?" The younger girl's nose wrinkled. "How odd. Is it anything like bridge?"
Anthy smiled. "Let me show you."
After they had played it, Utena sat fanning herself on the divan. She suddenly found the room remarkably hot. "My," she said, "India must certainly be a fascinating country."
The darker girl giggled. "Oh, that's not from India. It's from where I come from."
"And where is that?"
"Whitechapel."
Merely the name caused Utena to clap her hands over her mouth. "Why, that...that *place*? That den of iniquity? You *live* there?"
"It's not as bad as all that." Anthy took her mistress's hands. "I could show you, if you'd like."
Utena looked deep into her maid's eyes. She found a certain trust there, like a promise that she would come to no harm. And indeed, she reflected, confronting evil and coming out on top could only strengthen her moral character, an attribute which her mother had always commented was lacking. "Yes, I believe I shall go with you, Anthy. But of course only to educate you out of your state of sin."
"Wonderful!" Anthy's eyes shone. "Hmm...you'll need a different set of clothes, though."
"Well, I'm sure we can find something," said Utena. "Come, you shall help me change."
"There's no need to be afraid, my dear," said she, outstretched palm a gesture of warmth and good faith. "Sit here with me."
The young girl obliged, smoothing her dress and folding her hands like a child at lessons. Utena took the role of the schoolmarm.
"And what is your name?"
"Anthy, miss."
"What a lovely name! So..." She made a pretty gesture with her hands, causing the lace of her sleeves to dance. "Foreign!"
"Yes, miss."
"Well, Anthy, I am tired of embroidery, as I'm sure you are tired of scrubbing. Why don't we think of something to entertain ourselves for a while?"
The young maid looked skeptical. "Madam said I mustn't speak to you, and that I must tend to my work."
"But they won't be home for simply hours! Surely there's something we could do."
"Well..." The dark-haired girl put a finger to her lips. "There is one thing we do where I come from that you might enjoy. I've heard it called the game of flats."
"Flats?" The younger girl's nose wrinkled. "How odd. Is it anything like bridge?"
Anthy smiled. "Let me show you."
After they had played it, Utena sat fanning herself on the divan. She suddenly found the room remarkably hot. "My," she said, "India must certainly be a fascinating country."
The darker girl giggled. "Oh, that's not from India. It's from where I come from."
"And where is that?"
"Whitechapel."
Merely the name caused Utena to clap her hands over her mouth. "Why, that...that *place*? That den of iniquity? You *live* there?"
"It's not as bad as all that." Anthy took her mistress's hands. "I could show you, if you'd like."
Utena looked deep into her maid's eyes. She found a certain trust there, like a promise that she would come to no harm. And indeed, she reflected, confronting evil and coming out on top could only strengthen her moral character, an attribute which her mother had always commented was lacking. "Yes, I believe I shall go with you, Anthy. But of course only to educate you out of your state of sin."
"Wonderful!" Anthy's eyes shone. "Hmm...you'll need a different set of clothes, though."
"Well, I'm sure we can find something," said Utena. "Come, you shall help me change."