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e。 quite why it should be so； i have not yet ascertained； but what i do know is that there is； outside the family proper； only mrs。 dunne and a gardener called john digence。 there are deer （though there is no hunting anymore）； but the man who looks after them is never seen around the house； he takes instruction from the same solicitor who engaged me and who acts as a kind of estate manager—so far as there is any estate management。 it is mrs。 dunne herself who deals with the regular household finances。 i supposed that charles angelfield looked over the books and the receipts each week； but mrs。 dunne only laughed and asked if i thought she had the sight to go making lists of figures in a book。 i cannot help but think this highly unorthodox。 not that i think mrs。 dunne untrustworthy。 from what i have seen she gives every indication of being a good…hearted； honest woman； and it is my hope that when i e to know her better i shall be able to ascribe her reticence entirely to deafness。 i made a note to demonstrate to mr。 angelfield the advantages of keeping accurate records and thought that i might offer to undertake the job myself if he was too busy to do it。
pondering this； i began to think it time i met my employer； and could not have been more surprised when mrs。 dunne told me he spends his entire day in the old nursery and that it is not his habit to leave it。 after a great many questions i eventually ascertained that he is suffering from some kind of disorder of the mind。 a great pity！ is there anything more sorrowful than a brain whose proper function has been disrupted？
mrs。 dunne gave me tea （which i pretended to drink out of politeness； but later threw into the sink for i had no faith in the cleanliness of the teacup； having seen the state of the kitchen） and told me a little about herself。 she is in her eighties； never married； and has lived here all her life。 naturally enough our talk then turned to the family。 mrs。 dunne knew the mother of the twins as a girl and young woman。 she confirmed what i had already understood： that it is the recent departure of the mother to an asylum for the sick of mind that precipitated my engagement。 she gave me such a contorted account of the events that precipitated the mother’s mittal that i could not make out whether the woman had or had not attacked the doctor’s wife with a violin。 it hardly matters； clearly there is a family history of disturbance in the brain； and i confess； my heart beat a little faster when i had it confirmed。 what satisfaction is there； for a governess； in being given the direction of minds that already run in smooth and untrammeled lines？ what challenge in maintaining ordered thinking in children whose minds are already neat and tidy？ i am not only ready for this job； i have spent years longing for it。 here； i shall finally find out what my methods are worth！
i inquired after the father’s family—…for though mr。 march is deceased and the children never knew him； still； his blood is theirs and has an impact on their natures。 mrs。 dunne was able to tell me very little； though。 instead； she began a series of anecdotes about the mother and the uncle； which； if i am to read between the lines （as i’m sure she meant me to）； contained hints of something scandalous… of course； what she suggests is not at all likely； not in england at least； and i suspect her of being somewhat fanciful。 the imagination is a healthy thing； and a great many scientific discoveries could not have been made without it； but it needs to be harnessed to some serious object if it is to e to anything。 left to wander its own way； it tends to lead into silliness。 perhaps it is age that makes her mind wander； for she seems a kind thing in other ways； and not the sort to invent gossip for the sake of it。 in any case； i immediately put the topic firmly from my mind。
as i write this i hear noises outside my room。 the girls have e out of their hiding place and are creeping about the house。 they have been done no favors； allowed to suit themselves like this。 they will benefit enormously from the regime of order； hygiene and discipline that i mean to instill in the house。 i shall not go out to them。 no doubt they will expect me to； and it will suit my purposes to disconcert them at this stage。
mrs。 dunne showed me the rooms on the ground floor。 there is filth everywhere； all the surfaces thick with dust； and curtains hanging in tatters； though she does not see it and thinks of them as they were years ago in the time of the twins’ grandfather； when there was a full staff there is a piano that may be beyond saving； but i will see what can be done； and a library that may be full of knowledge once the dust is wiped and one can see what is there。
the other floors i explored alone； not wanting to inflict too many stairs at once on mrs。 dunne。 on the first floor i became aware of a scuffling； a whispering and smothered giggling。 i had found my charges。 they had locked the door and fell silent when i tried the handle。 i called their names once； then left them to their own devices and went on to the second floor。 it is a cardinal rule that i do not chase my charges； but train them to e to me。 the second…floor rooms were in the most terrible disorder。 dirty； but i had e to expect that。 rainwater had e through the roof （i expected as much） and there were fungi growing in some of the rotting floorboards。 this is a truly unhealthy environment in which to raise children。 a number of floorboards were missing； looked as if they had been deliberately removed。 i shall have to see mr。 angelfield about getting these repaired。 i shall point out to him that someone could fall downstairs or at the very least twist an ankle。 all the hinges need oiling； and all the doorframes are warped。 wherever i went i was followed by a squeaking of doors swinging on their hinges； a creaking of floorboards； and drafts that set curtains fluttering； though it is impossible to tell exactly where they e from。
i returned to the kitchen as soon as i could。 mrs。 dunne was preparing our evening meal； and i had no inclination to eat food cooked in pots as unpleasant as the ones i had seen； so i got stuck into a great pile of w