"Guess we do," said the minister's housekeeper quietly; "there ain't any sort o' thing in the village but the minister has it in there by turns. There ain't any sort o' shoes as walks, not to speak of boots, that don't go over my carpets and floors; little and big, and brushed and unbrushed. I tell you, Mis' Englefield, they're goin' in between them two doors all the week long."
"I don't know how you manage them, I'm sure."
"Well, I don't," said the housekeeper. "The back is fitted to the burden, they say; and I always did pray that if I had work to do, I might be able to do it; and I always was, somehow. And it's a first-rate place to go and warm your feet, when the minister is out," she added after a pause.
"What?" said Mrs. Englefield, laughing.
"The minister's fire, to be sure, that I was talkin' about. Of course, I have to go in to see it's safe, when he ain't there; and sometimes I think it's cheaper to sit down and watch it than to be always runnin'."
"Mr. Richmond was a lucky man when he got you for a housekeeper," said Mrs. Englefield.
"Well, I don't know," said Miss Redwood, contemplatively, with rather a sweet look on her old face. "I 'spose I might as well say I was a lucky woman when I got his house to keep. It come all by chance, too, you may say – "
"Mamma, tea is ready," Maria here interrupted.
"Miss Redwood, will you come down and have tea with us?"
"No; but what I come to ask was somethin' different. I was so taken up with my soap-kettle all day, I just forgot somethin' more important, and didn't make no new risin'; and I hain't got none to-night for the minister's bread. I know you're one of the folks that likes sweet bread, Mis' Englefield, and has it; and I've come to beg a cup o' your risin'."
One of the girls was sent for the article, and Mrs. Englefield went on.
"The minister's an easy man to live with, I suppose; isn't he?"
"What sort do you mean by that, Mrs. Englefield?"
"Why! I mean he is easily suited, and don't give more trouble than can be helped, and don't take it hard when things go wrong.
"Things don't go wrong, fur's I know," said Miss Redwood. "Not with him, nor with me."
"Easily pleased, isn't he?"
"When folks do just what they'd ought to do, he is," said the housekeeper with some energy. "I have no sort of patience, for my part, with the folks that are pleased when they hadn't ought to be pleased."
"But isn't that what Mr. Richmond preaches to us all the time? that we ought to be pleased with everybody?"
"Why, no, mamma!" said Matilda.
"I thought he did."
"I take it t'other way," Miss Redwood observed. "It comes close, it does, some of the minister's talk; but I always think, if I had a right to be better pleased with myself, maybe other folks' onesidedness wouldn't worry me. I'll do as much for you, next time, Miss Letty," she said, rising to take what that young lady had brought her. And therewith away she went.
"Well, we have got off with our lives this time," said Mrs. Englefield. "Now, girls, let us have tea."
"Mamma, I believe here they are this minute," said Matilda. "The omnibus is stopping."
It was declared to be impossible; but nevertheless found true. The omnibus was certainly at the door, backing down upon the side walk; and two figures did get out of it and came through the little courtyard to the house. And then all doubts were resolved; Mrs. Candy was in the arms of her sister, and the cousins were looking at each other.
That is, as soon as people could get their wrappings off. Letty and Maria were assiduous in their endeavours to relieve Miss Clarissa of her hood and furs and the cloakings and mufflings which a night ride had rendered necessary; while Anne waited upon her aunt; and impressions were forming and opinions taking ground, under all the confused chatter about the journey, the train, the omnibus, and the City of Pride; opinions and impressions which were likely enough to get turned topsy-turvy in another day or two; but for the present nobody knew that.
"And here is somebody who says nothing!" Mrs. Candy remarked, stooping down to touch Matilda's hair with a light finger.
"Tilly does the thinking for the family," said Mrs. Englefield. "Now do come down and have some tea."
"Down? Where are we going?" said Mrs. Candy. "Your house stands on the ground level, I noticed."
"Oh, we have a very nice basement; and just for eating, you know, it does not make much difference where you are – and it is so much more convenient, being near the kitchen."
"In Germany we used to take our meals in the open air a great deal," Mrs. Candy went on, as the party filed down the narrow stairs.
"In the open air! Not at this season?"
"Well, not with the thermometer at zero," said Mrs. Candy, laughing a little. "Nor at quite so high a temperature as you have here!"
The room down-stairs was bright enough, and looked cheerful, with its well-spread table and tea-urn; but it was low, and full of close stove heat. The travellers got as far from the source of this as the limits of the table would let them, and presently begged for an open door. But Mrs. Englefield's tea was good; and very soon the family talk began to move naturally. Mrs. Candy pleased her nieces. A fine-looking and also a kind-looking woman, with a good figure, well clothed in a handsome travelling dress; a gold watch and chain; and an easy, good-humoured, and at the same time, sensible air and way of talking. It was not difficult to get acquainted with her; she met all advances more than half way; and her talk even that first evening was full of amusement and novelty for the young people. It was less easy to know what to think of Clarissa. Her cousins held a consultation about her that night before going to sleep.
"She looks as old as Letty."
"But she isn't. Oh, she don't, either."
"She's well looking; don't you think so?"
"I'll tell you what I think," said Matilda. "She's beau-ti-ful."
"I don't think so," said Letty; "but she's an uncommon looking girl."
"How old is she?"
"She is sixteen."
"Well! Maria's only half a year younger than that."
"She hasn't said three words yet; so I cannot tell what she is," Anne remarked.
"She didn't like going down into the basement," said Letty.
"How do you know?"
"I know she didn't!"
"I should like to know where she would go; there is no other place," said Maria.
"I suppose that is just what she didn't like," said Letitia.
"There might be, though," Matilda began again. "If mamma would open the back room behind the parlour, and move the table and things up there, – I think it would be a great deal pleasanter."
"That's like Matilda!" the other girls exclaimed in chorus.
"Well, I don't think that basement room is pleasant," said the girl. "I never did. I am always glad to get out of it."
"And now, I suppose, you will be taking all Clarissa's dainty ways, in addition to your own!" said Letitia. "I wonder what will become of the rest of us."
"What dainty ways has Clarissa?" Matilda inquired.
"You can see for yourself. She doesn't like the heat of a stove; and she must look at her watch to see what time it is, though the clock was right opposite to her."
"I am sure I would look at a watch, if I had it," Matilda added.
"And did you see what travelling gloves she wore?"
"Why not?" said Matilda.
"Why not, of course! you will have no eyes for any one shortly but Clarissa Candy; I can see