and found herself in the open space above, cut off from the stairs by a
screen, and containing a press-bed, where Judith lay, covered by an
elaborate patchwork quilt. There was a tiny dressing-table under the
narrow lattice window, and one chair, also a big trunk-box, with a
waggon-shaped lid, such as servants used to have in those days, covered
with paper, where big purple spots of paint concealed the old print of
some story or newspaper. On the wall hung a few black profiles, and all
was very fairly neat, whatever the room might be shut off by a wooden
partition, whence came a peculiar sour smell.

"Oh, it is Miss Sophia!" exclaimed Judith. "I beg your pardon, ma'am, I
thought it was Dame Spurrell, who said she would come and look in on me,
or I would not have troubled you to come up."

"I am glad I did, Judith; I like to see where you live. Only, are you
worse?"

"No, miss, only as my back is sometimes, and my sister and all the
children are gone to the hiring fair, so it was not handy to get me up."

"And this is your room!" said Sophy, looking about her. "Isn't it very
cold?"

"Johnnie heats me a brick to keep me warm at night; but my feet are
always cold downstairs. It does not make much difference."

"Oh dear! And you have a screen, I see. Oh! Why, that is our
drawing-room paper."

She sat transfixed at the recognition, while Judith observed, quite
innocently, with a free conscience--

"Yes, miss, my brother-in-law brought it home, and told me it was just a
scrap that was left over, and he was free to have, though I said I did
wonder the lady did not want to keep it in case of an accident
happening."

"Yes," said Sophy, "I don't think he had any business to have it, for
all one division of the paper is put on upside down. The laburnums
point up instead of hanging down, and I am sure Mary would have altered
it if she could. It was beautiful French paper that Edmund brought home
from Paris and laid up for the furnishing their house."

This, of course, Mrs Carbonel and Dora would never have told poor
Judith, but Sophy was young and unguarded, and apt to talk when she had
better have held her tongue.

"I am sorry to hear it, miss, indeed I am. I am afraid one could not
take it off the screen to put it back again where it did ought to be."

Sophy looked, but it was manifestly impossible. Spoiling the screen
would not mend the wall of the drawing-room.

"Perhaps Molly might have another bit