very warm; the melted butter too was thick and clotted,
and was brought round with the other condiments too late to be of
much service; but still the fish was eatable, and Mrs Mackenzie's
heart, which had sunk very low as the unconsumed soup was carried
away, rose again in her bosom. Poor woman! she had done her best, and
it was hard that she should suffer. One little effort she made at the
moment to induce Elizabeth to carry round the sauce, but Grandairs
had at once crushed it; he had rushed at the girl and taken the
butter-boat from her hand. Mrs Mackenzie had seen it all; but what
could she do, poor soul?

The thing was badly managed in every way. The whole hope of
conversation round the table depended on Miss Colza, and she was
deeply offended by having been torn away from Mr Rubb. How could
she talk seated between the two Tom Mackenzies? From Dr Slumpy Mrs
Mackenzie could not get a word. Indeed, with so great a weight on
her mind, how could she be expected to make any great effort in
that direction? But Mr Mackenzie might have done something, and she
resolved that she would tell him so before he slept that night. She
had slaved all day in order that he might appear respectable before
his own relatives, at the bottom of his own table--and now he would
do nothing! "I believe he is thinking of his own dinner!" she said to
herself. If her accusation was just his thoughts must have been very
sad.

In a quiet way Mr Rubb did talk to his neighbour. Upstairs he had
spoken a word or two about Littlebath, saying how glad he was that
he had been there. He should always remember Littlebath as one of
the pleasantest places he had ever seen. He wished that he lived
at Littlebath; but then what was the good of his wishing anything,
knowing as he did that he was bound for life to Rubb and Mackenzie's
counting house!

"And you will earn your livelihood there," Miss Mackenzie had
replied.

"Yes; and something more than that I hope. I don't mind telling
you,--a friend like you,--that I will either spoil a horn or make a
spoon. I won't go on in the old groove, which hardly gives any of us
salt to our porridge. If I understand anything of English commerce, I
think I can see my way to better things than that." Then the period
of painful waiting had commenced, and he was unable to say anything
more.

That had been upstairs. Now below, amidst all the troubles of Mrs
Mackenzie and the tyranny of Grandairs, he began again:

"Do