u talk about working for your
living, you ought to remember that there's work enough near at hand, if
only you'd see to it.'

'I've nothing to do neither with you nor 'Arry nor Alice,' answered
the old woman stubbornly. 'If 'Arry disgraces his name, he won't be the
first as has done it. I done my best to bring you all up honest, but
that was a long time ago, and things has changed. You're old enough to
go your own ways, an' your ways isn't mine. I told you how it 'ud be,
an' the only mistake I made was comin' to live here at all. Now I can't
be left alone, an' I'll go. You've no call to tell me a second time.'

It was a long, miserable wrangle, lasting half an hour, before a
possibility of agreement presented itself. Richard at length ceased to
recriminate, and allowed his mother to talk herself to satiety. He then
said:

'I'm thinking of giving up this house, mother. What I want to know is,
whether it would please you to go back to the old place again? I ask you
because I can think of ud other way for putting you in comfort. You must
say and think what you like, only just answer me the one question as
I ask it--that is, honestly and good-temperedly. I shall have to take
'Arry away with me; I can't let him go to the dogs without another try
to keep him straight. Alice 'll have to go with me too, at all events
for a time. Whether we like it or not, she'll have to accustom herself
to new ways, and I see my way to helping her. I don't know whether
you've been told that Mrs. Chattaway's been living in the house since
the others went away. The furniture's just as you left it; I dare say
you'd feel it like going home again.'

'They've gone, have they?' Mrs. Mutimer asked, as if unwilling to show
the interest which this proposal had excited in her.

'Yes, they went more than a month ago. We put Mrs. Chattaway in just
to keep the place in order. I look on the house as yours. You might let
Mrs. Chattaway stay there still, perhaps; but that's just as you please.
You oughtn't to live quite alone.'

Mrs. Mutimer did not soften, but, after many words, Richard understood
her to agree to what he proposed. She had stood all through the
dialogue; now at length she moved to a seat, and sank upon it with
trembling limbs. Richard wished to go, but had a difficulty in leaving
abruptly. Darkness had fallen whilst they talked; they only saw each
other by the light of the fire.

'Am I to come and see you or not, mother, when you get ba