d pleasant even in winter. And at the back, looking
into the gardens and orchards, was a pleasant porch, a very large one,
grown with roses as well as ivy, wherein Althea and I have spent many a
happy hour in summer-time, sitting there with our needlework or our
lutes. I can see it in fancy, and would very fain be in it, looking on
our lily beds and green walks and arbours, instead of these hot and
dreary streets. But it's too likely I shall never see West Fazeby or any
other pleasant place on earth again.

A good comely man and woman, plainly habited like serving folks, came
forth to greet Mrs. Golding, and she commended us to them much as she
had done to Andrew, saying to us, 'These are Matthew Standfast and his
wife Grace; good, kind souls, who look well to my house when I cannot do
it. And how doth little Patience?' she went on to ask Dame Standfast;
'and have you seen aught of Mr. Truelocke while I have been gone?' and
so chatting she led us into the hall, where we found a table ready
covered, and the little Patience Standfast ready to attend us at it, a
pretty child, fair-haired and blue-eyed, very civil and modest. We were
not long in finding that she and her parents, with a serving-man or two,
made all my aunt's household; and that she did very much work with her
own hands, and would expect the like of us; a thing which displeased
Althea not a little, but she said nothing of it, only to me, when we
were got to our own chamber.

'And it is an odd thing,' she continued, when I did not reply, 'that
Mrs. Golding should sit and should take her meals in the open hall, when
there are one or two fair parlours more fitting for her occupation.'

'But the hall is a pleasant place,' I said; and indeed it was so to me,
I hardly know why, being a very plain apartment, with a checkered
pavement of blue and white stones, and furnished only with bright oaken
tables and settles, and a great chair or two; also the great fireplace
was well garnished with green boughs and flowers, it being summer. I
looked all about it that evening as we sat in it chatting with our aunt,
and was thinking I should always like it, plain as it was, when I was
aware of two persons coming into the porch, one walking feebly like an
old man, and one stepping firmly and strongly; and Mrs. Golding,
springing up, ran forward to greet them, saying,--

'Welcome! welcome, good Mr. Truelocke! this is a greater kindness than I
had hoped for;' so she drew into t