hat to do with the
day, though, I shall want to do so much. That is the worst of it."

Matilda thought _she_ would be under no such difficulty, if only her
way were not so hedged in. The things she would have liked to do were
forbidden things. She might not go to Lilac Lane; she might not go to
Mrs. Laval's. She half expected that her aunt would say she must not go
out of the house at all. That misfortune, however, did not happen. The
early breakfast and bustle and arrangements for getting off occupied
Mrs. Candy so completely that she gave no commands whatever. The
omnibus fairly drove away with her, and left Maria and Matilda
unrestricted by any new restrictions.

"It seems," said Matilda, gravely, as they stood by the gate, "it seems
as if I could see the sky again. I haven't seen it this great while."

"Seen the sky!" said Maria; "what has ailed you? You have gone out
often enough."

"It didn't seem as if I could see the sky," said Matilda, gazing up
into the living blue depth above her. "I can see it now."

"You are funny," said Maria. "It don't seem to me as if I had seen
anything, for weeks. Dear me! to-day will be only too short."

"It is half-past six now," said Matilda. "Between now and nine o'clock
to-night there are--let me see; half-past twelve will be six hours, and
half-past six will be twelve hours; six, seven, eight, nine,--nine will
be two hours and a half more; that will be fourteen and a half hours."

"Fourteen," said Maria, "That half we shall be expecting them."

"Well, we've got to go in and put the house in order, first thing,"
said Matilda. "Let's make haste."

"Then I'll let the kitchen fire go out," said Maria; "and we'll dine on
bread and butter, and cold potatoes. I like cold potatoes; don't you?"

"No," said Matilda; "but I don't care what we have. I'll have bread and
butter and cold coffee, Maria; let us save the coffee. That will do."

With these arrangements made, the day began. The two girls flew round
in a kind of glee to put the rooms up and get all the work done out of
the way. Work was a kind of play that morning. Then they agreed to take
their dinner early and dress themselves. Maria was going out after that
to see some friends and have some fun, she said. Matilda on her part
had a sort of faint hope that to-day, when it would be so opportune, it
might happen that Norton Laval would come to see what had become of
her. She was almost afraid to go out and lose the chance;