Laval's lap and rang for it, and when it came up on the
dumb waiter, she did York's work in setting it on the table with a
particular pleasure. She began to have a curious feeling of being at
home in the house.

"There is but one thing for me to do," said Mrs. Laval, as they sat at
breakfast. "I must go down to the city and get a new houseful of
servants, to do till these are well. But I'm in a great puzzle how to
leave you two children. There will be nobody here; and I may very
possibly be obliged to stay a night in town. It is not at all likely
that I can do what I have to do, in time to take an evening train."

"I can take care of Pink, mamma."

"Who will take care of you?"

"I'll try," said Matilda.

"What can _you_ do, to take care of _me?_" said Norton.

"You will want something to eat," said Matilda. "I think you
will--before to-morrow night."

"If I do, I can get it," said Norton.

"He thinks dinner grows, like a cabbage," said Mrs. Laval; "or like a
tulip, rather. His head is full of tulips. But I cannot go to-day to
New York; I could not catch the train. I'll go down-stairs and see
these people after breakfast, and make them stay."

But when Mrs. Laval descended half an hour later to the regions of the
kitchen, she found them deserted. Nobody was there. The fire, in a
sullen state of half life, seemed to bear witness to the fact; the
gridiron stood by the side of the hearth with bits of fish sticking to
it; the saucepan which had held the eggs was still half full of water
on the hob; the floor was unswept, the tray of eggs stood on one table,
a quantity of unwashed dishes on another, but silence everywhere
announced that the hands which should have been busy with all these
matters were no longer within reach of them. Mrs. Laval went up-stairs
again.

"Every creature is gone," she said. "I am sure I do not know what we
are to do. _Jealousy_, Norton, did you say?"

"Because you have sent for these Swiss people, mamma."

"Is it possible? Well--I don't know what we are to do, as I said. We
shall have no dinner."

"I can get the dinner," said Matilda. At which there was some laughing;
and then Mrs. Laval said she must go and see how the poor people were.
Norton was despatched to find some oysters if he could; and Matilda
quietly went down-stairs again, with her little head full. She was
there still an hour later, when Mrs. Laval came home and called for
her. Matilda came running up, with red cheek