to church
in. Hey?" said Mrs. Laval with a third kiss.

"Mamma, there are reasons against all that; you do not understand,"
said Norton.

"It's very hard to say," Matilda spoke at length, rousing herself; for
her head had gone down on Mrs. Laval's lap. "May I say exactly what I
do mean?"

"Certainly; and Norton shall not interrupt you."

"I don't want to interrupt her," said Norton. "It is as good as a book."

"What is it, my love?"

Matilda slipped off her cushion and kneeling on the rug, with her hands
still on Mrs. Laval's lap, looked off into the fire.

"The Bible says"--she began and checked herself. The Bible was not such
authority there. "I was only thinking--Ma'am, you know how many poor
people there are in the world?"

"Yes, dear."

"_She_ doesn't," said Norton.

"People that have no overcoats at all, nor under coats neither, some of
them. I was thinking--if _all_ the people who have plenty, would give
half to the people who have nothing, there would be nobody cold or
miserable; I mean, miserable from _that_."

"Yes, there would, my darling," said Mrs. Laval. "People who are idle
and wicked, and won't work and do not take care of what they have, they
would be poor if we were to give them, not half but three quarters, of
all we have. It would be all gone in a week or two; or a month or two."

Matilda looked at Mrs. Laval. "But the poor people are not always
wicked?"

"Very often. Industrious and honest people need never suffer."

That would alter the case, Matilda thought. She sat back on her cushion
again and laid her head down as before. But then, what meant the Bible
words; "He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none;
and he that hath meat, let him do likewise"? The Bible could not be
mistaken. Matilda was puzzled with the difficult question; and
presently the warm fire and her thoughts together were too much for
her. The eyelids drooped over her eyes; she was asleep. Mrs. Laval made
a sign to Norton to keep quiet. Her own fingers touched tenderly the
soft brown locks of the head which lay on her lap; but too softly to
disturb the sleeper.

"Mamma," said Norton softly, "isn't she a darling?"

"Hush!" said Mrs. Laval. "Don't wake her."

"She is perfectly fast asleep," said Norton. "She don't sham sleeping
any more than awake. Mamma, how will grandmamma like her?"

"She cannot help it," said Mrs. Laval.

"Aunt Judy won't," said Norton. "But mamma, she is twenty times