rickett's Lane. Was Elsworthy's pet boy
delivering his newspapers from that dignified elevation? or were they
seizing the opportunity of conveying away the unfortunate little girl
who had caused so much annoyance to everybody? When she went closer,
with a little natural curiosity to see what else might be inside
besides the furtive errand-boy, the cab made a little rush away from
her, and the blinds were drawn down. Mrs Morgan smiled a little to
herself with dignified calm. "As if it was anything to me!" she said
to herself; and so went home to put out the dessert with her own
hands. She even cut a few fronds of her favourite maidenhair to
decorate the peaches, of which she could not help being a little
proud. "I must speak to Mr Wentworth, if he comes, to keep on
Thompson," she said to herself, and then gave a momentary sigh at the
thought of the new flue, which was as good as her own invention, and
which it had cost her both time and money to arrange to her
satisfaction. The peaches were lovely, but who could tell what they
might be next year if a new Rector came who took no interest in the
garden?--for Thomson, though he was a very good servant, required to
be looked after, as indeed most good servants do. Mrs Morgan sighed a
little when she thought of all her past exertions and the pains, of
which she was scarcely yet beginning to reap the fruit. One man
labours, and another enters into his labours. One thing, however, was
a little consolatory, that she could take her ferns with her. But on
the whole, after the first outburst of feeling, the idea of change,
notwithstanding all its advantages, was in itself, like most human
things, a doubtful pleasure. To be sure, it was only through its
products that her feelings were interested about the new flue, whereas
the drawing-room carpet was a standing grievance. When it was time to
dress for dinner, the Rector's wife was not nearly so sure as before
that she had never liked Carlingford. She began to forget the thoughts
she had entertained about broken idols, and to remember a number of
inconveniences attending a removal. Who would guarantee the safe
transit of the china, not to speak of the _old_ china, which was one
of the most valuable decorations of the Rectory? This kind of
breakage, if not more real, was at least likely to force itself more
upon the senses than the other kind of fracture which this morning's
explanation had happily averted; and altogether it was with m