n charge of
the house. Do just as I tell you till my return."

She then gave her the same directions she had formerly given
Rosamond--with this difference, that she told her to go into the
picture-hall when she pleased, showing her the entrance, against which
the clock no longer stood--and went away, closing the door behind her.

VIII.

As soon as she was left alone, Agnes set to work tidying and dusting
the cottage, made up the fire, watered the bed, and cleaned the inside
of the windows: the wise woman herself always kept the outside of them
clean. When she had done, she found her dinner--of the same sort she
was used to at home, but better--in the hole of the wall. When she had
eaten it, she went to look at the pictures.

By this time her old disposition had begun to rouse again. She had been
doing her duty, and had in consequence begun again to think herself
Somebody. However strange it may well seem, to do one's duty will make
any one conceited who only does it sometimes. Those who do it always
would as soon think of being conceited of eating their dinner as of
doing their duty. What honest boy would pride himself on not picking
pockets? A thief who was trying to reform would. To be conceited of
doing one's duty is then a sign of how little one does it, and how
little one sees what a contemptible thing it is not to do it. Could any
but a low creature be conceited of not being contemptible? Until our
duty becomes to us common as breathing, we are poor creatures.

So Agnes began to stroke herself once more, forgetting her late
self-stroking companion, and never reflecting that she was now doing
what she had then abhorred. And in this mood she went into the
picture-gallery.

The first picture she saw represented a square in a great city, one
side of which was occupied by a splendid marble palace, with great
flights of broad steps leading up to the door. Between it and the
square was a marble-paved court, with gates of brass, at which stood
sentries in gorgeous uniforms, and to which was affixed the following
proclamation in letters of gold, large enough for Agnes to read:--

"By the will of the King, from this time until further notice, every
stray child found in the realm shall be brought without a moment's
delay to the palace. Whoever shall be found having done otherwise shall
straightway lose his head by the hand of the public executioner."

Agnes's heart beat loud, and her face flushed.

"Can th