omewhat faded. And yet it had felt very
smart as Madam Liberality drove in the carrier's cart to meet the
coach at the outset of her journey. But when she sat against the rich
blue leather of her godmother's coach as they drove up and down the
esplanade, it was like looking at fairy jewels by daylight when they
turn into faded leaves.

"Is that your best neckerchief, child?" said the old lady.

"Yes, ma'am," blushed Madam Liberality,

So when they got home her godmother went to her odds-and-ends drawer.

Podmore never interfered with this drawer. She was content to be
despotic among the dresses, and left the old lady to faddle to her
heart's content with bits of old lace and ribbon which she herself
would not have condescended to wear.

The old lady fumbled them over. There were a good many half-yards of
ribbon with very large patterns, but nothing really fit for Madam
Liberality's little neck but a small Indian scarf of many-coloured
silk. It was old, and Podmore would never have allowed her mistress to
drive on the esplanade in anything so small and youthful-looking; but
the colours were quite bright, and there was no doubt but that Madam
Liberality might be provided for by a cheaper neck-ribbon. So the old
lady shut the drawer, and toddled down the corridor that led to
Podmore's room.

She had a good general idea that Podmore's perquisites were large, but
perquisites seem to be a condition of valuable servants in large
establishments, and then anything which could be recovered from what
had already passed into Podmore's room must be a kind of economy. So
she resolved that Podmore should "find something" for Madam
Liberality's neck.

"I never noticed it, ma'am, till I brought your shawl to the
carriage," said Podmore. "If I had seen it before, the young lady
shouldn't have come with you so. I'll see to it, ma'am."

"Thank you, Podmore."

"Can you spare me to go into the town this afternoon, ma'am?" added
the lady's-maid. "I want some things at Huckaback and Woolsey's."

Huckaback and Woolsey were the linendrapers where Madam Liberality's
godmother "had an account." It was one of the things on a large scale
over the details of which she had no control.

"You'll be back in time to dress me?"

"Oh dear, yes, ma'am." And having settled the old lady's shawl on her
shoulders, and drawn out her cap-lappets, Podmore returned to her
work.

It was a work of kindness. The old lady might deal shabbily with her
f