yourself. Do take hold
of something."

"Oh, Bell, here's the inkstand for which you've been moaning for
three years."

"I haven't been moaning for three years; but who could have put it up
there?"

"Catch it," said Lily; and she threw the bottle down on to a pile of
carpets.

At this moment a step was heard in the hall, and the squire entered
through the open door of the room. "So you're all at work," said he.

"Yes, we're at work," said Mrs Dale, almost with a tone of shame. "If
it is to be done it is as well that it should be got over."

"It makes me wretched enough," said the squire. "But I didn't come to
talk about that. I've brought you a note from Lady Julia De Guest,
and I've had one from the earl. They want us all to go there and stay
the week after Easter."

Mrs Dale and the girls, when this very sudden proposition was made
to them, all remained fixed in their place, and, for a moment, were
speechless. Go and stay a week at Guestwick Manor! The whole family!
Hitherto the intercourse between the Manor and the Small House had
been confined to morning calls, very far between. Mrs Dale had
never dined there, and had latterly even deputed the calling to her
daughters. Once Bell had dined there with her uncle, the squire, and
once Lily had gone over with her uncle Orlando. Even this had been
long ago, before they were quite brought out, and they had regarded
the occasion with the solemn awe of children. Now, at this time of
their flitting into some small mean dwelling at Guestwick, they had
previously settled among themselves that that affair of calling at
the Manor might be allowed to drop. Mrs Eames never called, and they
were descending to the level of Mrs Eames. "Perhaps we shall get game
sent to us, and that will be better," Lily had said. And now, at this
very moment of their descent in life, they were all asked to go and
stay a week at the Manor! Stay a week with Lady Julia! Had the Queen
sent the Lord Chamberlain down to bid them all go to Windsor Castle
it could hardly have startled them more at the first blow. Bell had
been seated on the folded carpet when her uncle had entered, and now
had again sat herself in the same place. Lily was still standing at
the top of the ladder, and Mrs Dale was at the foot with one hand on
Lily's dress. The squire had told his story very abruptly, but he was
a man who, having a story to tell, knew nothing better than to tell
it out abruptly, letting out everything