"You'll turn you round middling easy, Madam," answered Charity. "Th' upholder were bidden to put th' house to rights all through, and send the bill to Mistress Joyce. She gave me lodging fro' Setterday to Monday, and bade me see to 't that yo' had all things comfortable. `Don't split sixpences,' she saith; `the bigger the charges the better, so long as they be for true comfort and not for gimcracks.' So, Madam, I hope we've hit your Ladyship's liking, for me and Mrs Joyce, we tried hard--me at choosing, and she at paying. So that's how it were." And dropping a quick courtesy, Charity departed with too much alacrity for thanks. Lady Louvaine's eyes followed her. "The lines are fallen unto us in pleasant places," quoted Edith, softly. "Ay," answered her mother. "And the pillar of the cloud hath gone before." Charity found Rachel in the kitchen, carrying a carpet-bag and a great bundle, and gazing round her with a bewildered air. "Well, lass, what's ta'en thee?" was her greeting. "Eh, Charity Ashworth, is that thee? Where art thou fro'?" "Where are we both come to? That's more to th' purpose." "I'm banished my country, that's all I know," said Rachel, blankly. "I'm glad to see thee, schuzheaw." [Note 2.] "Dost thou mean to carry yon for th' rest o' thy life?" demanded Charity, laying hands on the carpet-bag. "Come, wake up, lass, and look sharp, for there'll be some supper wanted." A very expressive shake of Rachel's head was the response. But she set down the bundle, and began to unfasten her sleeves for work. Sleeves were not then stitched to the gown, but merely hooked or buttoned in, and were therefore easily laid aside when needful. "What's the price o' eggs this road on?" asked she. "Nought. We 'n getten th' hens to lay 'em. Down i' th' market they're four a penny." "Eggs--four a penny!" ejaculated the horrified cook. "Ay--they're a bonnie price, aren't they? Ten to a dozen the penny at Keswick. Chickens be twopence and threepence apiece." Rachel turned and faced her colleague with a solemn air. "Charity Ashworth, wilt thou tell me what we've come here for?" "`To do our duty in that state of life to which it shall please God to call us,'" said Charity, sturdily. "There's twenty hens i' yon yard at th' end o' th' garden, and two cows i' th' shippen, and three black pigs i' th' sty,--Mistress Joyce ordered 'em--and two pairs o' hands, and two brains, and two hearts, and the grace o' God: and if thou wants aught more, thou'lt have to ask Him for it. So now let's be sharp and see to th' supper." As they sat at breakfast the next morning, which was Lady Day and Sunday, Lady Louvaine said-- "I would fain know what manner of neighbours we shall have here, whether pleasant or displeasant; for some of our comfort shall hang thereon."