"I did not ask the clothes," said Septimus warmly, "but the man who has shown sympathy in this weary time of trouble; and God knows I did not expect to find friends where I have," muttered the dejected man, who looked ten years older; while at times his eyes wandered in a weary abstracted way about the room, and his hands were wrung together, till Lucy came to his side and spoke to him, when the lost, helpless look would pass off, and he would brighten up for a few minutes. "Such a beautiful, well-cut letter, though!" muttered old Matt as he took the chair placed for him by Mrs Sims, when the little fellow forced himself off his mother's lap, and climbed upon the old man's knee. "You must hold up, mum," whispered Mrs Sims to poor, broken-down, invalid Mrs Septimus. "I know what it all is; for when I lived in the Rents, mum, I lost four; and all within three year." "_You_ did!" said Mrs Septimus, laying a tender hand upon the poor woman's arm. "O yes!" said Mrs Sims. "It was before I went to mind the house in the Square, and used to wash; but it was sich work, mum! nowhere to dry except a bit of leads, and the strings tied across the room, and the blacks allus a-coming down like a shower, while every drop o' water had to be fetched from right at the bottom of the house. One was obliged to do it, though, for times were very hard just then; but having so much washing ain't good and healthy for children, let alone being stived up so closte. You see, 'm, it's a bad place to live in, them Rents, there's too many in a house, and there's so much wants doing; but then, when you're a bit behind with your rent, you can't grumble, or there's your few bits of sticks taken, and plenty more glad to have your room. But the way the poor little children is snatched off there, mum, 's terrible, though I do sometimes say, as it's a happy release. Mr Pawley, mum, he 'ave told me that them Rents is as good as an annuity to him; for you see, though it isn't a big place, there's a many families in each house; and where there's families, mum, there's mostly children." Mrs Septimus sighed bitterly at the last word, while, poor woman, she was too much intent upon her cares to notice the wisdom of the speech. "But you hold up now, mum, there's a good creetur. I know it's very hard, but then we all has to suffer alike, and you've got to recklect what you owes to that poor dear child there, and young miss, and the master."