"No more should I, except it had to be done. Even then I would much rather not," returned Mary, "for cleaning my own would not interest me. To clean yours would. Still I would rather not, for the time might be put to better use--except always it were necessary, and then, of course, it couldn't. But as to anything degrading in it, I scorn the idea. I heard my father once say that, to look down on those who have to do such things may be to despise them for just the one honorable thing about them.--Shall I tell you what I understand by the word _menial_? You know it has come to have a disagreeable taste about it, though at first it only meant, as you say, something that fell to the duty of attendants." "Do tell me," answered Hesper, with careless permission. "I did not find it out myself," said Mary. "My father taught me. He was a wise as well as a good man, Mrs. Redmain." "Oh!" said Hesper, with the ordinary indifference of fashionable people to what an inferior may imagine worth telling them. "He said," persisted Mary, notwithstanding, "that it is menial to undertake anything you think beneath you for the sake of money; and still more menial, having undertaken it, not to do it as well as possible." "That would make out a good deal more of the menial in the world than is commonly supposed," laughed Hesper. "I wonder who would do anything for you if you didn't pay them--one way or another!" "I've taken my father's shoes out of Beenie's hands many a time," said Mary, "and finished them myself, just for the pleasure of making them shine for _him_." "Re-a-ally!" drawled Hesper, and set out for the conclusion that after all it was no such great compliment the young woman had paid her in wanting to brush her hair. Evidently she had a taste for low things!--was naturally menial!--would do as much for her own father as for a lady like her! But the light in Mary's eyes checked her. "Any service done without love, whatever it be," resumed Mary, "is slavery--neither more nor less. It can not be anything else. So, you see, most slaves are made slaves by themselves; and that is what makes me doubtful whether I ought to go on serving in the shop; for, as far as the Turnbulls are concerned, I have no pleasure in it; I am only helping them to make money, not doing them any good." "Why do you not give it up at once then?" asked Hesper. "Because I like serving the customers. They were my father's customers; and I have learned so much from having to wait on them!" "Well, now," said Hesper, with a rush for the goal, "if you will come to me, I will make you comfortable; and you shall do just as much or as little as you please." "What will your maid think?" suggested Mary. "If I am to do what I please, she will soon find me trespassing on her domain." "I never trouble myself about what my servants think," said Hesper. "But it might hurt her, you know--to be paid to do a thing and then not allowed to do it."