The answer gave Jane great relief. _Attending_ upon lodgers had been a dubious prospect in more respects than one. "It's a very good kitchen," said the old lady, as they went in, and she turned round in it. "I'll be bound it smokes," said Dobbs. "No, it does not," replied Jane. "Where's the coalhouse?" asked Dobbs. "Is there two?" "Only one," said Jane. "It is at the back of the kitchen." "Then--if we did come--where could our coal be put?" fiercely demanded Dobbs. "I must have my coalhouse to myself, with a lock and key. I don't want the house's fires supplied from my missis's coal." Jane's cheeks flushed as she turned to the old lady. "Allow me to assure you that your property--of whatever nature it may be--will be perfectly sacred in this house. Whether locked up or not, it will be left untouched by me and mine." "To be sure, ma'am," pleasantly returned the old lady. "I'm not afraid. You must not mind what Dobbs says: she means nothing." "And our safe for meat and butter," proceeded that undaunted functionary. "Is there a key to it?" "And now about the rent?" said the old lady, giving Jane no time to answer that there was a key. Jane hesitated. And then, with a flush, asked twenty shillings a week. "My conscience!" uttered Dobbs. "Twenty shillings a week. And us finding spoons and linen!" "Dobbs," said the old lady. "I don't see that it is so very out of the way. A parlour, two bedrooms, a closet, and the kitchen, all furnished----" "The closet's an empty, dark hole, and the kitchen's only the use of it, and the bedrooms are carpetless," reiterated Dobbs, drowning her mistress's voice. "But, if anybody asked you for your head, ma'am, you'd just cut it off and give it, if I wasn't at hand to stop you." "Well, Dobbs, we have seen nothing else to suit us up here. And you know I want to settle myself at this end of the town, on account of it being high and dry. Parry says I must." "We have not half looked yet," said Dobbs. "A pound a-week is a good price, ma'am; and we have not paid quite so much where we are: but I don't know that it's unreasonable," continued the old lady to Jane. "What shall we do, Dobbs?" "Do, ma'am! Why, of course you'll come out, and try higher up. To take these rooms without looking out for others, would be as bad as buying a pig in a poke. Come along, ma'am. Bedrooms without carpets won't do for us at any price," she added to Jane by way of a party salutation. They left the house, the lady with a cordial good morning, Dobbs with none at all; and went quarrelling up the road. That is, the old lady reasoning, and Dobbs disputing. The former proposed, if they saw nothing to suit them better, to purchase bedside carpeting: upon which Dobbs accused her of wanting to bring herself to the workhouse.