"Do you like him to do that?" "Do what?" "Bring us dinner." "Don't be foolish, Rotha." "Mother, I think he is doing what he calls a 'kindness.'" "Have you any objection?" "Not to his doing it for other people; but for you and me-- Mother, we have not come to receiving charity yet." "Rotha!" exclaimed her mother. "My child, what are you thinking of?" "Having kindnesses done to us, mother; and I don't like it. It is not Mr. Digby's business, what we have for dinner!" "I told him we had not much but bread." "Why did you tell him?" "He would have found it out, Rotha, when he came to sit down to the table." "He had no business to ask to do that." "I think you are ungrateful." "Mother, I don't want to be grateful. Not to him." "Why not to him, or to anybody, my child, that deserves it of you?" "_He_ don't!"--said Rotha, as she finished setting the table, rather in dudgeon. "What do you suppose he is going to bring?" "Rotha, what will ever become of you in this world, with that spirit?" "What spirit?" "Pride, I should say." "Isn't pride a good thing?" "Not that ever I heard of, or you either," Mrs. Carpenter said with a sigh. "Mother, I don't think you have enough pride." "A little is too much. It makes people fall into the condemnation of the devil. And you are mistaken in thinking there is anything fine in it. Don't shew that feeling to Mr. Digby, I beg of you." Rotha did not exactly pout, for that was not her way; but she looked dissatisfied. Presently she heard a sound below, and opened the door. "He's coming up stairs," she said softly, "and a boy with him bringing something. Mother!--" She had no chance to say more. Mr. Digby came in, followed by a boy with a basket. The basket was set down and the boy disappeared. "Mrs. Carpenter," said the gentleman, "I could not find anything in this neighbourhood better than oysters. Do you like them?" "Oysters!" said Mrs. Carpenter. "It is very long since I have seen any. Yes, I like them." "Then the next question is, how do you like them? Saw? or roasted? We can roast them here, cannot we?"