These were small enough; at least they would have seemed so to other eyes than Elizabeth’s; for, until the school-room and box-closet above had been kindly added by the landlord, who would have done any thing to show his respect for the Misses Leaf, it had been merely a six-roomed cottage—­parlor kitchen, back kitchen, and three upper chambers.  It was a very cozy house notwithstanding, and it seemed to Elizabeth’s eyes a perfect palace.

For several minutes more she stood and contemplated her kitchen, with the fire shining on the round oaken stand in the centre, and the large wooden-bottomed chairs, and the loud-ticking clock, with its tall case, the inside of which, with its pendulum and weights, had been a perpetual mystery and delight, first to Hilary’s and then to Ascott’s childhood.  Then there was the sofa, large and ugly, but, oh! so comfortable, with its faded, flowered chintz, washed and worn for certainly twenty years.  And, overall, Elizabeth’s keen observation was attracted by a queer machine apparently made of thin rope and bits of wood, which hung up to the hooks on the ceiling—­an old-fashioned baby’s swing.  Finally, her eye dwelt with content on the blue and red diamond tiled floor, so easily swept and mopped, and (only Elizabeth did not think of that, for her hard childhood had been all work and no play) so beautiful to whip tops upon!  Hilary and Ascott, condoling together over the new servant, congratulated themselves that their delight in this occupation had somewhat failed, though it was really not so many years ago since one of the former’s pupils, coming suddenly out of the school-room, had caught her in the act of whipping a meditative top round this same kitchen floor.

Meantime Elizabeth penetrated farther, investigating the back kitchen, with its various conveniences; especially the pantry, every shelf of which was so neatly arranged and beautifully clean.  Apparently this neatness impressed the girl with a sense of novelty and curiosity; and though she could hardly be said to meditate—­her mind was not sufficiently awakened for that—­still, as she stood at the kitchen fire, a slight thoughtfulness deepened the expression of her face, and made it less dull and heavy than it had at first appeared.

“I wonder which on ’em does it all.  They must work pretty hard, I reckon; and two o’ them’s such little uns.”

She stood a while longer; for sitting down appeared to be to Elizabeth as new a proceeding as thinking; then she went up stairs, still literally obeying orders, to shut windows and pull down blinds at nightfall.  The bedrooms were small, and insufficiently, nay, shabbily furnished; but the floors were spotless—­ah! poor Johanna!—­and the sheets, though patched and darned to the last extremity, were white and whole.  Nothing was dirty, nothing untidy.  There was no attempt at picturesque poverty—­for whatever novelists may say, poverty can not be picturesque; but all things were decent and in order.  The house, poor as it was, gave the impression of belonging to “real ladies;” ladies who thought no manner of work beneath them, and who, whatever they had to do, took the pains to do it as well as possible.