But such a friend must be equal, not only in mind, but in
purse; and where can he ever find such a man as that?"
"But you may get better preferment."
"Ah, no; and if he did, we are hardly fit for it now. If I could
think that I could educate my children; if I could only do something
for my poor Grace--" In answer to this Mrs. Robarts said a word or
two, but not much. She resolved, however, that if she could get her
husband's leave, something should be done for Grace. Would it not be
a good work? and was it not incumbent on her to make some kindly use
of all the goods with which Providence had blessed herself? And then
they went back to the sitting-room, each again with a young child in
her arms, Mrs. Crawley having stowed away in the kitchen the chicken
broth and the leg of pork and the supply of eggs. Lucy had been
engaged the while with the children, and when the two married ladies
entered, they found that a shop had been opened at which all manner
of luxuries were being readily sold and purchased at marvellously
easy prices; the guava jelly was there, and the oranges, and the
sugar-plums, red and yellow and striped; and, moreover, the
gingerbread had been taken down in the audacity of their commercial
speculations, and the nuts were spread out upon a board, behind which
Lucy stood as shop-girl, disposing of them for kisses.
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