But it won't bring back those
who sat there! and now the light falls anywhere but where it is
wanted, and our goods get into each other's way! Yes, Babie, you may
dispose of it in the back drawing-room and bring in your whole
generation of little tables."
There was opportunity for choice, for the house was somewhat over-
full of furniture, since besides the original plenishing of the
Pagoda, all that was individual property had been sent from
Belforest, and this included a great many choice and curious
articles, small and great, all indeed that any one cared much about,
except the more intrinsically valuable gems of art. It had been all
done between Messrs. Wakefield, Gould, and Richards, who had sent up
far more than Mrs. Brownlow had marked, assuring her that she need
not scruple to keep it.
So by the time twilight came on the second evening, when the whole
family were feeling exceedingly bruised, weary, and dusty, such a
transformation had been effected that each of the four, on returning
from the much needed toilet, stood at the door exclaiming-—"This is
something like;" and when John arrived, a little later, he looked
round with—-
"This is almost as nice as the Folly. How does Mother Carey manage
to make things like herself and nobody else?"
Allen's comment a few days later was—-"What's the use of taking so
much trouble about a dingy hole which you can't make tolerable even
if you were to stay here.
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