Page:Live and Let Live.djvu/135

 !" Lucy did all she was bidden, and would fain have done more. A portion of her work had been omitted in consequence of Jemmie's visit the preceding day, and she set about rubbing the knives. "That will do, Lucy," said Mrs. Lovett; "they are clean, never mind the polishing; put the brightest by father's plate and that poor fellow's. I'll see to the sausages, and fry the cakes; it's bad work for your eyes. You run and set the table, and clap on an end, so that German need not feel as if he crowded us."

"The cloth is rather spotted—shall I put a clean one on, Mrs. Lovett?"

"No, never mind; it makes the washes too heavy for Dinah to have clean table-linen every day. Set the plates round so as to humour the spots. You say they only dirty one cloth a week next door. I should think the Millennium had come if that happened with my boys. They never will learn such neatness!"

"It is a good lesson to learn," thought Lucy, but learned next door at too great an expense of thumps on the head, raps over the hand, and aching hearts. Mr. Lovett now came in to say the stranger was ashamed to accept their hospitality. He had not been shaven for a week, and was not willing to appear before the women in that condition.

"Oh," said Mrs. Lovett, ever ready to sacrifice herself to the simplest act of kindness, "oh, never mind, let him just step into our bedroom and shave—take him round the other way. Lucy, run in, and clear up, and tuck away!" This was done, and well done in a minute, and no one can question