e might
say, surrounded by a halo of religion. She never passed by a chapel or
heard the name of God, or the singing of a hymn, without thinking of
her former mistress. To have looked into this Bible would have
reminded her of Mrs Starvem; that was one of the reasons why the book
reposed, unopened and unread, a mere ornament on the table in the bay
window.

The second door in the passage near the foot of the stairs led into the
kitchen or living-room: from here another door led into the scullery.
Upstairs were two bedrooms.

As Easton entered the house, his wife met him in the passage and asked
him not to make a noise as the child had just gone to sleep. They
kissed each other and she helped him to remove his wet overcoat. Then
they both went softly into the kitchen.

This room was about the same size as the sitting-room. At one end was
a small range with an oven and a boiler, and a high mantelpiece painted
black. On the mantelshelf was a small round alarm clock and some
brightly polished tin canisters. At the other end of the room, facing
the fireplace, was a small dresser on the shelves of which were nearly
arranged a number of plates and dishes. The walls were papered with
oak paper. On one wall, between two coloured almanacks, hung a tin
lamp with a reflector behind the light. In the middle of the room was
an oblong deal table with a white tablecloth upon which the tea things
were set ready. There were four kitchen chairs, two of which were
placed close to the table. Overhead, across the room, about eighteen
inches down from the ceiling, were stretched several cords upon which
were drying a number of linen or calico undergarments, a coloured
shirt, and Easton's white apron and jacket. On the back of a chair at
one side of the fire more clothes were drying. At the other side on
the floor was a wicker cradle in which a baby was sleeping. Nearby
stood a chair with a towel hung on the back, arranged so as to shade
the infant's face from the light of the lamp. An air of homely comfort
pervaded the room; the atmosphere was warm, and the fire blazed
cheerfully over the whitened hearth.

They walked softly over and stood by the cradle side looking at the
child; as they looked the baby kept moving uneasily in its sleep. Its
face was very flushed and its eyes were moving under the half-closed
lids. Every now and again its lips were drawn back slightly, showing
part of the gums; presently it began to whim