d nails in her hands, and proceeded to fix one in firmly on the
side of the window. She did not see me, for I had become securely lodged
in the other corner almost out of sight, and so she did not either pick
me up, nor what I secretly feared most, throw me back again into the low
haunts of my former miserable and odious life. She contented herself
with merely hanging out a bird in its cage, and then partially closed
the window again, and, I suppose, left the room.

"It is not my usual habit to make acquaintance _too_ readily with
strangers, and therefore I did not commence a conversation with my
feathered neighbour; but, then, as you are doubtless well aware, birds
are generally of a sociable disposition, and prone to make remarks and
enter into conversation with comparative strangers. And my new neighbour
proved no exception to the rule, for he began to chatter and chirp in
the most voluble manner, and had speedily related all his own personal
history, and that of several members of his family. But I am not very
fond of the affairs of people that do not belong to my own class, and
therefore did not pay much attention to his gossip. He was of a prying
disposition too, as very communicative people generally are, and seemed
rather anxious to know all about me. But I rather politely but loftily
repelled him, for I did not choose my misfortunes to be the common talk
of such small people. So I briefly informed him I had been far better
off, and indeed it was now, only owing to peculiar circumstances I
wished to remain for a time in comparative retirement.

"From him I learned that his owner was the under housemaid at this
house, and that she was shortly about to leave, having obtained another
situation where there was less work to do. The bird prattled in a lively
fashion about the merry life he had led hitherto and the continued
change he had seen, and seemed to be quite looking forward to what he
called "his next place."

"'I only wish you were going with me, you poor thing; I am sure you must
be moped to death with staying up here by yourself so long. Don't you
think you could manage to roll into my cage, and then we could go off
together?'

"My propriety was terribly shocked by this proposal of the goldfinch's,
and for some time I could give him no answer.

"'You silly thing!' said he, angrily, at last, 'surely you may travel
with your own relations, and you know you and I must be kin, because we
have both the dist