so here?" she said.

But the child's answer was in pantomime. For she had clung to Mrs.
Laval as the lady had clasped her; and Matilda's head nestling in her
neck and softly returning a kiss or two, gave assurance enough.

"All away?" said Mrs. Laval. "Well, I think that too sometimes. You and
I ought to belong to each other."

And then presently, as if she were shaking off all these serious
reflections, she bade Matilda arrange her things comfortably in closet
and drawers; and then when she liked, come down to her. So she went
out, and the man with the little trunk came in and set it in a corner.

Matilda felt in dreamland. It was only like dreamland, to take out her
things, which a few hours ago she had packed in the dismal precincts of
her aunt's house, and place them in such delightful circumstances as
her new quarters afforded. The drawers of her dressing-table were a
marvel of beauty, being of a pale sea-green colour, with rosebuds
painted in the corners. Her little bedstead was of the same colour and
likewise adorned; and so the chairs, and a small stand which held a
glass of flowers. The floor was covered with a pretty white mat, and
light muslin curtains lined with rose, hung before the windows. The
spread on her bed was a snow white Marseilles quilt, Matilda knew that;
and the washing closet was sumptuous in luxury, with its ample towels
and its pretty cake of sweet fragrant soap. Every one of these things
Matilda took note of, as she was obeying Mrs. Laval's advice to put her
things in some order before she came down-stairs. And she was thinking,
also, what 'opportunities' she could possibly have here. There would be
nothing to try her patience or her temper; nothing disagreeable, in
fact, except the thought of going away again. How could she ever bear
_that?_ And then it occurred to Matilda that certainly she had
opportunity and occasion to give thanks; and she knelt down and did it
very heartily; concluding as she rose up, that she would leave the
question of going away till it came nearer the time.

She went with a light heart downstairs then; how odd it was to be at
home in that house, going up and down with her hat off! She passed
through one or two rooms, and found Mrs. Laval at last in a group of
visitors, busy talking to half a dozen at once. Matilda stole out
again, wondering at the different Mrs. Laval down-stairs from the one
who had sat with her in her little room half an hour ago. On the
ver