Theotherdoor，whichwasconsiderablylower，openedintothecoal-hole——theslantingclosetunderthestairs；fromwhich，tothefire-place，therewasagay-colouredpieceofoil-clothlaid。Theplaceseemedalmostcrammedwithfurnituresuresignofgoodtimesamongthemills。Beneaththewindowwasadresser，withthreedeepdrawers。Oppositethefire-placewasatable，whichIshouldcallaPembroke，onlythatitwasmadeofdeal，andIcannottellhowfarsuchanamemaybeappliedtosuchhumblematerial。Onit，restingagainstthewall，wasabrightgreenjapannedtea-tray，havingacoupleofscarletloversembracinginthemiddle。Thefire-lightdancedmerrilyonthis，andreallysettingalltastebutthatofachild’saside
itgavearichnessofcolouringtothatsideoftheroom。Itwasinsomemeasureproppedupbyacrimsontea-caddy，alsoorjapanware。Aroundtableononebranchingleg，reallyforuse，stoodinthecorrespondingcornertothecupboard；and，ifyoucanpictureallthis，withawashy，butcleanstencilledpatternonthewalls，youcanformsomeideaofJohnBarton’shome。Thetraywassoonhoisteddown，andbeforethemerryclatterofcupsandsaucersbegan，thewomendisburdenedthemselvesoftheirout-of-doorthings，andsentMaryup-stairswiththem。Thencamealongwhispering，andchinkingofmoney，towhichMrandMrsWilsonweretoopolitetoattend；knowing，astheydidfullwell，thatitallrelatedtothepreparationsforhospitality；
hospitalitythat，intheirturn，theyshouldhavesuchpleasureinoffering。
Sotheytriedtobebusilyoccupiedwiththechildren，andnottohearMrsBarton’sdirectionstoMary。“Run，Marydear，justroundthecorner，andgetsomefresheggsatTipping’syoumaygetonea-piece，thatwillbefivepence，andseeifhehasanynicehamcut，thathewouldletushaveapoundof。““Saytwopounds，missis，anddon’tbestingy，“chimedinthehusband。“Well，apoundandahalf，Mary。AndgetitCumberlandham，forWilsoncomesfromthere-away，anditwillhaveasortofrelishofhomewithithe’lllike，——andMary“seeingthelassiefaintobeoff，“youmustgetapennyworthofmilkandaloafofbread——mindyougetitfreshandnew——and，and——that’sall，Mary。““No，it’snotall，“saidherhusband。“Thoumustgetsix-pennyworthofrum，towarmthetea；thou’llgetitatthe’Grapes。’AndthoujustgotoAliceWilson；hesaysshelivesjustrightroundthecorner，under14
BarberStreet“thiswasaddressedtohiswife；“andtellhertocomeandtakeherteawithus；she’llliketoseeherbrother，I’llbebound，letaloneJaneandthetwins。““Ifshecomesshemustbringatea-cupandsaucer，forwehavebuthalf-a-dozen，andhere’ssixofus，“saidMrsBarton。“Pooh，pooh，JemandMarycandrinkoutofone，surely。“ButMarysecretlydeterminedtotakecarethatAlicebroughthertea-cupandsaucer，ifthealternativewastobehersharinganythingwithJem。AliceWilsonhadbutjustcomein。Shehadbeenoutalldayinthefields，gatheringwildherbsfordrinksandmedicine，forinadditiontoherinvaluablequalitiesasasicknurseandherworldlyoccupationsasawasherwoman，sheaddedaconsiderableknowledgeofhedgeandfieldsimples；andonfinedays，whennomoreprofitableoccupationoffereditself，heusedtorambleoffintothelanesandmeadowsasfarasherlegscouldcarryher。Thiseveningshehadreturnedloadedwithnettles，andherfirstobjectwastolightacandleandseetohangthemupinbunchesineveryavailableplaceinhercellarroom。Itwastheperfectionofcleanliness；inonecornerstoodthemodest-lookingbed，withacheckcurtainatthehead，thewhitewashedwallfillinguptheplacewherethecorrespondingoneshouldhavebeen。Thefloorwasbricked，andscrupulouslyclean，althoughsodampthatitseemedasifthelastwashingwouldneverdryup。Asthecellarwindowlookedintoanareainthestreet，downwhichboysmightthrowstones，itwasprotectedbyanoutsideshutter，andwasoddlyfestoonedwithallmannerofhedge-row，ditch，andfieldplants，whichweareaccustomedtocallvalueless，butwhichhaveapowerfuleffecteitherforgoodorforevil，andareconsequentlymuchusedamongthepoor。Theroomwasstrewed，hung，anddarkenedwiththesebunches，whichemittednoveryfragrantodourintheirprocessofdrying。Inonecornerwasasortofbroadhangingshelf，madeofoldplanks，wheresomeoldhoardsofAlice’swerekept。Herlittlebitofcrockery-warewasrangedonthemantelpiece，wherealsostoodhercandlestickandboxofmatches。Asmallcupboardcontainedatthebottomcoals，andatthetopherbreadandbasinofoatmeal，herfrying-pan，tea-pot，andasmalltinsaucepan，whichservedasakettle，aswellasforcookingthedelicatelittlemessesofbrothwhichAlicewassometimesabletomanufactureforasickneighbour。Afterherwalkshefeltchillyandweary，andwasbusytryingtolightherfirewiththedampcoals，andhalf-greensticks，whenMaryknocked。“Comein，“saidAlice，remembering，however，thatshehadbarredthedoorforthenight，andhasteningtomakeitpossibleforanyonetocomein。“Isthatyou，MaryBarton？“exclaimedshe，asthelightfromthecandlestreamedonthegirl’sface。“HowyouaregrownsinceIusedtoseeyouatmybrother’s!Comein，lass，comein。““Please，“saidMary，almostbreathless，“mothersaysyou’retocometotea，andbringyourcupandsaucer，forGeorgeandJaneWilsoniswithus，andthetwins，andJem。Andyou’retomakehaste，please。““I’msureit’sveryneighbourlyandkindinyourmother，andI’llcome，withmanythanks。Stay，Mary，hasyourmothergotanynettlesforspringdrink？Ifshehasn’tI’lltakehersome。“No，Idon’tthinkshehas。“Maryranofflikeaharetofulfilwhat，toagirlofthirteen，fondofpower，wasthemoreinterestingpartofhererrand——themoney-spendingpart。Andwellandablydidsheperformherbusiness，returninghomewithalittlebottleofrum，andtheeggsinonehand，whileherotherwasfilledwithsomeexcellentred-and-white，smoke-flavoured，Cumberlandham，wrappedupinpaper。Shewasathome，andfryingham，beforeAlicehadchosenhernettles，putouthercandle，lockedherdoor，andwalkedinaveryfoot-soremannerasfarasJohnBarton’s。Whatanaspectofcomfortdidhishouse-placepresent，afterherhumblecellar!Shedidnotthinkofcomparing；butforallthatshefeltthedeliciousglowofthefire，thebrightlightthatrevelledineverycorneroftheroom，thesavourysmells，thecomfortablesoundsofaboilingkettle，andthehissing，frizzlingham。Withalittleold-fashionedcurtseysheshutthedoor，andrepliedwithalovinghearttotheboisterousandsurprisedgreetingofherbrother。Andnowallpreparationsbeingmade，thepartysatdown；MrsWilsoninthepostofhonour，therockingchair，ontherighthandsideofthefire，nursingherbaby，whileitsfather，inanoppositearm-chair，triedvainlytoquietentheotherwithbreadsoakedinmilk。MrsBartonknewmannerstoowelltodoanythingbutsitatthetea-tableandmaketea，thoughinherheartshelongedtobeabletosuperintendthefryingoftheham，andcastmanyananxiouslookatMaryasshebroketheeggsandturnedtheham，withaverycomfortableportionofconfidenceinherownculinarypowers。Jemstoodawkwardlyleaningagainstthedresser，replyingrathergrufflytohisaunt’sspeeches，whichgavehim，hethought，theairofbeingalittleboy；whereasheconsideredhimselfasayoungman，andnotsoveryyoungneither，asintwomonthshewouldbeeighteen。
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