"It  seems  so  peculiar  to  resort  to  me,"  Mrs.  Meares  was
saying,  "after  the  way  your  father  treated  me,  but  I'm  not
the  woman  to  bear  a  grudge.  Thank  God,  I  can  meet  the
blows  of  fortune  with  nobility  and  forgive  an  injury  with
any  one  in  the  world.  It's  lucky  indeed  that  I  can  show  my
true  character  and  offer  you  assistance.  The  servant  is
leaving  to-morrow,  and  though  I  will  not  take  advantage
of  your  position  to  ask  you  to  do  anything  in  the  nature  of
menial  labor,  though  to  be  sure  it's  myself  knows  too  well
the  word — to  put  it  shortly,  I  can  offer  you  board  and
lodging  in  return  for  any  little  help  you  may  give  me  until
I  will  get  a  new  servant.  And  it's  not  easy  to  get  servants
these  days.  Such  grand  ideas  have  they."

Sylvia  felt  that  she  ought  to  accept  this  offer;  she  was
destitute  and  she  wished  to  avoid  charity,  having  grasped
that,  though  it  was  a  great  thing  to  make  oneself  indis-
pensable, it  was  equally  important  not  to  put  oneself  under
an  obligation;  finally  it  would  be  a  satisfaction  to  pay
back  what  her  father  owed.  Not  that  she  fancied  his  ghost

9


128  Sylvia    Scarlett

would  be  disturbed  by  the  recollection  of  any  earthly  debts;
it  would  be  purely  a  personal  satisfaction,  and  she  told  Mrs.
Meares  that  she  was  willing  to  help  under  the  proposed
terms.
Somewhere  about  nine  o'clock  Sylvia  sat  down  with  Mrs.
