It was only within a year or two that they had not kept an indoor
servant; and the fact of their not doing so now puzzled the gossips of
Calne. The clerk's emoluments were the same as ever; there was no Willy
to encroach on them now; and the work of the house required a good
servant. However, it pleased Mrs. Gum to have one in only by day; and who
was to interfere with her if the clerk did not?

Jabez Gum worked on for some little time after eight o'clock, the
breakfast-hour. He rather wondered he was not called to it, and
registered a mental vow to discharge Miss Becky. Presently he went
indoors, put his head into a small sitting-room on the left, and found
the room empty, but the breakfast laid. The kitchen was behind it, and
Jabez Gum stalked on down the passage, and went into it. On the other
side of the passage was the best sitting-room, and a very small room at
the back of it, which Jabez used as an office, and where he kept sundry
account-books.

"Where's your missis?" asked he of the maid, who was on her knees
toasting bread.

"Not down yet," was the short response.

"Not down yet!" repeated Jabez in surprise, for Mrs. Gum was generally
down by seven. "You've got that door open again, Rebecca. How many more
times am I to tell you I won't have it?"

"It's the smoke," said Rebecca. "This chimbley always smokes when it's
first lighted."