whose Nature comes to a full stop as soon as he has no further
commercial need of her, instead of melting by fine expanse and exquisite
gradation into genuine distance, as nature does in Claude and in nature.
To reverse the picture, if you stood at the door you looked across forty
feet of black, and the little corner seemed on fire, and the fair heads
about the candle shone like the St. Cecilias and Madonnas in an antique
stained-glass window.

At last the door opened, and another candle fired Jacintha's comely
peasant face in the doorway. She put down her candle outside the door,
and started as crow flies for the other light. After glowing a moment in
the doorway she dived into the shadow and emerged into light again
close to the table with napkins on her arm. She removed the work-box
reverentially, the doctor's manuscript unceremoniously, and proceeded to
lay a cloth: in which operation she looked at Rose a point-blank glance
of admiration: then she placed the napkins; and in this process she
again cast a strange look of interest upon Rose. The young lady noticed
it this time, and looked inquiringly at her in return, half expecting
some communication; but Jacintha lowered her eyes and bustled about the
table. Then Rose spoke to her with a sort of instinct of curiosity, on
the chance of drawing her out.

"Supper is late to-night, is it not, Jacintha?"

"Yes, mademoiselle; I have had more cooking than usual," and with this
she delivered another point-blank look as before, and dived into the
palpable obscure, and came to light in the doorway.

Her return was anxiously expected; for, if the truth must be told,
they were very hungry. So rigorous was the economy in this decayed but