It was curious to watch the young girls as they instantaneously availed themselves of Mrs. Mason’s absence.  One fat, particularly heavy-looking damsel laid her head on her folded arms and was asleep in a moment; refusing to be wakened for her share in the frugal supper, but springing up with a frightened look at the sound of Mrs. Mason’s returning footstep, even while it was still far off on the echoing stairs.  Two or three others huddled over the scanty fireplace, which, with every possible economy of space, and no attempt whatever at anything of grace or ornament, was inserted in the slight, flat-looking wall, that had been run up by the present owner of the property to portion off this division of the grand old drawing-room of the mansion.  Some employed the time in eating their bread and cheese, with as measured and incessant a motion of the jaws (and almost as stupidly placid an expression of countenance), as you may see in cows ruminating in the first meadow you happen to pass.

Some held up admiringly the beautiful ball-dress in progress, while others examined the effect, backing from the object to be criticised in the true artistic manner.  Others stretched themselves into all sorts of postures to relieve the weary muscles; one or two gave vent to all the yawns, coughs, and sneezes that bad been pent up so long in the presence of Mrs. Mason.  But Ruth Hilton sprang to the large old window, and pressed against it as a bird presses against the bars of its cage.  She put back the blind, and gazed into the quiet moonlight night.  It was doubly light—­almost as much so as day—­for everything was covered with the deep snow which had been falling silently ever since the evening before.  The window was in a square recess; the old strange little panes of glass had been replaced by those which gave more light.  A little distance off, the feathery branches of a larch waved softly to and fro in the scarcely perceptible night-breeze.  Poor old larch! the time had been when it had stood in a pleasant lawn, with the tender grass creeping caressingly up its very trunk; but now the lawn was divided into yards and squalid back premises, and the larch was pent up and girded about with flagstones.  The snow lay thick on its boughs, and now and then fell noiselessly down.  The old stables had been added to, and altered into a dismal street of mean-looking houses, back to back with the ancient mansions.  And over all these changes from grandeur to squalor, bent down the purple heavens with their unchanging splendour!

Ruth pressed her hot forehead against the cold glass, and strained her aching eyes in gazing out on the lovely sky of a winter’s night.  The impulse was strong upon her to snatch up a shawl, and, wrapping it round her head, to sally forth and enjoy the glory; and time was when that impulse would have been instantly followed; but now, Ruth’s eyes filled with tears, and she stood quite still dreaming of the days that were gone.  Some one touched her shoulder while her thoughts were far away, remembering past January nights, which had resembled this, and were yet so different.