‘In London,’ said Margaret, much amused.

‘London!  Have yo’ been in London?’

’Yes!  I lived there for some years.  But my home was in a forest; in the country.

‘Tell me about it,’ said Bessy.  ’I like to hear speak of the country and trees, and such like things.’  She leant back, and shut her eye and crossed her hands over her breast, lying at perfect rest, as if t receive all the ideas Margaret could suggest.

Margaret had never spoken of Helstone since she left it, except just naming the place incidentally.  She saw it in dreams more vivid than life, and as she fell away to slumber at nights her memory wandered in all its pleasant places.  But her heart was opened to this girl; ’Oh, Bessy, I loved the home we have left so dearly!  I wish you could see it.  I cannot tell you half its beauty.  There are great trees standing all about it, with their branches stretching long andlevel, and making a deep shade of rest even at noonday.  And yet, though every leaf may seem still, there is a continual rushing sound of movement all around—­not close at hand.  Then sometimes the turf is as soft and fine as velvet; and sometimes quite lush with the perpetual moisture of a little, hidden, tinkling brook near at hand.  And then in other parts there are billowy ferns—­whole stretches of fern; some in the green shadow; some with long streaks of golden sunlight lying on them—­just like the sea.’

‘I have never seen the sea,’ murmured Bessy.  ‘But go on.’

’Then, here and there, there are wide commons, high up as if above the very tops of the trees—­’

’I’m glad of that.  I felt smothered like down below.  When I have gone for an out, I’ve always wanted to get high up and see far away, and take a deep breath o’ fulness in that air.  I get smothered enough in Milton, and I think the sound yo’ speak of among the trees, going on for ever and ever, would send me dazed; it’s that made my head ache so in the mill.  Now on these commons I reckon there is but little noise?’

‘No,’ said Margaret; ’nothing but here and there a lark high in the air.  Sometimes I used to hear a farmer speaking sharp and loud to his servants; but it was so far away that it only reminded me pleasantly that other people were hard at work in some distant place, while I just sat on the heather and did nothing.’

’I used to think once that if I could have a day of doing nothing, to rest me—­a day in some quiet place like that yo’ speak on—­it would maybe set me up.  But now I’ve had many days o’ idleness, and I’m just as weary o’ them as I was o’ my work.  Sometimes I’m so tired out I think I cannot enjoy heaven without a piece of rest first.  I’m rather afeard o’ going straight there without getting a good sleep in the grave to set me up.’

‘Don’t be afraid, Bessy,’ said Margaret, laying her hand on the girl’s; ’God can give you more perfect rest than even idleness on earth, or the dead sleep of the grave can do.’