Who does not know how terrible are those preparations for house-moving;—­how infinite in number are the articles which must be packed, how inexpressibly uncomfortable is the period of packing, and how poor and tawdry is the aspect of one’s belongings while they are thus in a state of dislocation?  Nowadays people who understand the world, and have money commensurate with their understanding, have learned the way of shunning all these disasters, and of leaving the work to the hands of persons paid for doing it.  The crockery is left in the cupboards, the books on the shelves, the wine in the bins, the curtains on their poles, and the family that is understanding goes for a fortnight to Brighton.  At the end of that time the crockery is comfortably settled in other cupboards, the books on other shelves, the wine in other bins, the curtains are hung on other poles, and all is arranged.  But Mrs Dale and her daughters understood nothing of such a method of moving as this.  The assistance of the village carpenter in filling certain cases that he had made was all that they knew how to obtain beyond that of their own two servants.  Every article had to pass through the hands of some one of the family; and as they felt almost overwhelmed by the extent of the work to be done, they began it much sooner than was necessary, so that it became evident as they advanced in their work, that they would have to pass a dreadfully dull, stupid, uncomfortable week at last, among their boxes and cases, in all the confusion of dismantled furniture.

At first an edict had gone forth that Lily was to do nothing.  She was an invalid, and was to be petted and kept quiet.  But this edict soon fell to the ground, and Lily worked harder than either her mother or her sister.  In truth she was hardly an invalid any longer, and would not submit to an invalid’s treatment.  She felt herself that, for the present, constant occupation could alone save her from the misery of looking back,—­and she had conceived an idea that the harder that occupation was, the better it would be for her.  While pulling down the books, and folding the linen, and turning out from their old hiding-places the small long-forgotten properties of the household, she would be as gay as ever she had been in old times.  She would talk over her work, standing with flushed cheek and laughing eyes among the dusty ruins around her, till for a moment her mother would think that all was well within her.  But then at other moments, when the reaction came, it would seem as though nothing were well.  She could not sit quietly over the fire, with quiet rational work in her hands, and chat in a rational quiet way.  Not as yet could she do so.  Nevertheless it was well with her,—­within her own bosom.  She had declared to herself that she would conquer her misery,—­as she had also declared to herself during her illness that her misfortune should not kill her,—­and she was in the way to conquer it.  She told herself that the world was