shedesiredtohavehermealupstairsinherownroom；andpoorMolly，notdaringtotelltheservantsofthiswhim，hadtocarryupfirstatable，which，howeversmall，wastooheavyforher；andafterwardsallthechoiceportionsofthemeal，whichshehadtakengreatpainstoarrangeonthetable，asshehadseensuchthingsdoneatHamley，intermixedwithfruitandflowersthathadthatmorningbeensentinfromvariousgreathouseswhereMrGibsonwasrespectedandvalued。HowprettyMollyhadthoughtherhandiworkanhourortwobefore！Howdrearyitseemedas，atlastreleasedfromMrsGibson’sconversation，shesatedowninsolitudetocoldteaandthedrumsticksofthechicken！Noonetolookatherpreparations，andadmireherleft—handednessandtaste！Shehadthoughtthatherfatherwouldbegratifiedbyit，andthenhehadneverseenit。Shehadmeanthercaresasanofferingofgood—willtoherstepmother，whoevennowwasringingherbelltohavethetraytakenaway，andMissGibsonsummonedtoherbedroom，Mollyhastilyfinishedhermeal，andwentupstairsagain。’Ifeelsolonely，darling，inthisstrangehouse；docomeandbewithme，andhelpmetounpack。IthinkyourdearpapamighthaveputoffhisvisittoMrCravenSmithforjustthisoneevening。’’MrCravenSmithcouldn’tputoffhisdying，’saidMolly，bluntly。’Youdrollgirl！’saidMrsGibson，withafaintlaugh。’ButifthisMrSmithisdying，asyousay，what’stheuseofyourfather’sgoingofftohiminsuchahurry？Doesheexpectanylegacy，oranythingofthatkind？’Mollybitherlipstopreventherselffromsayingsomethingdisagreeable。
Sheonlyanswered，—’Idon’tquiteknowthatheisdying。Themansaidso；andpapacansometimesdosomethingtomakethelaststruggleeasier。Atanyrate，it’salwaysacomforttothefamilytohavehim。’’Whatdrearyknowledgeofdeathyouhavelearnedforagirlofyourage！
Really，ifIhadheardallthesedetailsofyourfather’sprofession，I
doubtifIcouldhavebroughtmyselftohavehim！’’Hedoesn’tmaketheillnessorthedeath；hedoeshisbestagainstthem。
Icallitaveryfinethingtothinkofwhathedoesortriestodo。Andyouwillthinkso，too，whenyouseehowheiswatchedfor，andhowpeoplewelcomehim！’’Well，don’tletustalkanymoreofsuchgloomythingsto—night！IthinkIshallgotobedatonce，Iamsotired，ifyouwillonlysitbymetillIgetsleepy，darling。Ifyouwilltalktome，thesoundofyourvoicewillsoonsendmeoff。\"Mollygotabook，andreadherstepmothertosleep，preferringthattothehardertaskofkeepingupacontinualmurmurofspeech。Thenshestoledownandwentintothedining—room，wherethefirewasgoneout；purposelyneglectedbytheservants，tomarktheirdispleasureattheirnewmistress’shavinghadherteainherownroom。Mollymanagedtolightit，however，beforeherfathercamehome，andcollectedandrearrangedsomecomfortablefoodforhim。Thenshekneltdownagainonthehearth—rug，gazingintothefireinadreamyreverie，whichhadenoughofsadnessaboutittocausethetearstodropunnoticedfromhereyes。Butshejumpedup，andshookherselfintobrightnessatthesoundofherfather’sstep。’HowisMrCravenSmith？’saidshe。’Dead。Hejustrecognizedme。HewasoneofmyfirstpatientsoncomingtoHollingford。’MrGibsonsatedowninthearm—chairmadereadyforhim，andwarmedhishandsatthefire，seemingneithertoneedfoodnortalk，ashewentoveratrainofrecollections。Thenherousedhimselffromhissadness，andlookingroundtheroom，hesaidbrisklyenough，—’Andwhere’sthenewmamma？’’Shewastired，andwenttobedearly。Oh，papa！mustIcallher\"mamma\"？’’Ishouldlikeit，’repliedhe，withaslightcontractionofthebrows。Mollywassilent。Sheputacuporteanearhim；hestirredit，andsippedit，andthenherecurredtothesubject。’Whyshouldn’tyoucallher\"mamma\"？I’msureshemeanstodothedutyofamothertoyou。Weallmaymakemistakes，andherwaysmaynotbequiteallatonceourways；butatanyrateletusstartwithafamilybondbetweenus。’WhatwouldRogersaywasright？—thatwasthequestionthatrosetoMolly’smind。Shehadalwaysspokenofherfather’snewwifeasMrsGibson，andhadonceburstoutatMissBrownings’withaprotestationthatsheneverwouldcallher’mamma。’Shedidnotfeeldrawntohernewrelationbytheirintercoursethatevening。Shekeptsilence，thoughsheknewherfatherwasexpectingananswer。Atlasthegaveuphisexpectation，andturnedtoanothersubject；toldabouttheirjourney，questionedherastotheHamleys，theBrownings，LadyHarriet，andtheafternoontheyhadpassedtogetherattheManorHouse。Buttherewasacertainhardnessandconstraintinhismanner，andinhersaheavinessandabsenceofmind。Allatonceshesaid，—’Papa，Iwillcallher\"mamma\"！’Hetookherhand，andgraspedittight；butforaninstantortwohedidnotspeak。Thenhesaid，—’Youwon’tbesorryforit，Molly，whenyoucometolieaspoorCravenSmithdidto—night。’ForsometimethemurmursandgrumblingsofthetwoelderservantswereconfinedtoMolly’sears，thentheyspreadtoherfather’s，who，toMolly’sdismay，madesummaryworkwiththem。’Youdon’tlikeMrsGibson’sringingherbellsooften，don’tyou？You’vebeenspoilt，I’mafraid；butifyoudon’tconformtomywife’sdesires，youhavetheremedyinyourownhands，youknow。’Whatservanteverresistedthetemptationtogivewarningaftersuchaspeechasthat？BettytoldMollyshewasgoingtoleave，inasindifferentamannerasshecouldpossiblyassumetowardsthegirl，whomshehadtendedandbeenaboutforthelastsixteenyears。Mollyhadhithertoconsideredherformernurseasafixtureinthehouse；shewouldalmostassoonhavethoughtofherfather’sproposingtosevertherelationshipbetweenthem；