was less of companionship between her and the others. Their light hopes and fears were in common; they could talk of the past, she could not bear to speak of it. To Mary it was a relief to be alone; Louisa and Isabella occupied the front, Helen and Georgiana the back attic.
One description may serve for all three rooms; they were whitewashed, uncurtained, uncarpeted, and crowded with boxes. The only furniture were the small beds—one obliged to be put directly across the fireplace—a deal table and washing-stand, and two rush-bottomed chairs. At the back they looked out upon the mews; in front had a bird's-eye view of the roofs of the opposite houses over the parapet. It was impossible to imagine anything more cold or comfortless, while it was a task of no small dexterity to thread your way through the labyrinth of trunks, bandboxes, &c.; for it had of late years become a maxim with Lady Anne that nothing ought to be thrown or given away: what the elder sisters left off might turn to account for the younger ones, and, as she justly observed, "till a girl came out, it was of no consequence what she wore." Good looks, or good clothes, were sheer extravagance till they had been presented.
The dining-room was very narrow; it had been sacrificed to the hall, which was wide and airy. A handsome hall gives at once a handsome appearance to a house, and Lady Anne asked no one to dinner.
