‘One thing I’m quite sure of, Nancy,’ she added, ‘and that is, that education makes life very much harder to live. That’s why I don’t hold with educating the poor—not beyond reading and writing. Without education, life is very plain, though it may be a struggle. But from what I have seen of highly-taught people, I’m very sure they suffer worse in their minds than the poor ever do in their bodies.’
Nancy interrupted her.
‘Hush! Was that baby?’
‘Only the wind, I think.’
Not content, Nancy went to the foot of the stairs. Whilst she stood there listening, Mary came out, and said in a low voice:
‘There’s a tap at the window.’
‘No!—You must have been mistaken.’
‘I’m sure it was a tap on the glass.’
She withdrew to the back sitting-room, and Nancy, with quick step, went to open the house-door. A great gust of wind forced it against her as soon as she turned the handle; standing firm, she peeped into darkness.
‘Any one there?’