"I've got money."
"It'll take all you've got."
"But I want to do what I can, Miss Redwood."
"I kind o' don't think it's right," said the housekeeper. "Why should you go a-spendin' all your little savin's upon Sally Eldridge? And it's only one old woman helped, when all's done; there's lots more. It's somebody else that ought to do it; 'tain't your work, child."
"But I want to do it, Miss Redwood. And I've got the money."
"I wonder how much better she'll be at the end of six months," said the housekeeper. "Well, you want me to take this job in hand, do you?"
"If you can; if you would be so very good."
"You make me feel as mean as water," said the housekeeper. "It'll take me a little while to get up any notion o' my goodness again. I suppose it'll come, with the old pride o' me. I know what the Bible says, but I kind o' didn't think it meant it; and I've been a makin' myself comfortable all my days, or workin' for it, and consolin' my conscience with thinkin' it was no use to help one; but now yours and mine would make two; and somebody else's would ha' been three. La! child, you make me ashamed o' myself."
"But Miss Redwood," said Matilda, in much surprise, "you are always doing something for somebody; I don't know what you mean."
"Not this way, child," said the housekeeper. "I kind o' thought my money was my own, after I had worked for it."