"I care about it as the Bible speaks of it; and as Mr. Richmond talks about it."
"You are very fond of Mr. Richmond, I know."
Matilda added nothing to that, and there was a pause.
"Do you want anything more of me, Aunt Candy?"
"Yes. I want to teach you something useful. Here are a quantity of stockings of yours that need mending. I am going to show you how to mend them. Go and get your work-box and bring it here."
"Couldn't you tell me what you want me to do, Aunt Candy, and let me go and do it where Maria is?"
"No. Maria is busy. And I have got to take a good deal of pains to teach you, Tilly, what I want you to know. Go fetch your box and work things."
Matilda slowly went. It was so pleasant to be out of that perfumed room and out of sight of the Rev. Mr. Orderly's writings. She lingered in the passages; looked over the balusters and listened, hoping that by some happy chance Maria might make some demand upon her. None came; the house was still; and Matilda had to go back to her aunt. She felt like a prisoner.
"Now I suppose you have no darning cotton," said Mrs. Candy. "Here is a needleful. Thread it, and then I will show you what next."
"This is three or four needlefuls, aunt Candy. I will break it. I cannot sew with such a thread."