"What?"
"This, that we are doing. It is like a fairy story exactly."
"How is it like fairy stories?" said Norton. "I don't know."
"Did you never read fairy stories?"
"Never. What are they like?"
"Why some of them are just like this," said Matilda. "People are rich, and can do what they please; and they set out to get things together for a feast, or to prepare a palace for some princess; and first one nice thing is got, and then another, and then some thing else; until by and by you feel as if you had been at the feast, or seen the palace, or had done the shopping. I do."
"This isn't for a princess," said Norton.
"No, nor a palace," said Matilda; "but it seems just as good."
"Go on, Pink; let us quit princesses and get to the real business. What do you want to get, first thing?"
"First thing," said Matilda, "I think would be to get somebody to clean the house. There are only two little rooms. It wouldn't be much. Don't you think so, Norton?"