"It is necessary to take all things into consideration," he said, answering her look. "You would not wish to put Sarah and her mother into a place of comfort for a little while, merely to let them fall out of it again?"
"O no, sir!"
"How are they to be maintained in it?"
Matilda pondered.
"I could take care of the rent, I think, I mean we could, for a while; for a year, perhaps; by that time couldn't they pay it, don't you think?"
"How?"
"By their work; by their earnings."
"But now, and for a long time past, their work has not enabled them to pay for anything better than they have got."
"Couldn't they do something better, Mr. Wharncliffe? something else? that would give them more money?"
"What work could you help them to, that would pay better?"