Part 10 (1/2)
”What was done, Clarissa?” her mother asked.
”I can hardly tell, mamma. A sort of a.s.sociation formed, for doing parish work.”
”I do not think much of a.s.sociations,” Mrs. Candy said. ”People can work just as well in private, if they would only be content. Did _you_ join this a.s.sociation?”
”What is _parish work_, Clarissa?” Matilda asked.
”Why, work in the parish, of course,” Mrs. Englefield answered.
”I don't know what the parish is, mamma?”
”Don't you? Well,--all the people that Mr. Richmond has the care of, I suppose; isn't it, sister?”
”But who has he the care of?” Matilda persisted, looking up at her mother earnestly.
”Well, child,” said Mrs. Englefield, half laughing, ”in a sort, he has the care of all the people he preaches to.”
”Does he?” said Matilda. But at that the laugh became general.
”Why not, Tilly?” said Mrs. Candy.
”Who gave him the care of us?” said Matilda, thoughtfully.
”A minister always has the care of a church when he has a church,” said Mrs. Candy. ”Is this Tilly's way of going into things in general, Marianne?”
”_But_,” said Matilda,--”can anybody take a church and take care of people, if he has a mind?”
”No; only a man who has been properly educated and appointed.”
”Then how comes he to have the _care_ of us?”
”Come here, Tilly,” said Clarissa. And she began a whispered explanation, to which the little girl listened intently.
”I do not hear yet what was the business done to-night?” Mrs.
Englefield went on.
”Why, there were committees formed,” said Let.i.tia, ”for doing every sort of business under heaven.”
”Committees!” said the two ladies who had stayed at home.
”Maria can tell you,” said Anne. ”Maria, on how many committees are you?”
Maria hugged the fire and did not answer.
”On how many, Maria?”
”I don't know. I didn't count.”
”I lost count, too,” her sister said. ”Let me see. Mamma, Maria has undertaken to find and bring in new scholars for the school.”
”I hope she will be punctual in going herself, then,” said Mrs.