Part 52 (2/2)

”We'll get a nice _little_ 'ouse out Ithe way.”

”It's 'omelier than Folkestone,” said Ann.

”Jest a nice _little_ 'ouse,” said Kipps. ”There's Hughenden, of course.

But that's let. Besides being miles too big. And I wouldn't live in Folkestone again some'ow--not for anything.”

”I'd like to 'ave a 'ouse of my own,” said Ann. ”I've often thought, being in service, 'ow much I'd like to manage a 'ouse of my own.”

”You'd know all about what the servants was up to, anyhow,” said Kipps, amused.

”Servants! We don't want no servants,” said Ann, startled.

”You'll 'ave to 'ave a servant,” said Kipps. ”If it's only to do the 'eavy work of the 'ouse.”

”What! and not be able 'ardly to go into my own kitchen?” said Ann.

”You ought to 'ave a servant,” said Kipps.

”One could easy 'ave a woman in for anything that's 'eavy,” said Ann.

”Besides---- If I 'ad one of the girls one sees about nowadays I should want to be taking the broom out of 'er 'and and do it all over myself.

I'd manage better without 'er.”

”We ought to 'ave one servant anyhow,” said Kipps, ”else 'ow should we manage if we wanted to go out together or anything like that?”

”I might get a _young_ girl,” said Ann, ”and bring 'er up in my own way.”

Kipps left the matter at that and came back to the house.

”There's little 'ouses going into Hythe, just the sort we want, not too big and not too small. We'll 'ave a kitching and a dining-room and a little room to sit in of a night.”

”It mustn't be a 'ouse with a bas.e.m.e.nt,” said Ann.

”What's a bas.e.m.e.nt?”

”It's a downstairs, where there's not arf enough light and everything got to be carried--up and down, up and down, all day--coals and everything. And it's got to 'ave a watertap and sink and things upstairs. You'd 'ardly believe, Artie, if you 'adn't been in service, 'ow cruel and silly some 'ouses are built--you'd think they 'ad a spite against servants the way the stairs are made.”

”We won't 'ave one of that sort,” said Kipps....

”We'll 'ave a quiet little life. Now go out a bit--now come 'ome again.

Read a book perhaps if we got nothing else to do. 'Ave old Buggins in for an evening at times. 'Ave Sid down. There's bicycles----”

”I don't fancy myself on a bicycle,” said Ann.

”'Ave a trailer,” said Kipps, ”and sit like a lady. I'd take you out to New Romney easy as anything jest to see the old people.”

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