) You know, I suppose, that I
left it to the two of you--you and Edwin?
MARTHA. We were going to give it to Bella, to set up house with.
LAURA. _That's_ not what I intended. I meant you to keep on the house
and live there. Why couldn't you?
MARTHA (_with growing annoyance_). Well, _that's_ settled now!
LAURA. It wasn't for Arabella. Arabella was never a favourite of mine. Why
should Arabella have my furniture?
MARTHA. Well, you'd better send word, and have it stored up for you till
doomsday! Edwin doesn't want it; he's got enough of his own.
LAURA (_in a sleek, injured voice_). Julia, I'm going upstairs to
take my things off.
JULIA. Very well, Laura. (_And Laura makes her injured exit_.)
So you've been with Edwin, and his family?
MARTHA. Yes. I'm never well there; but I wanted the change.
JULIA. You mean, you had been staying with Laura?
MARTHA. I always go and stay with her, as long as I can--three months, I'm
supposed to. But this year--well, I couldn't manage with it.
JULIA. Is she so much more difficult than she used to be?
MARTHA. Of course, I don't know what she's like here.
JULIA. Oh, she has been very much herself--_poor_ Laura!
MARTHA. I know! Julia, I know! And I try to make allowances. All her life
she's had her own way with somebody. Poor William! Of course I know he had
his faults. But he used to come and say to me: 'Martha, I _can't_
please her.' Well, poor man, he's at peace now, let's hope! Oh, Julia,
I've just thought: whatever will poor William do? He's here, I suppose,
somewhere?
JULIA.
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