Stranica 161 [161]
xX
things in the course of her work among the poor of the lit¬
tle village that appeared so picturesque when it was seen
from the moor-sides. Everything was not as picturesque, when
seen near by, as it looked from a distance. She had found idleness
and poverty and ignorance where there should have been comfort
and industry. And she had discovered, after a while, that Erleboro
was considered to be the worst village in that part of the country.
Mr. Mordaunt had told her a great many of his difficulties and dis¬
couragements, and she had found out a great deal by herself. The
agents who had managed the property had always been chosen to
please the Earl, and had cared nothing for the degradation and
wretchedness of the poor tenants. Many things, therefore, had
been neglected which should have been attended to, and matters had
gone from bad to worse.
As to Earl’s Court, it was a disgrace, with its dilapidated
houses and miserable, careless, sickly people. When first Mrs.
Errol went to the place, it made her shudder. Such ugliness and
-slovenliness and want seemed worse in a country place than ina
city. It seemed as if there it might be helped. And as she looked
at the squalid, uncared-for children growing up in the midst of vice
and brutal indifference, she thought of her own little boy spending
his days in the great, splendid castle, guarded and served like a
young prince, having no wish ungratified, and knowing nothing but
& be truth was that Mrs. Errol had found a great many sad
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