An old medlar tree, very warped and gnarled, was at the bottom of the lawn, and beyond this a small kitchen-garden, with abundance of gooseberry and currant-bushes, and vast resources in the shape of mint, marjoram, and lavender.
"Oh, dear! oh, dear! what a wretched little place after our dear old Glen Cottage garden!" And in spite of her good resolutions, Nan's eyes grew misty.
"Comparisons are odious," retorted Phillis, briskly. "We have just to make the best of things,--and I don't deny they are horrid,--and put all the rest away, between lavender, on the shelves of our memory." And she smiled grimly as she picked one of the gray spiky flowers.
And then, as they walked round the weedy paths, she pointed out how different it would look when the lawn was mown, and all the weeds and oyster-shells removed, and the box and yews clipped, and a little paint put on the greenhouse.
"And look at that splendid passion-flower, growing like a weed over the back of the cottage," she remarked, with a wave of her hand: "it only wants training and nailing up. Poor Miss Monks has neglected the garden shamefully; but then she was always ailing."
They went into the cottage after this. The entry was rather small and dark. The kitchen came first: it was a tolerable-sized apartment, with two windows looking out on the lilacs and the green door and the blank wall.
"I am afraid Dorothy will find it a little dull," Nan observed, rather ruefully. And again she thought the name of Friary was well given to this gruesome cottage; but she cheered up when Phillis opened cupboards and showed her a light little scullery, and thought that perhaps they could make it comfortable for Dorothy.
The other two rooms looked upon the garden: one had three windows, and was really a very pleasant parlor.
"This must be our work-room," began Phillis, solemnly, as she stood in the centre of the empty room, looking round her with bright knowing glances. "Oh, what an ugly paper, Nan! but we can easily put up a prettier one. The smaller room must be where we live and take our meals: it is not quite so cheerful as this. It is so nice having this side-window; it will give us more light, and we shall be able to see who comes in at the door."