MOULDYOLDPICTURES,DIRTYOLDBOOKS,THEYSTICKEMINMUSEUMSWHENTHEYREONLYFITFORBURNIN.IQUITEAGREE,HELENLAUGHED.BUTMYHUSBANDSPENDSHISLIFEINDIGGINGUPMANUSCRIPTSWHICHNOBODYWANTS.SHEWASAMUSEDBYRIDLEYSEXPRESSIONOFSTARTLEDDISAPPROVAL.THERESACLEVERMANINLONDONCALLEDJOHNWHOPAINTSEVERSOMUCHBETTERTHANTHEOLDMASTERS,MRS.FLUSHINGCONTINUED.HISPICTURESEXCITEME--NOTHINTHATSOLDEXCITESME.BUTEVENHISPICTURESWILLBECOMEOLD,MRS.THORNBURYINTERVENED.THENILLHAVEEMBURNT,ORILLPUTITINMYWILL,SAIDMRS.ANDMRS.FLUSHINGLIVEDINONEOFTHEMOSTBEAUTIFULOLDHOUSESINENGLAND--CHILLINGLEY,MRS.THORNBURYEXPLAINEDTOTHERESTOFTHEM.IFIDMYWAYIDBURNTHATTO-MORROW,MRS.FLUSHINGLAUGHED.SHEHADALAUGHLIKETHECRYOFAJAY,ATONCESTARTLINGANDJOYLESS.WHATDOESANYSANEPERSONWANTWITHTHOSEGREATBIGHOUSESSHEDEMANDED.IFYOUGODOWNSTAIRSAFTERDARKYOURECOVEREDWITHBLACKBEETLES,ANDTHEELECTRICLIGHTSALWAYSGOINOUT.WHATWOULDYOUDOIFSPIDERSCAMEOUTOFTHETAPWHENYOUTURNEDONTHEHOTWATERSHEDEMANDED,FIXINGHEREYEONHELEN.MRS.AMBROSESHRUGGEDHERSHOULDERSWITHASMILE.