Each year there was talk of repainting them, but nothing had yet been done, from a dislike of making any change.
Hubertine, busy at her work, raised her head as Angelique spoke and said: "You know that if our work is done on Sunday, I have promised to give you a basket of pansies for your garden." The young girl exclaimed gaily: "Oh, yes! that is true.

Ah, well! I will do my best then! But where is my thimble?
It seems as if all working implements take to themselves wings and fly away, if not in constant use." She flipped the old _doigtier_ of ivory on the second joint of her little finger, and took her place on the other side of the frame, opposite to the window.
Since the middle of the last century there had not been the slightest modification in the fittings and arrangements of the workroom.

Fashions changed, the art of the embroiderer was transformed, but there was still seen fastened to the wall the chantlate, the great piece of wood where was placed one end of the frame or work, while the other end was supported by a moving trestle.

In the corners were many ancient tools--a little machine called a "diligent," with its wheels and its long pins, to wind the gold thread on the reels without touching it; a hand spinning-wheel; a species of pulley to twist the threads which were attached to the wall; rollers of various sizes covered with silks and threads used in the crochet embroidery.

Upon a shelf was spread out an old collection of punches for the spangles, and there was also to be seen a valuable relic, in the shape of the classic chandelier in hammered brass which belonged to some ancient master-workman.