It is a cloudless day and dry under foot, otherwise the little boy would have worn clogs over his shoes, and you might see them outside.

Mud on the polished stones of the passage would have ruffled the housewife's calm.

As it is, we can see she has had no worries this morning.

She has donned her fresh red dress and clean white apron, and will soon be seated to prepare the vegetables and fruit that are being brought her.

Perhaps they are a present from the old lady in the house over the way, who from her front door watches the child delivering the gift.
[Illustration: AN INTERIOR From the picture by Pieter de Hoogh, in the Wallace Collection, London] It is a domestic scene that you might witness in any of the old towns of Holland to this day.