Adam Bede - Softcover

The kitchen of the Hall Farm. TIME: July 16, 1799. At the right of the stage a door leading to the yard; at the left a big open fireplace and a cupboard. A bove the fireplace a high mantel, with brass candlesticks in a row. A tall oak clock of old-fashioned make and brilliantly polished, stands at the back of the stage, under the stairs an oak table, brightly polished and turned up against the wall. A bove it are the shelves of bright pewter dishes and blue and white plates. At the back of the stage (left) is an alcove, one step up with a wide entrance, and here are seen churns and shelves on which stand mounds of butter and cheeses. The earthenware is cream and red with soft brown wood and bright tin, making a pretty color study. By the side of the dairy a flight of steps lead upstairs. In the kitchen are Mrs. Poyser and Dinah Morris. Mrs. Poyser stands in the open door in bright sunshine, busily knitting a gray stocking at which she seldom glances. Mrs. Poyser is a good-looking matron of thirty-eight, of fair complexion and dark hair, well-shaped, light-footed. She wears a plain dark gown and a white cap with a little frill around her face. The most conspicuous article of her attire is a big, checkered linen apron, which almost covers her skirt. Her eyes are very keen and are constantly glancing about from the dairy to the yard and back again, as though looking for dust or careless servants. She only melts at sight of her little daughter, Totty. Her tongue is not less keen than her eye. She steps quickly and lightly and her voice is sharp. Dinah Morris, her niece, is seated mending a sheet. Dinah resembles her aunt in complexion, but is paler and her expression is of the utmost mildness. Dinah is twenty-five, wears a perfectly plain black gown and a white net cap, severely plain, high-crowned and without a border. Dinah sdark hair is parted in the middle a
(Typographical errors above are due to OCR software and don't occur in the book.)