The roof was mended, a scullery-maid – a relative of the elder's – was engaged, hens were bought, the cows gave enough milk, the garden was fenced in, a mangle was made by the carpenter, hooks were put into the wardrobes, which no longer opened at their own sweet will; an ironing board covered with coarse cloth lay across the arm of a chair and a chest of drawers in the maid's room, and the smell of hot irons soon pervaded the room.
Il tetto fu accomodato, si trovò la cuoca, una comare dello starosta, le galline furono comprate; le mucche ripresero a dare il latte, il giardino fu recinto, furono messi dei ganci agli armadi che non si aprirono più arbitrariamente, e la tavola da stiro, ravvolta in un panno da soldato, fu distesa dal bracciuolo di una poltrona al cassettone, sì che nella stanza delle donne si sentì odor di stiro.