Although Mrs. Phelps helps Matilda a great deal in the library, she doesn't help her as much out of it. The small tidbits Matilda shares about her home life are worrisome to Mrs. Phelps, but the librarian doesn't really do anything about it. When Matilda explains that she walks to the library by herself, for example, "Mrs. Phelps [becomes] concerned about the child's safety on the walk through the fairly busy village High Street and the crossing of the road, but she decide[s] not to interfere" (1.42).