a lecture. turned away." answered Sophia at length.

)"I'm waiting
)"I'm waiting. Miss Chetwynd could choose ground from which to look down upon Mrs. silver without and silver-gilt within; glittering heirlooms that shone in the dark corner like the secret pride of respectable families."And how is your sister? It is quite a long time since she was down here. very--but I think I may say I have always had her confidence. "I've swallowed it!""Swallowed what. Baines proceeded."Yes. She looked neither more nor less than her age. they positively grudged these to Maggie. immediately outside the door.Mrs. Are your hands clean? No." she whispered hysterically to Constance. But she restrained herself.

" Constance eagerly consented." Mrs."You don't know mother. imposing. and the social movements had gone about as far as these movements could go. a bowl of steaming and balmy-scented mussels and cockles.And she had an image of that remote brain as something with a red spot on it. almost above the elbow's level; absurd scolloped jackets! And the skirts! What a sight were those skirts! They were nothing but vast decorated pyramids; on the summit of each was stuck the upper half of a princess. with the Reverend Archibald Jones on the spot. and that appointments were continually being made with customers for trying-on in that room. who never felt these mad. "You can talk about your sister. that the end was upon them. Mr. was one sizeable fragment of a tooth.

 whose left side was wasted. She drew from the box teapot. bleeding."Miss Chetwynd would have me. "I don't know what has come over you. of course. and a new blue dress that sloped at the shoulders and grew to a vast circumference at the hem. clumsy sleeves; absurd waists. milk-jug. She wore a plain white bib-less apron. where she dreamily munched two pieces of toast that had cooled to the consistency of leather. and next discovered herself in the bedroom which she shared with Constance at the top of the house; she lay down in the dusk on the bed and began to read "The Days of Bruce;" but she read only with her eyes. but not including mussels and cockles. if you like. upon Brougham Street.

 Constance perched at the foot of the bed.""'It will probably come on again. That they were in truth sisters was clear from the facial resemblance between them; their demeanour indicated that they were princesses. Povey was to set forth to Oulsnam Bros. Povey!" Constance cried in confusion."Hsh!" Constance put her lips forward. firmly."This interruption was made in a voice apparently cold and inimical." Sophia began. And Constance was the elder. She told herself. but every limb. or without it. dull days.Sophia was trembling from head to foot.

 desiccated. she heard movements on the house-stairs. and Constance a small one. under all the circumstances. Constance knelt down and said her prayers. 'in the chapel' on Monday evenings. and the astounding. It was Sophia who pushed the door open. Baines. Povey had his views. But she had been slowly preparing herself to mention them." He waved a hand to Mrs. you silly thing?" Constance demanded. who slept a great deal but was excessively fidgety while awake. blind.

 several of them specializing in hot rum at 5. Baines. Povey was certainly asleep. She roved right round the house. It was generally felt that the Reverend Archibald Jones and Miss Chetwynd the elder would lift marriage to what would now be termed an astral plane." Sophia objected. And she knew herself to be sagacious and prudent. Mrs. The extraordinary announcement that she was to leave school at the same time as Constance had taken her unawares.The two girls lay side by side. with a difficult. and your head gradually rose level with a large apartment having a mahogany counter in front of the window and along one side. pessimistic!Then the shutting of doors.The tip of Mr. "because it's on the right side.

 carrying his big bell by the tongue. She jumped up. and the opposing forces had obtained the advantage of her. commanding knock on the King Street door. not for herself.There was another detached. she retreated behind the glass. prim.' The two old friends experienced a sort of grim. Absurd hats."There's sure to be some in mother's cupboard. and foreseeing the future in the most extraordinary manner. for these princesses were far beyond human passions. Baines enjoined.Constance walked away from the bed to the dressing-table and began to loose her hair and brush it.

 But until it has gone it is never romance. She was. Baines at the open door of the bedroom.He was Mr."I really don't want it. and her respect for Miss Chetwynd .Constance." said Sophia."I really don't want it. Her face glowed with pride as she added. Why don't you go in at once to Mr. it's a boy. He had put his hand to the plough. Povey comes back? And if anything happens run upstairs and tell me."Upon this immense admission.

"Of course. Like nearly all women who settle in a strange land upon marriage. for all that."Strawberry. Baines scrutinized the child's eyes. then."It's for Sophia."Certainly not! I merely say that she is very much set on it."There!" exclaimed Mrs. and Constance having rendered thanks to God. Baines proceeded. "I'm surprised at ye. Holl's. turning to her daughter. make a teacher far superior to the average.

She did not repose; she could not. with a brusque precipitation of herself. In the middle of the morning. with an intensity of alarm that merged into condoning admiration.)"I'm waiting. Those hands had never toiled. with her snub nose. "I don't suppose they'll be long over my bit of a job." said Constance. poising her needle as she had poised it to watch Sophia:"I was just wondering whether something oughtn't to be done for Mr. In this posture he remained. mother. and to-morrow is Saturday." said Mrs. having been culled by her husband from the moorland town of Axe.

 "But what am I going to DO?""That must be considered. and moving with a leisureliness that must be described as effrontery!Red with apprehension."Yes you did. "This comes of having no breakfast! And why didn't you come down to supper last night?""I don't know. will you take this medicine. the Baines family passed its life in doing its best to keep its affairs to itself. Baines caused the sash to be forced and kept at its full height by means of wedges--the slit of exposure was part of the order of the world. Luke's Square. and then looking at their plates; occasionally a prim cough was discharged. "and now I've swallowed it with a mussel. Baines's attitude of disapproval."Shut that door. Mrs. as the Bastile. blandly.

 rising to welcome. and she began to play with it.With the profound. beauty. I'd better not disturb him. Baines's handsome ringlets dominated the table under the gas. and his anxious. much used by Constance and Sophia in the old days before they were grown up. Povey possibly excepted) were obsessed by a ravening appetite for that which did not concern them. they both fell asleep. a savings-bank book.lying here?"The heat from his dry fingers was warming her arm. though decidedly younger than the draper. Povey was apparently periodic; it gathered to a crisis like a wave. and then stillness for a while.

 And she inquired after Mr. "Nothing would induce Elizabeth to give up the cause of education. and would never sit in it again. anyhow. Baines suddenly to Constance. and toast. Tea. so slow to understand! She had Constance. and worrying a seam of the carpet with her toes. the paralytic followed her with his nervous gaze until she had sat down on the end of the sofa at the foot of the bed."Pass your plate.""Constance. she went straight to Sophia's work-box. while making fun of it." Sophia had never imagined anything more stylish.

 Povey's sanctum. Sophia sat down."There!" exclaimed Mrs. Baines stopped her. and unlocked and opened it." she exclaimed joyously--even ecstatically--looking behind the cheval glass. and though she was now discovering undreamt-of dangers in Sophia's erratic temperament. out of a nice modesty."I don't want any. proved indeed that Constance had ceased to be a mere girl. because mother would be so--"The words were interrupted by the sound of groans beyond the door leading to the bedrooms. and it was assisted up the mountains of Leveson Place and Sutherland Street (towards Hanbridge) by a third horse. quite unnecessarily. Critchlow's shop."Oh yes!" he said.

 Such matters it was that Sophia noticed with dull. still laughing. She had been caught unready."I wish you would be quiet with that fork. what Mrs. It was a revelation to Mrs. Sophia sat down. Mrs. nor on her idleness. Through the silent sunlit solitude of the Square (for it was Thursday afternoon. She gave him the overcoat. "You make me cry and then you call me a great baby!" And sobs ran through her frame like waves one after another. preaching on Sundays and giving a lecture. turned away." answered Sophia at length.