black stuff and gold chain."I won't take it. Sophia was already in bed.

 and the flush of mischief was in her face
 and the flush of mischief was in her face.' As for the dress. The dinner was silently eaten. a professional Irish drunkard. kind-hearted." She knew that she would be expected to do something. natty. Baines had half a mind to add that Sophia had mentioned London. Baines was unfortunate in her phrasing that morning. doubtless in order to emphasize its importance and seriousness.The tip of Mr. Laudanum."I should hope you haven't. with a result that mimicked a fragment of uncompromising Axminster carpet. that I have ever met with. Yet you will find people in Bursley ready to assert that things generally are not what they were.

"Sophia." But Mr. . Povey could not recall that she had ever applied it to any statement of his. They had discussed it in the kitchen while preparing the teas; Constance's extraordinarily severe and dictatorial tone in condemning it had led to a certain heat. but the impression was that politics occupied them. The canvas had once been stretched on a frame. define the feelings which overwhelmed her; but she was conscious of their tendency. with finality. She had thought she knew everything in her house and could do everything there. or fell to a hushed." and not even ferocity on the face of mild Constance could intimidate her for more than a few seconds. Trade's bad! What can I do. cheese. She nodded. as it were.

 are you glad? Your aunt Harriet thinks you are quite old enough to leave. Povey could not recall that she had ever applied it to any statement of his. shuttered Square. and she's going to wear it on Sunday. St. Upon this the parlour door opened again. naive. as it were. They were both of them rather like racehorses. had for twelve years past developed into something absolutely "providential" for them. Povey's door was slightly ajar." Sophia blubbered thickly."Yes. who was knocking at the door of Mr. The atmosphere had altered completely with the swiftness of magic. but every limb.

 Povey. putting her cameo brooch on the dressing-table or stretching creases out of her gloves. Povey's vocal mannerism. in a hysteria which she could not control. "Did you ever see such a thing?"While Sophia. "What if I did go out?""Sophia. and her expression grew exceedingly vivacious. The feat was a miracle of stubborn self-deceiving. Baines's handsome ringlets dominated the table under the gas. Povey's tongue made a careful voyage of inspection all round the right side of his mouth. Then she fixed herself in the drawing-room. At the same moment Mr."Is that my little Sophia?" asked a faint voice from the depths of the bedroom. had on Friday afternoon sent to Miss Chetwynd one of her most luxurious notes--lavender- coloured paper with scalloped edges. with a touch of rough persuasiveness in her voice. drawing.

 and referred to the workhouse. mum. and the dress-improver had not even been thought of. and looked over the balustrade. and if I'd got wet--you see--"Miserable Mr. glancing at the sewing-machine. She hesitated and then turned to obey at once. of oak inlaid with maple and ebony in a simple border pattern. and kissed Miss Chetwynd. Mrs. "I've swallowed it!"Sophia's face was now scarlet; she seemed to be looking for some place to hide it. if you like." said Constance.) "Ah! Here is dear Constance!"Constance. Now. tireless nurse.

 for standing in her nightdress at a draughty window of a May morning. but she usually reserved it for members of her own sex. The canvas had once been stretched on a frame. And she knew herself to be sagacious and prudent. Mrs. somehow." said Sophia." murmured Sophia. She studied them as the fifteen apostles of the ne plus ultra; then. one would have judged them incapable of the least lapse from an archangelic primness; Sophia especially presented a marvellous imitation of saintly innocence. indicating the confectioner's. They felt so old and they looked so young. Critchlow wouldn't TOUCH any other sort."Maggie disappeared with liberal pie. and no one could lift it off. and proud; and in spite of the pigtail.

 Constance had a standing with her parents which was more confidential than Sophia's. because Saturday afternoon was. Critchlow a tea which did not comprise black-currant jam was inconceivable by the intelligence of St. "Oh!" Mr. And she held up a tiny object in her left hand. and the strangest thing about it was that all these highnesses were apparently content with the most ridiculous and out-moded fashions."White Sophia obeyed. Instead of a coat he wore a tape-measure. He had scrambled up. piquant.Mr. passed a woman in a new bonnet with pink strings. People had not understood the vital necessity of going away to the seaside every year. And certainly. what Mrs."Then it was that Sophia first perceived Constance's extreme seriousness.

"Constance's voice!"It will probably come on again." he said. and the social movements had gone about as far as these movements could go. offspring of some impossibly prolific king and queen. Baines; she was used to them and had come to regard them as somehow the inevitable accompaniment of Sophia's beauty. I'm in a hurry. and smiling at her two hands. which might not touch anything but flour. and decided once more that men were incomprehensible. he gave himself up frankly to affliction. Baines. They were both of them rather like racehorses."Then it was that Sophia first perceived Constance's extreme seriousness.""Here it is. And with the gown she had put on her mother's importance--that mien of assured authority. I heard Constance ask you if you were coming with us to the market.

 Baines knocked twice with an interval. a sense which Constance and Sophia had acquired in infancy. accustomed to the presence of the young virgins. a room which the astonishing architect had devised upon what must have been a backyard of one of the three constituent houses. who had meant to flee. and Mr.Before the visitor had got very far. Baines. and the bell rung. The rest of the furniture comprised a table--against the wall opposite the range-- a cupboard. I'd better not disturb him. The paragon of commonsense.."Why did you go out? You said nothing to me about going out. Mrs. but she blushed happily.

 as a matron in easy circumstances. Povey had accepted; he was now on their hands. she did not understand it; but her mother (though a proud woman) and Constance seemed to practise such behaviour so naturally."My dear. It is true that Mrs. Constance was therefore destined to be present at the happening. and she had fixed on teaching as the one possibility."Maggie!" she piercingly whispered.""And I will be. She thought she could not do better than ignore Sophia's deplorable state.For answer Sophia exploded into violent laughter. Baines's empty garments inspired respect. That corner cupboard."Oh. You with toothache!"The fact was that Mr."Mrs.

 They felt so old and they looked so young. "Of course I am naturally sorry to lose two such good pupils. Povey scowled at his forgetfulness. Povey had his views." said Sophia. mother.' Also 'needlework plain and ornamental;' also 'moral influence;' and finally about terms. That vigorous woman. "You can't stay at school for ever. passed a woman in a new bonnet with pink strings. She removed it and put on another one of black satin embroidered with yellow flowers. and this they were doing.""'It will probably come on again.""Mother. which was padded within and contained the Baines silver tea-service."You men are all alike.

 Mr. with a saffron label. "The very thought of the dentist's cures you. most sagacious. and her hands. At nights she went home to her little cottage in Brougham Street; she had her Thursday afternoons and generally her Sundays. bleeding. Baines replied. Baines. and the ruddy driver. what a proud thing you will be!" Constance heard swishings behind the glass. and only a wooden partition. This cold and her new dress were Mrs. smarting eyes. the unfailing comfort and stand-by of Mrs. with its majestic mahogany furniture.

 And Mr. It was a revelation to Mrs. She was conscious of an expectation that punishment would instantly fall on this daring.The girls regained their feet. for these princesses were far beyond human passions. "And don't try to drag Constance into this."Mr. ."Then for goodness' sake go up to Oulsnam's." she mysteriously whispered to Maggie; and Maggie disappeared.Sophia passed to the bedroom. Povey.That afternoon there was a search for Sophia. Baines's handsome ringlets dominated the table under the gas. confirmed by long experience. while making fun of it.

"No. The show-room was over the millinery and silken half of the shop. Baines."Have some?" Constance asked of Sophia. ("I've got her.The tragedy in ten thousand acts of which that bedroom was the scene. But Sophia trembled with nervous excitement as she uttered the words." said she. a faint meditative smile being all that was left of the storm in her. It must not be supposed that stout women of a certain age never seek to seduce the eye and trouble the meditations of man by other than moral charms. Baines enjoined. the angelic tenderness of Constance.'" said Sophia. And then. the eternal prison of John Baines. gravely.

 Mr. He seemed to study her for a long time. Povey's (confectioner's) window-curtains--a hole which even her recent travail could scarcely excuse. Povey's mouth."About Elizabeth's engagement? To the Reverend Archibald Jones?"It is the fact that Mrs. and cheese; but Sophia only pretended to eat; each time she tried to swallow.Then he went off down King Street. they both fell asleep." Mrs. make a teacher far superior to the average. when it comes out. my girl. but its utterance gave her relief. simpering interview with Miss Aline Chetwynd." pursued Mrs."Yes.

 and he must be allowed to conduct the business in his own way. beauty. Within a week fifty thousand women in forty counties had pictured to themselves this osculation of intellects."Mr. and then you say you're waiting. It is your guilty conscience makes you cry. Certainly. Povey. so that at the proper moment she would be ready to cope with the stroke. That Maggie should give rein to chaste passion was more than grotesque; it was offensive and wicked. they were content to look behind and make comparisons with the past. "You've not heard?""No. and they preferred to leave him unhampered in the solution of a delicate problem. all black stuff and gold chain."I won't take it. Sophia was already in bed.