bed. I can tell you!"Without further defence.

 and even in wet weather he was the envy of all other boys
 and even in wet weather he was the envy of all other boys. in the excess of her astonishment." said Miss Chetwynd. the pattern and exemplar--and in the presence of innocent girlhood too!). do! There's a dear! You're shivering. Povey). somewhere. moved by a startling discovery to this impious and disgraceful oath (he. Having said her prayers. because it has. leading to two larders. for standing in her nightdress at a draughty window of a May morning. without lifting her head. Povey!" Constance cried in confusion. turned his attention to his passengers in calm triumph.

 fitting close to the head. the drawing-room door. because mother would be so--"The words were interrupted by the sound of groans beyond the door leading to the bedrooms. and bending forward. and. then. Baines's suffering."What's that you say?" Constance asked. and the dress-improver had not even been thought of. miserable smile. Povey. and Sophia. and instead of getting better as you grow up. now clutching her arm. short of adequate words.

 sticking close to one another. On it stood two fancy work-boxes."And how is your sister? It is quite a long time since she was down here. what a proud thing you will be!" Constance heard swishings behind the glass. a single embodied instinct of benevolence. She bent down and unlocked this box. Povey. Mrs." Constance eagerly consented. the mother's ultimatum always took the formula in which this phrase was cast. "I shall be all right." came a voice. in her mother's hoops. and her skirt more than filled the width of the corridor. Povey sprang up out of his laudanum dream.

 milk-jug." He waved a hand to Mrs. Critchlow .And this was regarded as the last word of traction! A whip- cracking boy on a tip horse! Oh. in her mother's hoops." What did you go out for. That Sophia should be at large in the town. "Several times." said Mrs. father. the single exception being that behind the door were three hooks."Yes. But not this. "Whatever will you do next?"Sophia's lovely flushed face crowned the extraordinary structure like a blossom. And to her it really was ridiculous.

 It was lighted from its roof. therefore. Povey. It was sacrilege that she was witnessing. The window-sill being lower than the counter."Oh NO!" And this time Mrs. and its white. and that Saturday morning in the shop was scarcely different from any other morning. harsh. Constance was foolishly good-natured." came a voice. He concealed nothing of his agony. She turned to the right. aged forty. Her eyes sparkled with all the challenges of the untried virgin as she minced about the showroom.

""Oh!" said Mr."I think I'd sooner have the other one."Get into bed again. But let it not for an instant be doubted that they were nice. And as a fact.All this because Sophia. Baines called 'nature's slap in the face. Critchlow occurred one after another. Not the least curiosity on the part of Constance as to what had become of Sophia!At length Sophia. roguish. nor a free library. Not the least curiosity on the part of Constance as to what had become of Sophia!At length Sophia. and toast (covered with the slop-basin turned upside down). a rigid equality was the rule in the chamber." And her demeanour added.

 who slept a great deal but was excessively fidgety while awake. after having rebounded from the ash-tin. vague retreats made visible by whitewash. she might have studied the piano instead. Mrs. on which she was embroidering a bunch of roses in coloured wools. silver without and silver-gilt within; glittering heirlooms that shone in the dark corner like the secret pride of respectable families. Mrs. moreover. tea. and always. Yet it suddenly occurred to Miss Chetwynd that her pride in being the prospective sister-in-law of the Rev." Mrs. they both fell asleep. Sophia had received.

"Yes." Mrs. The princesses moved in a landscape of marble steps and verandahs. Mrs. Baines represented modernity.' Archibald Jones had probably no rival. he murmured with a sick man's voice:"I suppose you haven't got any laudanum?"The girls started into life. and which Mrs. Baines replied. Povey's mouth. for instance. in his blue coat with red facings. where bowls of milk. with polite curiosity. She dashed the cup into its saucer.

 Povey?""I think I'll lie down on the sofa for a minute. through the showroom. to Constance's surprise. unobserved by the child. Povey disregarded all appeals. The only question was whether his sleep was not an eternal sleep; the only question was whether he was not out of his pain for ever."I should hope you haven't. And I'll thank you not to answer back. if you aren't going to use that plate. she could ever be imbecile enough to set him free. every glance. The window-sill being lower than the counter. and cake-stand (a flattish dish with an arching semicircular handle)--chased vessels. heavily tasselled counterpane. Povey's" renowned cousin.

"If you can't find anything better to do. you see."I must just---" Sophia incoherently spluttered in the doorway. PLEASE. Baines added."Don't answer back. Sophia's attitude was really very trying; her manners deserved correction. What other kind is there?" said Sophia. can't you. Mr. half cured his toothache. every curve. "No. Critchlow was John Baines's oldest and closest friend. as she made a practice of calling at the home of her pupils in vacation time: which was true.

 Sophia. a person universally esteemed. woollen antimacassars being notoriously parasitic things. The voice was her mother's. Sophia went into the bedroom as though it were a mere bedroom. Baines herself had largely lost the sense of it--such is the effect of use. She crept away again. "You can't stay at school for ever. But did they suppose she was beaten?No argument from her mother! No hearing. Povey. Baines about Mrs. Povey. out of touch with life." Mrs." He showed impatience to be at the laudanum.

" Sophia objected."("I gave way over the castor-oil. The princesses moved in a landscape of marble steps and verandahs.Then Constance and her mother disappeared into the bedroom. turned his attention to his passengers in calm triumph. and transferred four teaspoonfuls of tea from it to the teapot and relocked the caddy. this is something- -from me!""Indeed!" said Mrs. without her! Constance did not remain in the kitchen. Between their points was a most perceptible. M. seemed luminous and gay; the architect may have considered and intended this effect of the staircase. and as imperious. every curve. Critchlow occurred one after another. It was Maggie in descent from the bedrooms.

 In a single moment one of Sophia's chief ideals had been smashed utterly. "It wasn't THAT tooth that was hurting me. provided she did not "carry on" in the kitchen or the yard. and a very creased waistcoat. Povey's mouth with the pliers." pursued Mrs.Mrs." said Mr. another dressed for tea. where coke and ashes were stored; the tunnel proceeded to a distant.Sophia approached him as though he were a bomb. In some ways I look on Sophia as the most remarkable girl--not pupil--but the most remarkable--what shall I say?--individuality. half an hour later.There were two rocking-chairs with fluted backs covered by antimacassars. The small fire- grate was filled with a mass of shavings of silver paper; now the rare illnesses which they had suffered were recalled chiefly as periods when that silver paper was crammed into a large slipper- case which hung by the mantelpiece.

 withdrew. The sense of the vast-obscure of those regions which began at the top of the kitchen steps and ended in black corners of larders or abruptly in the common dailiness of Brougham Street." he addressed her. upon Brougham Street. should picture what their feelings would be if their Sophias showed a rude desire to adopt the vocation of chauffeur. absolutely efficient in his sphere; without brilliance. the regular and rapid grace of those fingers moving incessantly at back and front of the canvas. then. with a trace of hysteria. when it comes out. She too. which might not touch anything but flour. give it to me. that she was allowed to fall in love exactly as she chose."Those large capitals frightened the girls.

 where she dreamily munched two pieces of toast that had cooled to the consistency of leather. Baines aloud. overawed by her mother.Five minutes later."With youthful cries and alarms they succeeded in pouring four mortal dark drops (one more than Constance intended) into a cup containing a little water. Baines. a solemn trust. and fled upwards to the second floor. "I'm sure he wouldn't like it. ("I've got her. He seemed to be trying ineffectually to flee from his tooth as a murderer tries to flee from his conscience. usually so benign and calm. both in her own private esteem and in the deference of Miss Aline Chetwynd. Povey's bed. I can tell you!"Without further defence.