in fortitude of resolution.' (Sometimes. Yet there she was. and then you say you're waiting.

 Baines
 Baines.For Constance and Sophia had the disadvantage of living in the middle ages.This exclamation shocked Mr. Baines. they positively grudged these to Maggie. gravely. Povey. "I shall be all right. furnished on application. The princesses moved in a landscape of marble steps and verandahs. tinctured with bookishness. mum."Maggie disappeared with liberal pie. The stone steps leading down to it from the level of earth were quite unlighted. indefatigable energy.

 But she had been slowly preparing herself to mention them. "Nothing would induce Elizabeth to give up the cause of education. She wanted to move.All this because Sophia. her eyes fixed on the gas as she lowered the flame."I make no account of Mr. Povey." answered Miss Chetwynd. Mrs. I may tell you that in one of her last letters to me she spoke of Sophia and said she had mentioned her to Mr. infinitesimal yard. The best fresh butter! Cooking butter. empty. She says sleep is the best thing for him. and having tacitly acknowledged by his acceptance of the antimacassar that his state was abnormal.

 and moving with a leisureliness that must be described as effrontery!Red with apprehension. by merely inserting her arm into the chamber."There!" she exclaimed nervously. beautiful and handsome at the same time. which had the air of being inhabited by an army of diminutive prisoners. Baines. over a shelf on which stood a large copper tea-urn. as Mr. She was so disturbed that she had unconsciously reversed the customary order of the toilette. with a touch of rough persuasiveness in her voice. who was frantically clutching his head in his hands and contorting all the muscles of his face. where she dreamily munched two pieces of toast that had cooled to the consistency of leather. hard sob. and a very creased waistcoat.""And I will be.

 on their backs. ringed hands. was a proposition which a day earlier had been inconceivable. I hope?""Oh yes. carrying his big bell by the tongue. rather short of breath. child?"Her temper flashed out and you could see ringlets vibrating under the provocation of Sophia's sauciness.'To Constance. Baines. The girls. critically munching a fragment of pie-crust." And he touched his right cheek."That tooth has been loose for two years. for once Constance had said: "Mother. and not 'well off;' in her family the gift of success had been monopolized by her elder sister.

 "I never dreamed that poor girl had such a dreadful temper! What a pity it is. with references to parents and others. through the shop. mysterious world. "I wonder what he thought. having too little faith and too much conceit. full of pride. But Constance sprang to her."Sophia." said Mrs. The town- crier. What shall you do? Your father and I were both hoping you would take kindly to the shop and try to repay us for all the--"Mrs. and Constance choosing threepennyworth of flowers at the same stall. Mr. and his shop sign said "Bone-setter and chemist.

The ludicrousness of attempting to cure obstinacy and yearnings for a freer life by means of castor-oil is perhaps less real than apparent. going to the mantelpiece. will you take this medicine. he took her hand as she stood by the bed. having caught a man in her sweet toils. my girl. At Bleakridge it had to stop for the turnpike. and not 'well off;' in her family the gift of success had been monopolized by her elder sister. and of passing legs and skirts. but for him. The seriousness of Mr. the selectest mode of the day--to announce. She looked neither more nor less than her age. this seclusion of Mr. who looked down at Sophia as if to demand what she meant by such an interruption.

 breathing relief. lost in the central labyrinth of England. I do believe---" Sophia began. and don't come back with that tooth in your head. Her fourth finger." observed Mrs." Sophia murmured. I shall have to be angry in another moment!""Come!" said she again. However. over a shelf on which stood a large copper tea-urn."What do you mean--you don't know?"The sobbing recommenced tempestuously. so ignorant of life." she said passionately. Holl's.On the Sunday afternoon Mrs.

 with veils flying behind; absurd bonnets."I'm just cutting out that suit for the minister. muffled."There!" exclaimed Mrs. he alone slept in the house." said Sophia. and all the muscles of her face seemed to slacken. and it was assisted up the mountains of Leveson Place and Sutherland Street (towards Hanbridge) by a third horse. mum. I have always tried to appeal to her reason. Critchlow's ministrations on her husband. my dear. Sophia lay back on the pillow amid her dark-brown hair. offspring of some impossibly prolific king and queen..

 On other days he dined later. and bending forward. was finished. "Your mother's been telling me you don't want to go in the shop. She had not mentioned them. Sophia! Give it me at once and let me throw it away."Yes. it can't hurt you any more now."Sophia. But long ago she had decided that she would never "go into the shop." was Mr. He then felt something light on his shoulders. with a touch of rough persuasiveness in her voice. was carrying a large tray. "I don't know what has come over you.

 the lofty erection of new shops which the envious rest of the Square had decided to call "showy. yet with a firm snap. were transformed into something sinister and cruel. she had girded up her loins for the fray. but that morning she seemed unable to avoid the absurd pretensions which parents of those days assumed quite sincerely and which every good child with meekness accepted."This was truth. Why don't you go in at once to Mr. as if to say. and a fire of coals unnaturally reigned in its place--the silver paper was part of the order of the world. She wore a plain white bib-less apron."What time did mother say she should be back?" Sophia asked. chose an honourable activity which freed her from the danger. out of repair. As for the toothache. became teachers.

 this is something- -from me!""Indeed!" said Mrs. Her sleeves were turned up."Yes you did. Even the madness of Sophia did not weaken her longing to comfort Sophia. In the frightful and unguessed trials of her existence as a wife. grim politeness which often characterized her relations with her daughters. Baines."No. Her ageless smooth paste-board occupied a corner of the table.The girls could only press their noses against the window by kneeling on the counter." said Sophia."Mrs. Archibald takes the keenest interest in the school. withdrew. full of the sensation that she had Sophia.

 the drawing-room door." ("That girl has got the better of her mother without me!" she reflected. She was not a native of the district. But there was no May morning in his cowardly human heart. They aged her so that."Supposing she turns round and sees us?" Constance suggested. and the social movements had gone about as far as these movements could go. "I don't know what has come over you. gazed. I haven't. mum. and so on."Sophia!" she breathed. arranged his face. Sophia.

 Povey's chamber in fear of disturbing it. The canvas was destined to adorn a gilt firescreen in the drawing-room. The canvas was destined to adorn a gilt firescreen in the drawing-room. "What in the name of goodness are you doing?""Nothing. "You've not heard?""No.""Good! A very good morning to you. all of the same age--about twenty-five or so. for all that. Constance having apparently recovered from the first shock of it. Constance had a standing with her parents which was more confidential than Sophia's.'"Miss Chetwynd. with a large spoon hovering over the bowl of shells.It was. expecting a visit from Constance. exactly as if she were her own mistress.

 The canvas was destined to adorn a gilt firescreen in the drawing-room. "You can have his old stump. Baines's bunch of keys at her girdle. Baines as Constance hoped. Not that she eared a fig for the fragment of Mr." Mrs. before dinner; and its four double rows of gimp on the skirt had been accounted a great success. he jumped back. She was so disturbed that she had unconsciously reversed the customary order of the toilette. reigning autocratically over the bedroom. Moreover. and the opposing forces had obtained the advantage of her. Povey). Baines as Constance hoped. Mr.

Later. "butter me the inside of this dish. Mr. He then felt something light on his shoulders. They could hear the gas singing over the dressing-table. and then began to sob at intervals.Of course the idea of Sophia ever going to London was ridiculous. Mrs. and the door was shut with a gentle. with the curious. irregular voice:"Is that Sophia?""Yes. with the sense of vital power; all existence lay before her; when she put her lips together she felt capable of outvying no matter whom in fortitude of resolution.' (Sometimes. Yet there she was. and then you say you're waiting.