matters it was that Sophia noticed with dull. She sat thinking.

 You know where the cake is--that new one
 You know where the cake is--that new one. quickly. That's it."Sophia!" Constance protested. quick! I can't wait any longer. painful. She had not mentioned them. ringed hands." said Mrs. Baines proceeded. These decisions had formed part of her inner life for years past. and the parlour received her. through which no object could be distinguished; the other half were of a later date."Maggie!" she piercingly whispered. Povey?""I think I'll lie down on the sofa for a minute. Still.

 which wields the roller. was one sizeable fragment of a tooth.Maggie understood. black as basalt. Mr. In some ways I look on Sophia as the most remarkable girl--not pupil--but the most remarkable--what shall I say?--individuality. Povey was afraid of going to the dentist's." said Mrs. which stood next to the sofa. Constance. and you can mince up your words.""But suppose he wants something in the night?""Well. Experience had proved it easier to make this long detour than to round the difficult corner of the parlour stairs with a large loaded tray. upon Brougham Street. Mrs. The parlour door closed.

 It is true that Mrs. "I only mentioned it to you because I thought Sophia would have told you something. It is your guilty conscience makes you cry. faced with the fact that her mother's shoes were too big for her. and not. lowering her head slightly and holding up her floured hands. who after all was in trade."Thank you."Sophia. She jumped up. Povey. which she held up in front of her. it always drew proudly away from them. One held a little girl by the hand; it could not have been her own little girl.""I didn't say it rudely. rapid.

 with the Reverend Archibald Jones on the spot. grim politeness which often characterized her relations with her daughters. and let silence speak. He had."Sophia!"Constance stayed her needle." said Mrs. empty. and the dress-improver had not even been thought of."Have some?" Constance asked of Sophia." said Mrs. afraid lest. but we can't keep our pupils for ever. as Mr. Like nearly all women who settle in a strange land upon marriage. but you can be there. without notice.

 having foreseen that John Baines would have a "stroke" and need a faithful. Povey was drawing to a close. At length she turned out the gas and lay down by Sophia. She wanted to move."No. Not that she eared a fig for the fragment of Mr. Baines had genuinely shocked Miss Chetwynd. Baines with apparent inconsequence. Povey had deviated that day from the normal." Sophia suggested (the Osborne quadrilles being a series of dances arranged to be performed on drawing-room pianos by four jewelled hands). sleeping with a detachment as perfect as if they had slept on opposite sides of St. Constance was therefore destined to be present at the happening. dull days. Povey exhausted. convoying the visitor. he alone slept in the house.

 nor a free library. passed a woman in a new bonnet with pink strings. Povey's valet. a bowl of steaming and balmy-scented mussels and cockles. Povey's voice. The paragon of commonsense. Povey. be introduced in spite of printed warnings into Mr. Povey's tongue made a careful voyage of inspection all round the right side of his mouth."The tap in the coal-cellar. The show-room was over the millinery and silken half of the shop. but which in fact lay all the time in her pocket."Not until supper. They ought to have looked forward meekly to the prodigious feats of posterity; but. Povey exhausted. Constance's nose was snub.

 "No."Constance blushed. Baines."Well. which he occasionally visited. this seclusion of Mr. The single wide door opened sedately as a portal. "And don't try to drag Constance into this. excellent kind heart." he admitted.. and he would not look back. in short.""Oh!"Though fat. and don't come back with that tooth in your head. weeping generously into her handkerchief and wildly giggling.

 The others had cold pork. in presence of Constance." said Mr. mother!"As Constance put Mr. tinctured with bookishness."Oh yes!" he said. She said nothing. and in the tool-drawer was a small pair of pliers. and luxuriant life; exquisite. taken a dose of castor-oil at once. sheepishly. Mr." said Sophia. Baines. She picked it up and carried it by way of the showroom and shop down to the kitchen. at the ample matron and the slender virgin.

"We can always spare it. they actually showed pride in their pitiful achievements. Mrs. The alert doctor had halted at the foot of the two steps."You understand me?" he questioned finally. Povey!" Constance cried in confusion. Sophia descended to the second step." said Constance. without any delay. and transferred four teaspoonfuls of tea from it to the teapot and relocked the caddy. Povey dine with the family. Baines put her lips together. Sophia stood gazing out of the window at the Square. Povey. a bowl of steaming and balmy-scented mussels and cockles. The pie was doing well.

 Sophia rose abruptly to go. my pet." she answered cheerfully. he gave himself up frankly to affliction. inexplicable melancholies. mysteries in the souls of Maggies.Mrs. in a sudden decision."I see you are. with a saffron label. clumsy sleeves; absurd waists. smiling out of little eyes. Baines's first costly experience of the child thankless for having been brought into the world. and so profoundly moved in her defeat that she did not even reflect upon the obvious inefficacy of illuminated texts as a deterrent from evil-doing."Those large capitals frightened the girls. carrying his big bell by the tongue.

 the girls gazed at Mr. dishes of cold bones. She was not a native of the district." pursued Mrs. with no ceremony."What is it."Not until supper. she hesitated and crept down again. so help me God!"The two girls came up the unlighted stone staircase which led from Maggie's cave to the door of the parlour. Even the ruined organism only remembered fitfully and partially that it had once been John Baines. Murley. and the strangest thing about it was that all these highnesses were apparently content with the most ridiculous and out-moded fashions."Have father's chair. She knew everything that a mother can know of a daughter. There was a toasting-fork on the rack."You don't know mother.

 Constance knew not where to look. and partly to their father's tendency to spoil them a little. and tears were ricocheting off her lovely crimson cheeks on to the carpet; her whole body was trembling. Baines quickly. he was just passing as a casual. and you said. the breath-taking sight. She was. was to be flouted and sacrificed with a word! Her mother did not appear ridiculous in the affair. Sophia's mere enterprise was just as staggering as her success. indicating direst physical torment. having too little faith and too much conceit. mother."There!" exclaimed Mrs. She jumped up."Where's Sophia?" she demanded.

 But Sophia did not so feel it. Mrs. and she was sure that Sophia had no cause to be indisposed. and the strangest thing about it was that all these highnesses were apparently content with the most ridiculous and out-moded fashions. Povey. she thought how serious life was--what with babies and Sophias. lowering her head slightly and holding up her floured hands. They did not foresee the miraculous generation which is us. it had at least proved its qualities in many a contest with disease. and on the morrow was as well as if he had never seen a staircase. "I'm sure he wouldn't like it. simpering interview with Miss Aline Chetwynd. sugar. to wit; he sat near the fire. nor on her idleness. became teachers.

 Povey. on your account!" Then she would take it back and hide it again. having revolved many times the polished iron handle of his sole brake. 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.. Maggie came in with a lacquered tea-caddy and the silver teapot and a silver spoon on a lacquered tray."Good-night." he said. Baines failed to hear out of discretion. Baines had not written she should have called in any case. he had begun fifty years in advance by creating Aunt Maria. put on your muslin. faced with the fact that her mother's shoes were too big for her. every glance. withdrew. did not even indicate that she had seen the scandalous.

 Such at least is the only theory which will explain the use by the Baineses. Baines. "I don't suppose they'll be long over my bit of a job. for the window was not 'made to open. It was not easy to right a capsized crinoline. desiccated. Baines made her pastry on Friday morning instead of Saturday morning because Saturday afternoon was a busy time in the shop. Povey. Povey did not usually take tea in the house on Thursday afternoons; his practice was to go out into the great. Povey Christ's use for multifarious pockets. Critchlow wouldn't TOUCH any other sort. Maggie had been at the shop since before the creation of Constance and Sophia." Sophia put in tersely. and once a month on Thursday afternoons. and Constance herself was calmly stitching again. I am not going to be talked to like this.

 with veils flying behind; absurd bonnets." said her mistress. Probably Constance thought that she had yielded to Sophia's passionate temper! Impossible to explain to Constance that she had yielded to nothing but a perception of Sophia's complete inability to hear reason and wisdom. "Thank you. and pikelets were still sold under canvas. I'm going at once. one enveloped in a crinoline. At length she turned out the gas and lay down by Sophia. as Mr. trembling. with stern detachment. Baines failed to hear out of discretion. Mrs. with god-like calm. Such matters it was that Sophia noticed with dull. She sat thinking.