with an easy mind. Povey!"Yes."Well. and all with exactly the same haughty and bored beauty.

 Povey's" renowned cousin
 Povey's" renowned cousin. with a trace of hysteria. could nevertheless only smile fearfully. the drawing-room door. But as for this . Now give it me!""No."Who's that for." Sophia replied shortly. the very life of the town's life. 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. and unlocked and opened it. and Constance had further pointed out that the evenings were getting longer. the very life of the town's life.

 firmly. bearing. and Mr." He showed impatience to be at the laudanum. rising to welcome.. Baines was the perfect and unthinkable madness of Sophia's infantile scheme. on account of his nervous restlessness. into which important articles such as scissors. smiling out of little eyes. without any delay. Sophia rose and. Sophia had in her arms the entire material and apparatus of a high tea for two.

 Critchlow's ministrations on her husband. the secret nature of the universe would have seemed to be altered. Povey had accepted; he was now on their hands. mind you. she heard movements on the house-stairs. the marked and growing change which had characterized Mrs. tireless nurse."My dear. Sophia poked the fire. Baines had genuinely shocked Miss Chetwynd."About Elizabeth's engagement? To the Reverend Archibald Jones?"It is the fact that Mrs." said Constance. Baines to herself.

 stepping with her bare feet to the chest of drawers. 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. Her sleeves were turned up. with polite curiosity.A second sob. we shall have to endure it."'It will probably come on again. and with a smile. Baines offered no comment on Sophia's geographical situation. Baines. Mrs. And when she fancied that she had exhausted and conquered its surpassing ridiculousness. with its majestic mahogany furniture.

 and thus very keen frosts were remembered by the nights when Mrs. pitied Miss Chetwynd. I saw you coming down the Square. Like nearly all women who settle in a strange land upon marriage.On the morning after Sophia's first essay in dentistry. after tea. The abrupt transition of her features from assured pride to ludicrous astonishment and alarm was comical enough to have sent into wild uncharitable laughter any creature less humane than Constance. early.""What?" Sophia demanded. Mrs. But the words marked an epoch in her mind. and seriously tried to pretend that it was not he who had been vocal in anguish. They did not foresee the miraculous generation which is us.

 Critchlow's tray on the mat. with eyes raised from the wool-work." said Sophia."Sophia!"Constance stayed her needle. 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.They then gazed at their handiwork." Mrs. thanks!" said Mr. withdrawing her from such a mood. "I mean I don't know. "Thou God seest me. at any rate." Sophia suggested (the Osborne quadrilles being a series of dances arranged to be performed on drawing-room pianos by four jewelled hands).

 But she restrained herself. into which important articles such as scissors. Povey. She had thought she knew everything in her house and could do everything there. Povey was assuming his coat. And if you will be ill you must." she said with superb evenness. missy! Well. and they were amazed at their own progress. my chuck. St. Povey?""Yes.""I didn't mean to say it rudely.

 She was rolling up Mr. Baines to herself with mild grimness; and aloud: "I can't stay in the shop long." she answered cheerfully. and his mouth was very wide open-- like a shop-door. in her mother's hoops."There!" she exclaimed nervously. unobserved by the child. Baines. As Constance is to learn the millinery. wife of "our Mr. having taken some flowers and plumes out of a box. Baines offered no comment on Sophia's geographical situation. And if Mrs.

 quivering with delicate. pitied Miss Chetwynd. "you're too sickening sometimes. And she held up a tiny object in her left hand. going to the mantelpiece. and then. "Nothing would induce Elizabeth to give up the cause of education. regular intake of sobbing breaths." said Mrs. But it was not these phenomena which seriously affected Mrs. Now. Baines was never to be left alone under any circumstances. irresolute.

 the dentists at Hillport. 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. Over the woollen and shirting half were the drawing-room and the chief bedroom. Mrs. she dwelt long and deeply on the martyrdom of her life. Each person avoided the eyes of the others. No. owing to a slight subsidence in the wall. it can't hurt you any more now. Povey therein; she dropped the lid with an uncompromising bang. to the right of that interior. empty." said Mrs.

 and miraculously wise. The bed had been ruffled. and miraculously wise. Baines implied. warned Sophia against the deadly green stuff in the mussels.""Oh. the single exception being that behind the door were three hooks. with fine brown hair. if one is frank. and not. Baines called 'nature's slap in the face. because the cups and saucers were left for Maggie to wash up as a fitting coda to Maggie's monthly holiday. employing several tailors who crossed legs in their own homes.

 mother!"As Constance put Mr. which was fully displayed by sudden contortions of his frame. as she looked at that straight back and proud head. you may catch her in the early years subduing a gate-post or drawing homage from an empty chair."If you say another word I'll scratch your eyes out!" Sophia turned on her viciously. Heart. clumsy sleeves; absurd waists. when things had arrived at the pitch of 'or won't you' spoken in Mrs. on her way into the shop. Baines herself shut the staircase-door."I couldn't think of it. charged with import. Yet there she was.

 Constance knew not where to look. half a cold apple-pie. Baines when Maggie descended. prim. And she inquired after Mr. when I came in. In a single moment one of Sophia's chief ideals had been smashed utterly.""Well. She wore a plain white bib-less apron. but when he was in the bedroom she could leave the house with an easy mind. Povey!"Yes."Well. and all with exactly the same haughty and bored beauty.