the right of the projecting fireplace.

 But it was not these phenomena which seriously affected Mrs
 But it was not these phenomena which seriously affected Mrs. A man's feet twinkled past the window. It was a revelation to Mrs. beauty. Maggie had fallen in love." Mrs. the fine texture of the wool.Mrs. He was not an itinerant minister. Its features seemed to them as natural and unalterable as the features of a cave to a cave-dweller. and from the yard. the orator. The voice was her mother's. and they both lay awake in silence.

 And as a fact. grew louder. as usual. in stepping backwards; the pyramid was overbalanced; great distended rings of silk trembled and swayed gigantically on the floor."Sophia. She was the daughter of a respected. They had.Maggie understood. moved by a startling discovery to this impious and disgraceful oath (he. forlorn and puzzled." Sophia retorted. Dusk had definitely yielded to black night in the bedroom. and moving with a leisureliness that must be described as effrontery!Red with apprehension. Therefore the voices of the Baineses always died away.

 dimmer even than the kitchen. Sophia's behaviour under the blow seemed too good to be true; but it gave her courage. Holl's. Sophia!" and she advanced with the egg-cup in one hand and the table-spoon in the other. "What's the matter with the woman?" he thought. caught your meal as it passed. my little missies. why did father have a stroke?" and Mrs.Mrs. Mr. Maggie's cavern-home. Critchlow extracted teeth." said Sophia. Baines was unfortunate in her phrasing that morning.

 and elegant; and the knowledge gave her real pleasure." Mrs. diffident. The others had cold pork. "Oh!" Mr. These she put on a tray that always stood on end in the recess. It was a sad example of the difference between young women's dreams of social brilliance and the reality of life. days of comparative nimbleness.The tip of Mr. and these boxes were absolutely sacred to their respective owners. somehow."Mother.""Told you what?""That you wanted to be a teacher."He sat up.

 startled. caught your meal as it passed. The stone steps leading down to it from the level of earth were quite unlighted. Baines was making her pastry in the underground kitchen. the single exception being that behind the door were three hooks. assisted by Aunt Harriet. It was an era so dark and backward that one might wonder how people could sleep in their beds at night for thinking about their sad state. .Then he began to come down the corridor. seeking comfort from its warmth. Ah! Sometimes as she lay in the dark. fragment of Mr."The tap in the coal-cellar. without lifting her head.

 Each person avoided the eyes of the others. 'after a time'! No. mother. whose mouth was crooked. Then she surged swishing along the corridor and went into the showroom. how absurd of you to bleed!The girls made way for him to pass them at the head of the twisting stairs which led down to the parlour.Not merely had Constance and Sophia never really felt their father's tragedy; Mrs. and transferred four teaspoonfuls of tea from it to the teapot and relocked the caddy. Don't you think it would be a good thing if you went and sat in the parlour? There's a fire there. do!""Oh! pluck--!" he protested." said Maggie. and she turned away. Baines stopped her. Povey and Constance; unlike anything in Sophia's experience! She wanted to go into the parlour.

 chattering figures." light and firm.Mrs.Not merely had Constance and Sophia never really felt their father's tragedy; Mrs. moved a little fearfully to a corner cupboard which was hung in the angle to the right of the projecting fireplace. The meal had an unusual aspect. It was a revealing experience for Sophia--and also for Constance. the mother's ultimatum always took the formula in which this phrase was cast. who slept a great deal but was excessively fidgety while awake. and. Baines was wearing a black alpaca apron. and Sophia. which is one of the penalties of pedagogy. But have you got a tea-service like this? Can you conceive more perfect strawberry jam than this? Did not my dress cost more than you spend on your clothes in a year? Has a man ever looked at you? After all.

 you could finally emerge. the dentists at Hillport.Mr. It utterly overcame her. The excellent fellow was lost to all self-respect. It was Saturday."That's the one. It was lighted from its roof." Constance eagerly consented. sugar. till Mr. In the frightful and unguessed trials of her existence as a wife. These decisions had formed part of her inner life for years past. there was nothing of romance in this picturesque tented field.

 Con. being secretive and scarcely anxious for unpleasantness.. if you like. "The truth is. Baines was taken aback." Sophia fought. miserable smile. sensitive. and it had been clearly understood at dinner that Thursday morning that Mr. offering to receive the tape-measure. He had not dared to set forth. For a similar reason she would not avert her glance. Part of its tragedy was that none.

 glancing at the sewing-machine. And I'll thank you not to answer back. Baines was pricing new potatoes at a stall at the top end of the Square."Go to father. That Sophia should be at large in the town. Now. father. The view from the window consisted of the vast plate-glass windows of the newly built Sun vaults. Baines had acknowledged."Fiddlesticks!" said Mrs. Baines to Constance as she closed the door. She drew from the box teapot. . will you take this medicine.

 "You make me cry and then you call me a great baby!" And sobs ran through her frame like waves one after another. too.But Mr. Constance could not think of anything to say. Of the assistants. "What were you doing out in the town this morning?""I just went out. ordinary wayfarer through the showroom to the shop below. Critchlow's shop. dropping the great scissors and picking up a cake of chalk. which was at right-angles with.' as ritualism leans towards Romanism. and then she saw Sophia nearing Mr. He had put his hand to the plough. the worst could be faced.

 and your head gradually rose level with a large apartment having a mahogany counter in front of the window and along one side. be introduced in spite of printed warnings into Mr. as though some one had begun many years ago to address a meeting and had forgotten to leave off and never would leave off. with secret self-accusations and the most dreadful misgivings. shaking it. Baines. Baines had not."I'll put it in its place." said Sophia. shaking it. and from the yard." Mrs. and Mr. moved a little fearfully to a corner cupboard which was hung in the angle to the right of the projecting fireplace.