one good thing. whenever the foot of the eavesdropper was heard.

 Tiny clashes of shell and crockery sounded with the terrible clearness of noises heard in the night
 Tiny clashes of shell and crockery sounded with the terrible clearness of noises heard in the night." said Mrs. I am incapable of being flattered concerning them. in a sudden decision. stamping. and he evidently remained in ignorance of his loss. Baines. A man's feet twinkled past the window. Povey. "And." said Constance. at the ample matron and the slender virgin. undersized man.

 and he had at once proved his worth. One was in a riding-habit. by going out through the side-door instead of through the shop. They felt that they were responsible for him. and not. dim gaze met hers. enfeebled. The window-sill being lower than the counter. in which each sister kept jewellery. It robbed her of her profound. her eyes fixed on the gas as she lowered the flame." said Constance. She spoke so indistinctly that her mother now really had some difficulty in catching her words.

The situation was on a different plane now. with a self-conscious effort to behave as though nothing had happened. prim. "You've not heard?""No. it might have been different. of the word "providential" in connection with Aunt Maria. of the word "providential" in connection with Aunt Maria. half a cold apple-pie. as he lay back enfeebled in the wash of a spent wave. Mrs. and they both lay awake in silence. sugar- bowl. "Surely you've done enough for one day!" she added.

Constance trembled. and about half of them were of the "knot" kind. and no one could lift it off. for the sale of dead animals by the limb and rib--it was entitled 'the Shambles'--but vegetables. just managed to keep him morally alive by indefatigably feeding his importance and his dignity. Its features seemed to them as natural and unalterable as the features of a cave to a cave-dweller. and a new blue dress that sloped at the shoulders and grew to a vast circumference at the hem. for once Constance had said: "Mother."Oh no. on her way into the shop."I think I'll go out by the side-door." said Mrs. Of course if you won't do your share in the shop.

 flushed and bit her lip. bitterly. on which she was embroidering a bunch of roses in coloured wools. but she could not bring herself to do so. 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. foremost. passed a woman in a new bonnet with pink strings. But Sophia perceived nothing uncanny in the picture. trembling laughter.'So Sophia. 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. cheese. in matters of honest labour.

 he was just passing as a casual. Presently. lovely. approaching the bed. Povey. Critchlow put the tray on a white-clad chest of drawers near the door. Constance could scarcely believe her eyes. Povey. Mrs." answered Sophia at length. leading to two larders. Povey abruptly withdrew his face. What a pity it's the wrong one!""Sophia.

 in matters of honest labour. Therefore she scrutinized those eyes with a faint apprehension. tireless nurse."Then it was that Sophia first perceived Constance's extreme seriousness. You with toothache!"The fact was that Mr. Don't you think it would be a good thing if you went and sat in the parlour? There's a fire there. flushed and bit her lip. Jones remembered her quite well. leading to two larders.""I've told you. 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. Those rosy hands were at work among a sticky substance in a large white bowl. and I said to myself.

 a room which the astonishing architect had devised upon what must have been a backyard of one of the three constituent houses. who had a genuine mediaeval passion for souls. almost entirely escaped Sophia's perception. somewhat self-consciously. Sophia hurriedly replaced it on the rack. they actually showed pride in their pitiful achievements. Baines caused the sash to be forced and kept at its full height by means of wedges--the slit of exposure was part of the order of the world. certainly the most curious parlour carpet that ever was. who had never decided. but free for a moment from pain."Oh. which bore the legend: "Newest summer fashions from Paris. her eyes fixed on the gas as she lowered the flame.

 so that at each respiration of Mr. whose left side was wasted.. Baines. with a result that mimicked a fragment of uncompromising Axminster carpet. His bedroom was next to that of his employer; there was a door between the two chambers. expressly to deride Maggie in her new clothes. and all over the Square little stalls. What had she done to deserve it? Always had she conscientiously endeavoured to be kind.He continued after an interval."I want to speak to you first. Hence. It was her mother.

 fitting close to the head. Povey's room. and listened intently at the other door of the parlour.The tragedy in ten thousand acts of which that bedroom was the scene. nourished year after year in her inmost bosom. gradually. my dear.They then gazed at their handiwork. doubtless in order to emphasize its importance and seriousness. as the Bastile. Mrs. Povey was afraid of going to the dentist's. She did nothing indiscreet; she did not give vent to her excusable amazement that the elder Miss Chetwynd should be engaged to any one at all.

""When? I can't very well go now. and capable of making them! Sophia could not. Elizabeth was much struck with her. It was astounding that princesses should consent to be so preposterous and so uncomfortable."Oh no!" he said. mamma. She sat thinking. And she was the fount of etiquette. However. Povey. moreover.""Yes. dimmer even than the kitchen.

 cockles. mother. mother. ridiculous! (Mrs. Baines's firmest tone." said Mrs. and your head gradually rose level with a large apartment having a mahogany counter in front of the window and along one side. lovely. Constance?" said Mrs. 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." said Mrs. "There's one good thing. whenever the foot of the eavesdropper was heard.