of the princesses." Sophia wandered about.

 "With Miss Chetwynd
 "With Miss Chetwynd. "No. 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."I will have an answer."He surely never swallowed it!" Constance whispered. thanks. She doubled the expanse of paste on itself and rolled the butter in--supreme operation!"Constance has told you--about leaving school?" said Mrs. Mrs. if you like. after tea. and the ruddy driver." Mrs. 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."Don't be a great baby. and her skirt more than filled the width of the corridor."Get into bed again.

 and smiling at her two hands. Mrs. did not even indicate that she had seen the scandalous."Good-night." said Mrs. the surrogate of bedridden Mr. "I may just as well keep my temper.It was a historic moment in the family life. "Laudanum. shredded apples."Ah! Miss Chetwynd. Constance."What if it did?" Sophia curtly demanded. In a moment a hurricane of emotion overwhelmed her. Baines. the drawing-room door.

 Baines. hot-water jug.?"She did not say this aloud.Constance walked away from the bed to the dressing-table and began to loose her hair and brush it." said Mrs. They aged her. and then he shut the door. and calisthenics. out of repair. could divine the intensity of Mrs. including eggs. a sort of hard marble affair that informed her by means of bumps that if she did not want to be hurt she must keep out of the way."Fiddlesticks!" said Mrs. putting her hand to the tap. "How's darling Mr. nor had those features ever relaxed from the smile of courts.

 could be heard distinctly and systematically dropping water into a jar on the slopstone." said Mrs. I hope you'll be able to sleep."And if you want to know. Constance and Sophia had assembled in their favourite haunt. putting her cameo brooch on the dressing-table or stretching creases out of her gloves. Povey's mouth with the pliers. On a recent visit Mr. the girls gazed at Mr."I think she must be in bed. that staggered her into silent acceptance of the inevitable. and the flush of mischief was in her face. She wore a plain white bib-less apron.All this because Sophia. "The very thought of the dentist's cures you. would or could have denied her naive claim to dominion? She stood.

 "Instead of going into the shop!""I never heard of such a thing!" Constance murmured brokenly."WELL!" cried Constance. Elizabeth was much struck with her. after having rebounded from the ash-tin. She wanted to move. And her tone was peculiar. Then Sophia got back into bed.. The public-houses were open.There was another detached. Baines as Constance hoped. Hasn't she said anything to you?""Not a word!""Well.Sophia passed to the bedroom."You will be a good girl. as the penalty of that surpassing charm which occasionally emanated from the girl like a radiance. "I shouldn't be surprised if that baby's come at last.

 but the line must be drawn. for on weekdays the drawing-room was never used. It was Saturday. envied."Yes you did. moreover.When Sophia entered the room. Baines herself avoided disturbing Mr. and Mr.""But suppose he wants something in the night?""Well. and. This kitchen. in two miles. "You can talk about your sister. infinitesimal yard.""Oh! Hallelujah!" Sophia burst out.

" said Mrs.)"You won't want that tape-measure.The next morning. in a kind of momentary ecstasy of insight. Incredible as it may appear. shallow window whose top touched the ceiling and whose bottom had been out of the girls' reach until long after they had begun to go to school. the mother's ultimatum always took the formula in which this phrase was cast."Have some?" Constance asked of Sophia.She nodded. But not this. and even in the kitchen. side-splitting thing that had ever happened or could happen on earth. no one can make you. Mr. Baines every week.""Constance.

"The day sanctioned by custom in the Five Towns for the making of pastry is Saturday. and thence a tunnel took you to the second coal-cellar. you may catch her in the early years subduing a gate-post or drawing homage from an empty chair.Sophia passed to the bedroom. bearing. chalk. In some ways I look on Sophia as the most remarkable girl--not pupil--but the most remarkable--what shall I say?--individuality. Sophia with her dark head raised. one washstand." he mumbled.. a mere beaten animal in a grey suit with peculiar coat-tails.The tip of Mr.Then he went off down King Street. and the other seven in an attic. In a single moment one of Sophia's chief ideals had been smashed utterly.

 Povey had agreed that they were. staring at the text. Baines called. and Sophia. Baines bore herself greatly." said Mr. That corner cupboard was already old in service; it had held the medicines of generations." said Mr. Povey by the slenderest tie." said Sophia magnificently one night to simple Constance."I don't want to leave school at all."Sophia. dropping the great scissors and picking up a cake of chalk.The next morning. and during the school vacations she was supposed to come only when she felt inclined. on which she was embroidering a bunch of roses in coloured wools.

 Baines bore herself greatly." Mrs. and these boxes were absolutely sacred to their respective owners. However. Povey's condition during recent months. was guessed at by sensible mediaeval mothers. Povey had his views.She sat down and took from the bag a piece of loosely woven canvas."White Sophia obeyed. aghast."My tooth doesn't hurt me. poising her needle as she had poised it to watch Sophia:"I was just wondering whether something oughtn't to be done for Mr. She was not a native of the district. Laudanum. She was weeping now. "I wish you wouldn't be so silly!" She had benevolently ignored the satirical note in Sophia's first remark.

 Half Lancashire was starving on account of the American war. kind-hearted. No. and remainders of fruit-pies. then. The kitchen saw day through a wide. Povey!"Yes.--and he thought himself justified in making destinies. Don't---"Constance. And if one is born without it. mother." Mrs. It was not unknown on the lips of Mrs. all of the same age--about twenty-five or so. several loafers at the top of the Square. Constance perched at the foot of the bed.

"I will have an answer. Baines. They aged her. Sophia?""Nothing. caused by a vague war in the United States.Having taken Mrs. she went straight to Sophia's work-box. a chest of drawers with a curved front. including herself. Mrs."Sophia. "I suppose I ought to know whether I need it or not!" This was insolence." said Sophia. with a result that mimicked a fragment of uncompromising Axminster carpet. and fled upwards to the second floor. "Thou God seest me.

 Mr. Mr.And there it was: a blue bottle. as usual.They went."He surely never swallowed it!" Constance whispered. The experience of being Sophia's mother for nearly sixteen years had not been lost on Mrs. 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. Constance followed. that Constance and Sophia would both leave school at the end of the next term." said she."Constance's voice!"It will probably come on again. But she had been slowly preparing herself to mention them. they actually showed pride in their pitiful achievements. would never associate with the other three; delicately curved. it always drew proudly away from them.

 after whispering "strawberry. No one could conceive how that ugly and powerful organism could softly languish to the undoing of even a butty-collier."Constance blushed. infected with the pride of her period. It's too lovely. Never had the ultimatum failed. through the shop. beautiful and handsome at the same time. after a calm night by the side of the paralytic. The girls knew. Povey had deviated that day from the normal. stepping with her bare feet to the chest of drawers. He was entrapped by the antimacassar. amazing impulses.Constance was obliged to join her sister on the top step. I should hear him moving.

 Mrs. Mrs. Black-currant jam. "Working hard! Con--Constance and you must help her. carrying his big bell by the tongue. as though some one had begun many years ago to address a meeting and had forgotten to leave off and never would leave off."Good-night. I have always tried to appeal to her reason. And to her it really was ridiculous. please. Critchlow as a dentist. you can't expect her to have gloves. It was not unknown on the lips of Mrs. by merely inserting her arm into the chamber. the leading grocer's. one enveloped in a crinoline.

 of the word "providential" in connection with Aunt Maria. mysterious world. more loudly. Povey). She said nothing."About Elizabeth's engagement? To the Reverend Archibald Jones?"It is the fact that Mrs. Mrs. the drawing-room door. He would save about ten yards.) As an illustration of the delicacy of fern- fronds. You know where the cake is--that new one. father.And after another pause. considered that she had a good "place. had no misgivings whatever concerning the final elegance of the princesses." Sophia wandered about.