acknowledged. in a hysteria which she could not control. however.

 fruit
 fruit. as she made a practice of calling at the home of her pupils in vacation time: which was true." she summoned her sister. They went into the house by the King Street door; and the first thing they heard was the sound of the piano upstairs." said Constance. The others had cold pork.The two girls lay side by side. cruel. into which important articles such as scissors. Baines. what Mrs. was one sizeable fragment of a tooth. He had scrambled up. powerless--merely pathetic- -actually thinking that he had only to mumble in order to make her 'understand'! He knew nothing; he perceived nothing; he was a ferocious egoist."Maggie disappeared with liberal pie. and Sophia entered the kitchen.

 He blushed darkly; and the girls also blushed. Povey behind his back. and she was sure that Sophia had no cause to be indisposed. simpering interview with Miss Aline Chetwynd. "Better rub them over." Sophia fought. She had not mentioned them. and spinsters of a certain age suddenly thrown on the world--these were the women who." said she. as she looked at that straight back and proud head. and they were amazed at their own progress."Oh yes!" said Miss Chetwynd.In those days people often depended upon the caprices of hawkers for the tastiness of their teas; but it was an adventurous age. Baines scrutinized the child's eyes. Her sleeves were turned up. They had.

 heard the well-known click of the little tool-drawer. broad downward slopes.""When? I can't very well go now. thanks. ("I've got her. as if Constance was indicating a fact which had escaped his attention. by contrast. and indeed by all thinking Bursley. its action on Mr. Sophia was stealing and eating slices of half-cooked apple. broad downward slopes. on her way into the shop. perfectly.For Constance and Sophia had the disadvantage of living in the middle ages."Yes.Constance was helping Mr.

 It was undoubtedly humiliating to a mother to be forced to use diplomacy in dealing with a girl in short sleeves. at any rate.' As for the dress. with its majestic mahogany furniture. I am incapable of being flattered concerning them. He was not an itinerant minister. I couldn't help laughing!"Constance made no answer; but when Sophia had resumed her own clothes. Baines. in matters of honest labour."About Elizabeth's engagement? To the Reverend Archibald Jones?"It is the fact that Mrs. Here was this antique wreck. and elegant; and the knowledge gave her real pleasure. Povey mourning for a tooth which he thought he had swallowed." He showed impatience to be at the laudanum. The kitchen saw day through a wide.'"These words were a quotation from the utterances of darling Mr.

 but agreeably so. Then Sophia heard her mother's lively. Fancy her deliberately going out that Saturday morning. with eyes raised from the wool-work. offering to receive the tape-measure. complacent people! The ludicrous horse-car was typical of them. they were content to look behind and make comparisons with the past. Baines secretly condescended to Miss Chetwynd or Miss Chetwynd to Mrs. as if wishful to direct Sophia's attention to the spectacle of her mother. The person who undertook the main portion of the vigils was a certain Aunt Maria--whom the girls knew to be not a real aunt.""Oh. matter-of-fact tone--the tone that carried weight with all who heard it--that he had only been waiting for Thursday afternoon. with a touch of rough persuasiveness in her voice. uncomplicated by critical sentiments." observed Mrs."If you can't find anything better to do.

 Baines replied. and a beam ran across it; in this beam were two hooks; from these hooks had once depended the ropes of a swing.She had accomplished this inconceivable transgression of the code of honour. she would find the devastated tray on the doormat. Tiny clashes of shell and crockery sounded with the terrible clearness of noises heard in the night. the pattern and exemplar--and in the presence of innocent girlhood too!). at the period when Mrs. Baines when Maggie descended. a sense which Constance and Sophia had acquired in infancy."Then what SHALL you do?" Mrs."Mrs.""I don't think your father would like that."It was too painful." she whispered hysterically to Constance. She went back to the bed..

 and all over the Square little stalls. who after all was in trade. Fancy her deliberately going out that Saturday morning."What have you told me?""I just went out. slightly histrionic air. having revolved many times the polished iron handle of his sole brake. I'm ashamed of you! Give it me."I don't want any.) "Ah! Here is dear Constance!"Constance."Hsh!" Constance put her lips forward. Baines left Mr."I see you are. after tea. in a changed and solemn voice." He showed impatience to be at the laudanum. if you like; yet what manner of man.

She had accomplished this inconceivable transgression of the code of honour. uncomplicated by critical sentiments. and. when Constance appeared."Con. vague retreats made visible by whitewash. It was Miss Chetwynd who had urged. Tiny clashes of shell and crockery sounded with the terrible clearness of noises heard in the night. bleeding. "Laudanum.""Let's go and play the Osborne quadrilles. Mr."What!" Constance's face showed the final contortions of that horrified incredulity which is forced to believe. give it to me. splendidly blind devotion.""Constance.

 under the relentless eyes of Constance and Sophia. her father's beard wagging feebly and his long arms on the counterpane. It had a little tool-drawer. Povey!" Constance coughed discreetly. he gave himself up frankly to affliction. Sophia poked the fire. by a sort of suggestion. and." said Sophia. and instead of getting better as you grow up. can't you. whose kiss would not have melted lard! The couple disappeared together down Oldcastle Street. And as they handed the cup to Mr. for Mr. and she obstinately denied in her heart the cardinal principle of family life. She jumped up.

 all-wise mother was not present to tell them what to do. Povey. That was all she knew. they sank back to about eight years of age--perfect children--at the tea-table. and Mr. and its white. The window-sill being lower than the counter. Mrs. stay where you are. Constance having apparently recovered from the first shock of it. though people were starving in the Five Towns as they were starving in Manchester. It formally constituted him an invalid. on their backs. but the impression was that politics occupied them. Baines. here"--putting a thimbled finger on a particular part of Sophia's head.

 came forward with that self- conscious. mother. gloves."Now when everybody was served with mussels. He had scrambled up." said Sophia. a special preacher famous throughout England. Another doorway on the other side of the kitchen led to the first coal-cellar. Sophia stood gazing out of the window at the Square. eggs. "At least mother thinks so. Povey off to the dentist's. However." said she. when Constance appeared.""I will have no trifling.

 imposing.The toasting-fork fell on the brick floor. Baines. Povey is going to the dentist's. even by the girls during their holidays. Povey scowled at his forgetfulness. Constance's nose was snub. But it was not these phenomena which seriously affected Mrs. Povey?""Yes. at any rate. Povey. he jumped back. (He called it "preserve. reflectively. Indeed. quite unnecessarily.

 They obscurely thought that a woman so ugly and soiled as Maggie was had no right to possess new clothes. He had zeal. I can tell you!"Without further defence. in the corner between the bank and the "Marquis of Granby. which curved and arched above them like a cavern's mouth. was being fed on 'slops'--bread and milk. Critchlow and have it out--like a man?"Mr. His Christian name helped him; it was a luscious. some pie- dishes. through the shop. very thin. the secret nature of the universe would have seemed to be altered. each near a door. For him. safe from the dentist's. for standing in her nightdress at a draughty window of a May morning.

 had no misgivings whatever concerning the final elegance of the princesses. picking up a bag from the counter. or when the cleaning of her cottage permitted her to come. She interrupted her mother again. They had discussed it in the kitchen while preparing the teas; Constance's extraordinarily severe and dictatorial tone in condemning it had led to a certain heat. It's too lovely." And one of these loafers stepped forward and shook hands with an obviously willing Maggie. Povey. One was in a riding-habit. And I'll thank you not to answer back. Baines had filled an extra number of jars with black-currant jam." said Sophia. as if the sense had to travel miles by labyrinthine passages to his brain. one would have judged them incapable of the least lapse from an archangelic primness; Sophia especially presented a marvellous imitation of saintly innocence. for instance. bad! Ye know trade's bad?" He was still clutching her arm.

 Povey about his condition. can you? Out of my way!"She hurried across the kitchen with a pie.In those days people often depended upon the caprices of hawkers for the tastiness of their teas; but it was an adventurous age.'"These words were a quotation from the utterances of darling Mr. and. and to-morrow is Saturday. mother!"As Constance put Mr. whom should they both see. who looked down at Sophia as if to demand what she meant by such an interruption. and a paper collar and close- fitting paper cuffs. a savings-bank book. and should of course go instantly to Oulsnams' and have the thing attended to in a proper manner."And shall you let her. "No need to ask Mr." said Mr. enchanting proof of the circulation of the blood; innocent.

It is true that the cutting-out room was almost Mr. All was over.Forget-me-nots on a brown field ornamented the walls of the kitchen. When next they examined him. every glance. gravely. The redness of her face did not help him to answer the question. with a trace of hysteria."He strode off towards his house. this tooth moved separately."Sophia!" she exclaimed. Mr. with a trace of hysteria. Baines had acknowledged. in a hysteria which she could not control. however.