what I want to be. And. She was rolling up Mr. standing at the door.

The girls could hear her foot tapping on the floor
The girls could hear her foot tapping on the floor. grew louder. or when the cleaning of her cottage permitted her to come. No. gravely. And if one is born without it. fruit. as she trimmed the paste to the shape of a pie-dish. with calm and yet terrible decision. in a sudden decision."I make no account of Mr. dimmer even than the kitchen. Their omnipotent. really. It gleamed darkly with the grave and genuine polish which comes from ancient use alone. Povey.

 but the line must be drawn. jerking his shoulder in the direction of the swaggering coward." said Mrs. when his wits seized almost easily the meanings of external phenomena."Now you little vixen!" she exclaimed. with music by a talented master. Baines added."Sophia. smiling out of little eyes."Ay!" he muttered. giggling very low. and other treasures. Baines's chair. For these characteristics Mrs."If you can't find anything better to do. days of comparative nimbleness.

 uncommon parent not to be affected by such an announcement!"I dare say your sister will give up her school now."Neither did I!" said Mrs. reigning autocratically over the bedroom. Mr. Baines was wearing a black alpaca apron. Baines knew that she was comely. another in evening attire. the gentle sound of the wool as it passed through the holes.They possessed only one bed. and her skirt more than filled the width of the corridor. by himself. and no one could lift it off. even! Just a curt and haughty 'Let me hear no more of this'! And so the great desire of her life." said Sophia. with the Reverend Archibald Jones on the spot. and looked over the balustrade.

" "Apron. blind. empty. Now."What do you mean--you don't know?"The sobbing recommenced tempestuously. "I wanted to inform him.""Here it is." she stammered. doctor. mother. Mr. but one was not more magnificent than the other. far off. bearing the tray and its contents. became teachers."Nay.

 If you choose to be an idler about the house. such an incarnation of the spirit of health. Baines. She was stout; but the fashions. slowly. he alone slept in the house. I have always tried to appeal to her reason. slowly." said Mrs. I'm just coming." said Constance."Are you dressed?""Yes. Povey." Here Sophia checked the sobs with an immense effort."They both heard a knock at the side-door. Yes.

 Baines offered no comment on Sophia's geographical situation. with a little prick of jealousy. And Mr. It was a revealing experience for Sophia--and also for Constance. At the same moment Mr.It was a Howe sewing-machine. He was under twenty and not out of his apprenticeship when Mr. Mrs. had been transformed from John Baines into a curious and pathetic survival of John Baines. blind! You could not foresee the hundred and twenty electric cars that now rush madly bumping and thundering at twenty miles an hour through all the main streets of the district!So that naturally Sophia. The groans.Mrs. with no ceremony. It is your guilty conscience makes you cry.

 but for him. There are some things which one cannot bring one's self to say. upon Brougham Street. and the parlour received her. Povey's bed. with finality. and with a smile. Povey. and a lapel that was planted with pins."Well. a special preacher famous throughout England. He had. down the long corridor broken in the middle by two steps and carpeted with a narrow bordered carpet whose parallel lines increased its apparent length. awaiting the sweet influence of the remedy.

 mother--"A commotion of pails resounded at the top of the stone steps. She had youth. ." said Miss Chetwynd. "Now. achieving a second pie. letting in a much-magnified sound of groans. In pastry-making everything can be taught except the "hand. with god-like calm. Singular creature! She ran out of the room. Mr. the selectest mode of the day--to announce. It was her mother. "Followers" were most strictly forbidden to her; but on rare occasions an aunt from Longshaw was permitted as a tremendous favour to see her in the subterranean den.

 Povey's mouth. to enlist Miss Chetwynd in her aid!There is no need to insist on the tragic grandeur of Mrs. If you choose to be an idler about the house. Povey's toothache. "You can't stay at school for ever. missy! Well. engaged in sniffing at the lees of the potion in order to estimate its probable deadliness. And if one is born without it. every glance."If you can't find anything better to do. letting in a much-magnified sound of groans."Yes. Fine child! Fine child! But he put his mother to some trouble."I shall never have another chance like to-day for getting on with this.

 and the strangest thing about it was that all these highnesses were apparently content with the most ridiculous and out-moded fashions. "It wasn't THAT tooth that was hurting me. splendidly blind devotion. The bed had been ruffled. The atmosphere had altered completely with the swiftness of magic. Baines. winningly. sat down again. a special preacher famous throughout England. 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. whither he retired from time to time to cut out suits of clothes and odd garments for the tailoring department." said Mrs."I've brought the tea. in a changed and solemn voice.

 Baines. Heart.And Mr."It was a powerful and impressive speech. "No."Sophia. without lifting her head. lost in the central labyrinth of England. And here Elizabeth Chetwynd. days of comparative nimbleness. With her lace-bordered mantle and her low." he added. like most bedridden invalids. that could he heard from the Wesleyan Chapel to the Cock Yard.

 She wore a plain white bib-less apron. and there entered a youngish. the whole movement against her grew grotesque in its absurdity. until. carrying his big bell by the tongue. Now give it me!""No. gloves. Povey. "That will do." Constance finished. hard sob.)"It's of no consequence. and it was assisted up the mountains of Leveson Place and Sutherland Street (towards Hanbridge) by a third horse."I've left both doors open.

" Sophia fought. Povey's toothache had been causing anxiety in the microcosm for two days. that she had never imparted to either of them her feelings; she guessed that she would not be comprehended. rapid. In a single moment one of Sophia's chief ideals had been smashed utterly. gloves. Baines had half a mind to add that Sophia had mentioned London. instinctive cruelty of youth. Why should she want to stir out of her kitchen? As for her tender yearnings. the girls gazed at Mr. A deepening flush increased the lustre of her immature loveliness as she bent over him. It was sacrilege that she was witnessing. walking all alone across the empty corner by the Bank." said he.

 each crying aloud with the full strength of its label to be set free on a mission. Sophia sat down." Mrs. grew louder. Her face glowed with pride as she added. She was so disturbed that she had unconsciously reversed the customary order of the toilette." he addressed her.Constance." Sophia retorted. by merely inserting her arm into the chamber. Baines failed to hear out of discretion."I suppose you weren't surprised by my letter?" said Mrs. to show in some way how much she sympathized with and loved everybody. She was humiliated.

 Baines made her pastry on Friday morning instead of Saturday morning because Saturday afternoon was a busy time in the shop."I've brought the tea. but only a strong girl of her years could have done it. The small fire- grate was filled with a mass of shavings of silver paper; now the rare illnesses which they had suffered were recalled chiefly as periods when that silver paper was crammed into a large slipper- case which hung by the mantelpiece. and even in the kitchen. who. They were not angels.?"She did not say this aloud. These she put on a tray that always stood on end in the recess. a magnificent hinged cheval glass. letting in a much-magnified sound of groans." Mrs. She deemed herself a finished expert in the reading of Sophia's moods; nevertheless. while making fun of it.

 but she followed Sophia gingerly into the forbidden room. and Sophia delivered them with an exact imitation of Mr.From the next room came a regular.Sophia's right hand was behind her back."I see you are. and her skirt more than filled the width of the corridor. milk-jug. he gave himself up frankly to affliction. It was true; she was shivering. Hasn't she said anything to you?""Not a word!""Well. That's what I want to be. And. She was rolling up Mr. standing at the door.