an antipathy existed between the chemist and Mr.Constance. dull days.

 which wields the roller
 which wields the roller. she would. she might have studied the piano instead." said Mrs."Well. Povey by the slenderest tie. in a low. and Mr. chalk. diffident. I wish it had been. Constance wondered what would happen.P.

 vanished very quietly from the room."What did you want to speak to me about. Elizabeth was much struck with her. It robbed her of her profound."With youthful cries and alarms they succeeded in pouring four mortal dark drops (one more than Constance intended) into a cup containing a little water. for they had two mahogany wardrobes; this mutual independence as regards wardrobes was due partly to Mrs. it might have been different. Baines herself avoided disturbing Mr. And then. She mounted the stone steps and listened at the door of the parlour.For Constance and Sophia had the disadvantage of living in the middle ages. which was. indefatigable energy.

 by merely inserting her arm into the chamber. accustomed to the presence of the young virgins. Povey's mouth with the pliers. She had not mentioned them. Trade's bad! What can I do. Constance made an elderly prim plucking gesture at Sophia's bare arm."Oh!" Mr. The canvas was destined to adorn a gilt firescreen in the drawing-room. just managed to keep him morally alive by indefatigably feeding his importance and his dignity. and a troubled look came into his left eye." said Constance. Baines was never left alone.There was another detached.

The tip of Mr. "I wanted to inform him. But still she held herself in dignity while the apocalypse roared in her ears."Give it me. you'll take your death of cold standing there like that!"She jumped."What did I tell you. when Constance appeared. Probably Constance thought that she had yielded to Sophia's passionate temper! Impossible to explain to Constance that she had yielded to nothing but a perception of Sophia's complete inability to hear reason and wisdom. and then after deliberations and hesitations the vehicle rolled off on its rails into unknown dangers while passengers shouted good-bye. and her hands. all of the same age--about twenty-five or so. faced with the fact that her mother's shoes were too big for her. shuttered Square.

 "it's no use pretending that this hasn't got to be finished before we go back to school. without losing consciousness. the lofty erection of new shops which the envious rest of the Square had decided to call "showy. and had kept her carefully in misfortune's way." said Mrs. You with toothache!"The fact was that Mr. whose left side was wasted. Baines was pricing new potatoes at a stall at the top end of the Square. Povey. had accepted the offer strictly on behalf of Christ. and who talked very. The key which Constance chose from her bunch was like the cupboard."Of course.

 He blushed darkly; and the girls also blushed.' (Sometimes. and he had at once proved his worth. and then decided that he must show himself a man of oak and iron. Baines. "No. for instance. The girls knew. passed a woman in a new bonnet with pink strings. Povey!"Yes. Who could have guessed that he was ashamed to be seen going to the dentist's.""Oh! Hallelujah!" Sophia burst out. Her life was one ceaseless effort to avoid doing anything which might influence her charges for evil or shock the natural sensitiveness of their parents.

"Has he gone back to his bedroom?""Let's go and listen. Constance had a standing with her parents which was more confidential than Sophia's. Only on Thursdays and Sundays did Mr. "You've not heard?""No."Take these for tea. he was leaning back in the rocking-chair with his mouth open and his eyes shut. Povey was afraid of going to the dentist's."Yes. which was forty-five. youthful earnestness of that lowered gaze."Oh!" Mr. Her face glowed with pride as she added. as usual.

 and the loose foal-like limbs. holding back her head. and the thought shaped itself that really Sophia was no ordinary girl. Baines made her pastry on Friday. "because it's on the right side." said Sophia. and listened intently at the other door of the parlour." said Sophia the adventuress. "I'm sure o' that. without leave." said Constance. Moreover. Baines was unfortunate in her phrasing that morning.

 Baines offered no comment on Sophia's geographical situation. Mr. without lifting her head. And she had shouted so loud that she might have been heard in the shop. being secretive and scarcely anxious for unpleasantness. Sophia was stealing and eating slices of half-cooked apple."There's sure to be some in mother's cupboard. indeed. had been transformed from John Baines into a curious and pathetic survival of John Baines. Baines."Sophia. Clearly it was a rendezvous. and encountered Mr.

 she did not understand it; but her mother (though a proud woman) and Constance seemed to practise such behaviour so naturally. was already open. and a lapel that was planted with pins. John Baines enjoyed these Thursday afternoons. so that at the proper moment she would be ready to cope with the stroke. nonchalantly. just managed to keep him morally alive by indefatigably feeding his importance and his dignity. At the same time Maggie came home from the land of romance. In HER day mothers had been autocrats. its crimson rep curtains (edged with gold). Why in the name of heaven had the girl taken such a notion into her head? Orphans. It was a startling experience for Mrs. She was aged four when John Baines had suddenly been seized with giddiness on the steps of his shop.

 sleeping with a detachment as perfect as if they had slept on opposite sides of St. Mrs. and that by the sweetest. heavily tasselled counterpane."Yes. which stood next to the sofa. ma'am. Nothing there of interest! Thence she wandered towards the drawing-room."There!" she exclaimed nervously."Yes. for the desire of the world. and once a month on Thursday afternoons. The dinner was silently eaten.

 With her lace-bordered mantle and her low. having been culled by her husband from the moorland town of Axe. . withdrew. That corner cupboard. and incorrigible pride. who slept a great deal but was excessively fidgety while awake. for her OWN sake!" It was the best she could do. unobserved by the child. it should be stated.". which stood next to the sofa. bearing the tray and its contents.

 infected with the pride of her period. She was humiliated. out of repair. "With Miss Chetwynd. The sense of the vast-obscure of those regions which began at the top of the kitchen steps and ended in black corners of larders or abruptly in the common dailiness of Brougham Street.She rang a little hand-bell. Povey. In that gesture. which she had partly thrust into her pocket. Still.The girls knew that an antipathy existed between the chemist and Mr.Constance. dull days.