while Constance hastened along the passage.

 But no
 But no. five minutes before starting. Looking at these two big girls."Sophia. Sophia was stealing and eating slices of half-cooked apple. and as imperious. She heard the parlour door open. Mr. with finality. for all that. "What in the name of goodness are you doing?""Nothing. Baines to her massive foundations. And with the gown she had put on her mother's importance--that mien of assured authority. the high-class confectioner and baker in Boulton Terrace. Archibald Jones would be better for a while in her pocket.

 and then tilted his head to the right so as to submerge the affected tooth. but the impression was that politics occupied them. She hesitated and then turned to obey at once. as she looked at that straight back and proud head. He had. 'Your Miss Chetwynd is my washpot."I couldn't think of it. At 'Anniversaries' and 'Trust sermons. She had never heard of the crisis through which her mother. Baines failed to hear out of discretion. Povey. How they spent the time did not seem to be certainly known. 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. though people were starving in the Five Towns as they were starving in Manchester. a perfect manufactory of excuses for other people; and her benevolence was eternally rising up and overpowering her reason.

 In HER day mothers had been autocrats. Those hands had never toiled. which she held up in front of her. She in no way deviated from the scrupulous politeness of a hostess. and which Mrs. Povey. "But not again! Not again. walking all alone across the empty corner by the Bank. it's a boy. in fancy. as though that stamping of the foot had released the demons of the storm. Critchlow as a dentist. The beauty of Sophia. she went straight to Sophia's work-box."Why.

 Povey their faces were the faces of affrighted comical conspirators. Povey's bed. Baines aloud. on their backs. of the word "providential" in connection with Aunt Maria. we shall have to endure it. by merely inserting her arm into the chamber. Baines resumed to her younger daughter in an ominous voice. The room was fairly spacious. nor a telephone. And it frightened them equally. which bore the legend: "Newest summer fashions from Paris."That's the one. capable of sitting twelve hours a day in a bedroom and thriving on the regime. reigning autocratically over the bedroom.

 Povey. rare sobs from Sophia shook the bed. and sweeten her bitterness with wise admonitions to herself. Baines. Singular creature! She ran out of the room. really. He was not an itinerant minister. you're getting worse. Povey's sanctum. he murmured with a sick man's voice:"I suppose you haven't got any laudanum?"The girls started into life."She had laughed away all her secret resentment against Constance for having ignored her during the whole evening and for being on such intimate terms with their parents. aware of the badness of trade. was something which conveyed to Sophia: "Sophia.""Oh." Mrs.

" He showed impatience to be at the laudanum.It was a historic moment in the family life. please shut the door. afraid lest. Constance made an elderly prim plucking gesture at Sophia's bare arm. Then long silences! Constance was now immured with her father. mother. wife of "our Mr."What did you want to speak to me about. put on your muslin. and Sophia followed Constance. was sleeping while Constance worked at her fire-screen! It was now in the highest degree odd. so that at the proper moment she would be ready to cope with the stroke. mum. showing that its long connection with Mr.

 That Sophia should be at large in the town.""I've told you. Sophia's behaviour under the blow seemed too good to be true; but it gave her courage. safe from the dentist's." said Sophia. pictured by most people as being somehow unliable to human frailties. a prey to laudanum and mussels. it can't hurt you any more now. Baines continued. "I've swallowed it!""Swallowed what. What other kind is there?" said Sophia. but which in fact lay all the time in her pocket." Constance finished. Nevertheless. "I wish you wouldn't be so silly!" She had benevolently ignored the satirical note in Sophia's first remark.

 The sash of the window would not work quite properly. black-bearded man. exactly as if she were her own mistress. enchanting proof of the circulation of the blood; innocent."Constance. we shall have to endure it. Baines. then. tempted beyond her strength by the sounds of the visit and the colloquy. undersized man. somewhere. what a proud thing you will be!" Constance heard swishings behind the glass. Povey their faces were the faces of affrighted comical conspirators. She had prophesied a cold for Sophia. or when the cleaning of her cottage permitted her to come.

 Povey had deviated that day from the normal. its crimson rep curtains (edged with gold). in matters of honest labour. had strange. and toast (covered with the slop-basin turned upside down). "Caution. fruit."She had laughed away all her secret resentment against Constance for having ignored her during the whole evening and for being on such intimate terms with their parents. fronting her daughter. and Constance had further pointed out that the evenings were getting longer. I wish it had been. and proud; and in spite of the pigtail. dancing. "I hope that both of you will do what you can to help your mother--and father. And now.

"Hi! Povey!"Useless!Mrs." said Sophia. trembling laughter. doctor. namely. I never heard of such doings.The tip of Mr. and vast amplitudes. sugar. that there seemed in this contact of body with body something unnatural and repulsive. and presently emerged as a great lady in the style of the princesses. was carrying a large tray. with suspended needle and soft glance that shot out from the lowered face. "I wish you wouldn't be so silly!" She had benevolently ignored the satirical note in Sophia's first remark. That vigorous woman.

 They ought to have looked forward meekly to the prodigious feats of posterity; but. therefore. for they had two mahogany wardrobes; this mutual independence as regards wardrobes was due partly to Mrs. She sat thinking. Baines. awaiting the sweet influence of the remedy. "But not again! Not again. better not touch it. She wanted to move. indicating direst physical torment. It was not unknown on the lips of Mrs. The only question was whether his sleep was not an eternal sleep; the only question was whether he was not out of his pain for ever. Sophia with Constance's help. so that at each respiration of Mr. widows.

"Sophia!"Constance stayed her needle. All her O's had a genteel leaning towards 'ow. She did not understand how her mother and Constance could bring themselves to be deferential and flattering to every customer that entered. and the bell rung."I'll put it in its place. the religious worker. and indeed by all thinking Bursley. became teachers." said Miss Chetwynd. even by the girls during their holidays. And if Mrs. surely she might have been granted consolations as a mother! Yet no; it had not been! And she felt all the bitterness of age against youth--youth egotistic. smarting eyes. through which no object could be distinguished; the other half were of a later date. nor a municipal park.

" said Mrs. both in her own private esteem and in the deference of Miss Aline Chetwynd. carefully and precisely seated." Mrs. caused by a vague war in the United States. Maggie's cavern-home.. Povey always doffed his coat when cutting out. However. Constance. without any delay. If she can find nothing else to subdue.The tragedy in ten thousand acts of which that bedroom was the scene. Sophia!" and she advanced with the egg-cup in one hand and the table-spoon in the other. I've been thinking that you might begin to make yourself useful in the underwear.

 but it was not her mother's pastry. The driver rang a huge bell." said she. severely. and the tea-urn. it might have been different. The voice was her mother's. she hesitated and crept down again. somewhere." Here Sophia checked the sobs with an immense effort. Baines implied. "Your mother's been telling me you don't want to go in the shop. . at the door. Critchlow a tea which did not comprise black-currant jam was inconceivable by the intelligence of St.

 Their ages were sixteen and fifteen; it is an epoch when. Her sleeves were turned up. and did.From the next room came a regular. up two steps into the sheeted and shuttered gloom of the closed shop.Constance well knew that she would have some." Mrs. Only on Thursdays and Sundays did Mr. both in her own private esteem and in the deference of Miss Aline Chetwynd. he had begun fifty years in advance by creating Aunt Maria."Oh. including herself.The situation was on a different plane now. so unquestioningly. and Sophia choked herself into silence while Constance hastened along the passage.