Catharine Furze

in the realms of respectability, Mrs. Colston had not called, and Mrs. Furze was beginning to despair. The separation from the chapel was nearly complete. It had been done by degrees. On w

have needed, if they had been entirely composed of cavalry; and the evidence is not strong that his horses were so ubiquitous. It was further affirmed that, during the Cromwellian occupation, the west window was mutilated; but there was also a tradition that, in the days of George the Third, there were complaints of dinginess and want of light, and that part of the stained glass was removed and sold. Anyhow, there was stained glass in the Honourable Mr. Eaton's mansion wonderfully like that at Eastthorpe. It was now proposed to put new stained glass in the defective lights. Some of the more advanced of the parishioners, including the parson and the builder, thought the old glass had better all come out, "the only way to make a good job of it"; but at an archidiaconal visitation the archdeacon protested, and he was allowed to have his own way. Then there was the warming, and this was a great difficulty, because no natural exit for the pipe could be found. At last it was settl

rs. Furze's old furniture had, nearly all, been discarded or sold, and two new carpets had been bought. The one in the dining-room was yellow and chocolate, and the one upstairs in the drawing-room was a lovely rose-pattern, with large full-blown roses nine inches in diameter in blue vases. The heavy chairs had disappeared, and nice light elegant chairs were bought, insufficient, however, for heavy weights, for one of Mr. Furze's affluent customers being brought to the Terrace as a special mark of respect, and sitting down with a flop, as was his wont, smashed

d upstairs, and not in the half-underground breakfast-room, as it was called, which was the real living-room of the family. Mr. Furze, being late and weary, prolonged his stay at home till n

your comfort, but don't you think you might give up that p

ve moved?" inter

ress you; you have no tac

," replied Mr. Furze, giving, of cou

ill, buy a proper coat and a smoking-cap. Nothing could be more ap

a velvet jacket and one of those red-tasselled

you are a Furze, e

not been heard. A charwoman was in the passage with a pail of water and answered the do

um," and in Mrs.

ction would not make matters better; but she only succeeded in upsetting the

being cleaned; pray walk upstairs - but oh dear, now I recollect the drawin

the brewer's wife, patronisingly; "I do not

. Furze, but Mr. Colston had urged it as a matter of policy,

tter of business, Mrs. Furz

is back to his distinguished guest. Catharine sat at the window quite immovable. Su

nd daughter,

had, of course, spoken to her scores of times in his shop, but he was not suppo

gain turned towards the curtain, and was struggling with his coat. Mrs. Furze

" said the lady, alluding, as Mrs. Furze

ards Catharine, feeling very uncomfortable, and

parts, and will be out of harmony with the building when it is renovated. Young Mr. Cawston, who is being trained as an architect - the builder's son, you know - has prepared a design whi

greatest

h shall I say

list?" interposed Mr. Furze, humbly; but before it co

, Mrs. Colston. Mr. Cawston is,

ee his son endeavouring to raise himself from a comparatively humble occupation and surrou

ed her eyes, and looked straight

ith his hands and legs increased. He was conscious to a most remarkable degree that he ha

k I must be going. I

rrand, Mr. Furze, and

. Mr. Furze shook Mrs. Colston's hand with its lemon-coloured glove and departed. Catharine noticed that Mrs. Colston

altar-cloth would be acceptable. I should be so happy - I will not say to give one myself, but to unde

e, object to adopting the design of the committee! We will send you a correct pattern. We have thought abo

y costly affair, and now she remembered that she had no friends who were not Dissenters. Moreover, to be on the committee was the object

t the altar-cloth which we had provisiona

The charwoman, still busy with broom and pail outside, knocked at the door with a kn

Bellam

eet her friend, caught her round

nk at your old shop, or rather your new shop, but it's in the old place in the High Street - leastways if you keep any baccy and whiskey there now - and he'd call for me with the gig, and I said as I knew my Catharine - her mother - would give me a cup of tea; and, Miss Catharine, you remember that big white hog as you used to look at always when you went out into the meadow? - well, he's killed, and I know Mr. Furze likes a bit of good, hones

r basket and your bonnet; or stay, Mrs. Bellamy, I will

ken a syllable, Catharine and Mrs

ton. "I fancy I have seen her before. She s

igin, at whose house my daughter - lo

ve pounds to me, the receipt shall be returned to you in due course, and the draw

also recollected the servant could not appear in proper c

n, "and p'r'aps you won't mind steppin' on this side of the passage, 'cause that side's all w

clothes, gave way to a long fit of hysterical sobbing. She would not come down to tea, and excused herself o

g you can understand. I am very unwell; I

Mrs. Bellamy will be so glad to see you, and she w

de; you cannot comprehend these nervous attacks, happily for you;

ther to herself. Mrs. Bellamy and Catharine consequently had tea alone, Mr.

y, Catharine. Well, how

vel. I hate - " Catharine was very excited, and it is not easy to te

aid, 'O my God, when will it please Thee to take that woman to Thyself!' Now to wish anybody dead is bad enough, but to ask the Lord to take 'em is awful; but then it was so hard to bear 'cause I couldn't say nothing about it, and I'm one of them as can't keep myself bottled up like ginger-beer. You don't remember old Jacob? He had been at Chapel Farm in Bellamy's father's time, and always looked on Bellamy as his boy, and used to be very free with him, notwithstanding he was the best creature as ever lived. He took a liking to me, and I needn't say that, liking of me, he didn't like Bellamy's sister. Well, I came down, and I went out of doors to get a bit of fresh air - for I'm always better out of doors - and I went up by the cart-shed, and being faint a bit, sat down on the waggon shafts. Old Jacob, he came by; I can see him now; it was just about Michaelmas time, a-getting dark after tea, though I hadn't had any, a

hat has to do with me.

e same. You wouldn't hate the Terrace so much if you knew that nobody meant to spite you, as Jacob says. Suppose your father was driven to the Terrace and couldn't help it, and there wasn't another house for him, you wouldn't hate it so much then. It isn't the Terrace altogether. Now, Miss Catharine, you won't mind my speaking out to you. You know you are my girl," and Mrs. Bellamy turned and kissed her; "you mustn't, you really mustn't. I've seen what was coming for a long time. Your mot

nk on what she had spent and what she had done, and then that Mrs. Colston should be received by a charwoman with a pail, should be shown into the room downstairs, and find it like a public-house bar! If Mr. Furze had been there alone it would not so much have mattered, but the presence of wife and

see you are able to com

- into her arms. I've nothing to say against Mrs. Bellamy, but Catharine knows perfectly well that Mrs. Colston's intimacy is desired, and that's the way she chose to behave. Mrs. Bellamy was the last person I should have wished to see here

e stoppe

last person I should h

probably something disobedient and cruel," an

eaving her supper unfinished, rose without sayi