The Old Wives' Tale

dicularly as the projecting front of the shop would allow. The show-room was over the millinery and si

along one side, yellow linoleum on the floor, many cardboard boxes, a magnificent hinged cheval glass, and two chairs. The window-sill being lower than the counter, there was a gulf between the pa

and handsome at the same time. They were both of them rather like racehorses, quivering with delicate, sensitive, and luxuriant life; exquisite, enchanting proof of the circulation of the blood; innocent, artful, roguish, pri

goes!" excl

of each day in an underground kitchen and larder, and the other seven in an attic, never going out except to chapel on Sunday evenings, and once a month on Thursday afternoons. "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. Everybody, including herself, considered that she had a good "place," and was well treated. It was undeniable, for instance, that she was allowed to fall in love exactly as she chose, provided she did not "carry on" in the kitchen or the yard. And as a fact, Maggie had fallen in love. In seventeen y

course!" Soph

ect her to have glov

onnet and dress neared

round and sees us?"

ia, with a haughtiness almost impassi

se loafers stepped forward and shook hands with an obviously willing Maggie. Clearly it was a rendezvous, open, unashamed. The twelfth vic

ance. "Did you ever

f adequate words, flu

t to possess new clothes. Even her desire to take the air of a Thursday afternoon seemed to them unnatural and somewhat reprehensible. Why should she want to stir out of her kitchen? As for her tender yearnings, they positively grudged these to Maggie.

y. She had youth, beauty, and rank in her f

d-natured, a perfect manufactory of excuses for other people; and

r say she should be

ntil s

nd they both slid down from the counter just as if they had been

(the Osborne quadrilles being a series of dances arranged t

tone, was something which conveyed to Sophia: "Sophia, how can you be so utterly blind to the gravity of our fle

" Sophia

o-day for getting on with this," said Con

the canvas and resumed the filling-in of the tiny squares. The whole design was in squares-the gradations of red and greens, the curves of the smallest buds-all was contrived in squares, with a result that mimicked a fragment of uncompromising Axminster carpet. Still, the fine texture of the wool, the regular and rapid grace of those fingers moving incessantly at back and front of the canvas, the gentle sound of the wool as it pas

hia, "you're too si

d about, a prey ripe for the Evil One. "Oh," she exclaimed joyously-even ecstatically-looking behind the cheval glass, "here's mother's new skirt! Miss D

thi

en't putting t

y n

it finely, I

notable part of her own costume, and the flush of mischief was in her face. She ran across to the

er for the theatre; another seemed to be ready to go to bed. One held a little girl by the hand; it could not have been her own little girl, for these princesses were far beyond human passions. Where had she obtained the little girl? Why was one sister going to the theatre, another to tea, another to the stable, and another to bed? Why was one in a heavy mantle, and another sheltering from the sun's rays under a parasol? The picture was drenched in mystery, and the strangest thing about it was that all these highnesses were apparently content with the most ridiculous and out-moded fashions. Absurd hats, with veils flying behind; absurd bonnets, fitting close to the

had not understood the vital necessity of going away to the seaside every year. Bishop Colenso had just staggered Christianity by his shameless notions on the Pentateuch. Half Lancashire was starving on account of the American war. Garroting was the chief amusement of the homicidal classes. Incredible as it may appear, there w

they were content to look behind and make comparisons with the past. They did not foresee the miraculous generation which is us. A poor, blind, complacent people! The ludicrous horse-car was typical of them. The driver rang a huge bell, five minutes before starting, that could be heard from the Wesleyan Chapel to the Cock Yard, and then after deliberations and hesitations the vehicle rolled off on its rails into unknown dangers while passengers shouted good-bye. At Bleakridge it had to stop for the turnpike, and it was assisted up the mountains of Leveson Place a

blind, blind! You could not foresee the hundred and twenty electric cars that now rush madly

retreated behind the glass, and presently emerged as a great lady in the style of the princesses. Her mother's tremendous new gown ballooned about her in all its fantastic richness and expensiveness. And with the gown she had put on her mother's importance-that mien of assured authority, of c

phi

of her sister. It was sacrilege that she was witnessing, a prodigious irreverence. She was conscious of an expectation that punishment woul

ty of alarm that merged into condoning

owroom. Abounding life inspired her movements. The confident and fierce joy of youth shone on her brow. "What thing on earth equals me?" she seemed to demand with enchanting and yet ruthless arrogance. She was the daughter of a respected, bedridden draper in an insignificant town, lost in the central labyrinth of England, if you like; yet what manner of man, confronted with her, would or could have denied her naive claim to dominion? She stood, in h

n the rim of the largest circle, which curved and arched above them like a cavern's mouth. The abrupt transition of her features from assured pride to ludicrous astonishment and alarm was comical enoug

seemed not to know the tones of reproof-"I do hop

ting in a much-magnified sound of groans, and there entered a youngish, undersized man, who was frantically clutching his head in his hands and contorting all the muscles of his face. On perceiving the sculptural group of two prone, interlocked girls, one enveloped in a crinoline, and the other with a wool-work bunc

youngish man suddenly; and with a swif

bstinate youngish man, absolutely faithful, absolutely efficient in his sphere; without brilliance, without distinction; perhaps rather little-minded, certainly narrow-minded; but what a force in the shop! The shop was inconceivable without Mr. Povey. He was under twenty and not out of

elp. It was not easy to right a capsized crinoline. They

to the dentist's,"

at the family table, when Mrs. Baines or one of the assistants could "relieve" him in the shop. Before starting out to visit her elder sister at Axe, Mrs. Baines had insisted to Mr. Povey that he had eaten practically nothing but "slops" for twenty-four hours, and that if he was not careful she would have him on her hands. He had replied in his quiet

se. He had not dared to set forth. The paragon of commonsense, pictured by most people as being somehow u

hia. "I wonder what he though

rtained beyond doubt that the new dress had not suffered, and Constance herself was ca

whether something ough

ve

Sophia d

e back to h

ten," said Sophia

oken in the middle by two steps and carpeted with a narrow bordered carpet whose parallel lines increased its apparent le

onstance cough

ure at Sophia's bare arm, but she followed Sophia gingerly into the forbidden room, which was,

ooth!" Sophia whisper

ance put her

ld leave off. They were familiar with the sound, and they quitted Mr. Povey's chamber in fear of disturbing it. At the same moment Mr. Povey reappeared, this time in the d

or he had surprised them coming out of hi

d do anything for

anks!" sai

come down the c

he dentist's," said Co

ting a fact which had escaped his attention. "The truth is,

ble Mr

of draughts. Don't you think it would be a good thing if

thank you," said Mr. Po

thanks,