Thyrza

nce who had just come away after hearing Thyrza sing. Returning home, she found Lydia at the door, anxiously and impatiently waiting for Thyrza's appearance. The news, of course, was at once

ed and wen

an angry look. For a moment Lydia did not speak; the other

sister asked, in a voice wh

ventually; indeed, whether or no discovery came from other sources, all would eventually be to

she said, averting her face as

u've been singing

he influence of Totty Nancarrow; stirred with apprehensions as powerful as a mother's. On the other hand, it was Thyrza's nature to shrink into coldness before angry words. She suffered intensely when th

going about with her? What next, I should like to know! If you go on and sing in a public-house, I don't know wha

painfully; and, for all her repentance, the echo of applause was still very sweet in her ears. This vehement reproach caused a little injury

gged you not to go with Totty Nancarrow, and how you've promised me you wouldn't be led into no harm. I shall

aught up

bad temper,' she said, in a trembling voice; 'you'll

ydia, frightened, sprang f

sit down

at right have

an and a nagging woman running over every scale of scurrility and striking every note of ingenious malice. The man was at length worked to a pitch of frenzy, and then-thud, thud, mingled with objurgations and sh

ing away a little from the door. Her cheeks burned

it. Lydia forced herself to keep silence from good or ill; it was no use speaking the thoughts she had till morning. Thyrza sat with her eyes fixed on vacancy; she was so miserable, her heart had sunk so low, that tears would have come had she

ng the flicker of the street lamp upon the ceiling, hearing the sounds that came of mirth or brutality in streets near and far. She did not suffer in the same way as her sister

shop and house were burnt down, he lost his limb in an endeavour to save his property, he lost his wife in consequence of the shock. Dreary things for the memory, yet they did not weigh upon Lydia; she was so happily endowed that her mind selected and dwelt on sunny hours, on kind looks and words which her strong heart cherished unassailably, on the mutual charities which sorrow had begotten rather than on the sorrow itself. Above all, the growing love of her dear one, of her to whom she

in lodgings with Thyrza, independent. Mr. Boddy was then no longer able to do more than supply his own needs, for things had grown worse with him from year to year. Lydia occasionally found jobs for her free hours, and she had never yet wanted. She was strong, her health had scarcely ever given her a day's uneasiness; there never came to her a fear lest bread should fail. But Thyrza could not take life as she did. It was not enough for

that Lydia's thoughts were busy as she lay wakeful. Before to-night she had not pondered so continuously on what she knew of him. For some two years he had been an acquaintance, through the Bowers, and she had felt glad when it was plain that he sought Thyrza's society. 'Yes,' she had said to herself, 'I like him, and

akfast as usual-it seemed quite natural that she should do near

London on the other side of Thames, known to these girls with scarcely less of vagueness than to simple dwellers in country towns, the autumn-like air was foretaste of holiday; the martyrs of the Season and they who do the world's cleaner work knew that rest was near, spoke at bre

. When the table was cleared, the former took up a story-paper which she bough

licate care she combed out every intricacy, and brushed the ordered tresses till the light gleamed on their smooth surface; then with skilful fingers she wove the braid, tying it with a blue ribbon so that the ends hung loose. The task

she asked, keepi

o-it doesn

erhaps there was a slight lack of smoothness over

so unkind t

luntarily; the voice sh

o be, Lyddy-you

uick-tempered, and I couldn't bear to think of you going

you I'd be

seem any harm to you, Thyrza, but it does to me.

shook h

se me never to

pleased with my singing. Annie West was there, and seve

don't think a wrong thought ever came into your head. It isn't that, it's because you can't go about the streets and into public-houses without hearing

I do, dear! It

ha

I love to be with you, but-if we could go and live somewhere else! I should like to see a new place. I've

if we aren't! Try your best not to think about those things. Suppose you ask Mr. Grail to lend you a book to read? I met Mrs. Grail downstairs last night, a

e always sits so quiet, a

r queer, but he s

do wrong, Lyddy. I felt as if I should like to go a

ed at her

e the heart to do that, Thyrz

I couldn't do without you. And now k

hair again, and the laug

it was only to have you do my hair. I

eat coarse thin

's was not ill-shapen, but there were marks on it of all the rough household work which she had n

id laughing. 'It's a g

py, c

kes me feel dozy whe

rained from exacting promises; she hoped to resume the subject before long-together with another tha

m the odds and ends thrown together on the front of a butcher's shop, and a few potatoes. It was not always they had meat; yet they n

ayed. He had the habit of doing so whilst half asleep, between dinner and tea. With impartiality he passed from strains of popular hymnody to the familia

illness. Few pedestrians were abroad; the greater part of the male population of Lambeth slumbered after the baked joint and flagon of ale

e came to a stop, and half a dozen boys gathered about his truck. The delicacy was dispensed to them in little green and yellow glasses, from whi

street; their eyes surveyed the upper windows. All were ragged and filthy; the elders bore the unmistakable brand of the gin-shop, and the

to be darned; she became at length so silent that her sister turned to look at her. Her head had dropped forward. S

t this work out of sight.' And as she began to spread the clot

with Mrs. Grail; then I'll s

up your mind

I was coming home last night. I told him I couldn't come out a

a. 'You knew I was going to chap

to say we wouldn't go at all. Wh

at six

d telling him? Perhaps you'll be go

give me!' remarked Ly

it, Lyddy. It isn't the fir

uch naivete that Lydi

ou'd go yourself,' she replied. 'B

r. Ackroyd that it would always

r made n

be cross

hing to be cross about

ted. They did not look at each other, and they dismissed the subject as soon as poss

ative frankness that she could not feel it incumbent upon her to give grave attention to such matters. Mary grieved over this attitude in one whose goodness of heart she could not call in question; it troubled her as an inconsequence in nature; she cherished a purpose of converting L

e 'Prince Albert;' such a piece of news could not be long in reaching Mrs. Bower's. She wished to speak of it, y

nd of that girl Totty,' Mary said, with decisio

, shaking her head. 'I lost my temper last night,

You must tell her she's not to speak to

don't think, though, she'll ever do such a thing as that again. I know what a temptation it

r Thyrza; something in that complex nature repelled her. As she herself had said: 'Thyrza was not easy to understand,' but she did understand t

r it if you're not

reply, but after a mo

could think o

f this to Mary; the latter was surp

t they were o

hen I went as well, and last ni

r that,' Mary replied with the air

not,

do her every bit as much

ouch of indignation in Lydia's voice. '

religion, and what's more he's always talking against religion. Father says he made a speech last week at that place in Westminster Brid

le. She kept her eyes on the t

n,' she replied at length, with firmness.

d if he does his best t

s it and thinks it right. Why, there's Mr. Grail thinks in the same way, I believe; a

now anything ab

talk to him for a few minutes to know he's a

a wonderful

exercises to be more aggressive and uncompromising than usual. But the present difficulty appeared a graver

o about religion and such things, and I don't suppose I ever shall. When I like people, I like them

ssumed rather

like, my de

peech on some wholly different subject. Mary with difficulty adap

ent-minded, halting between a desire to go at once, and tell him that they could not come, and a disinclination not perhaps very c

er hat, then, taking up the devotional books she ha

in surprise, 'I'

ou would,' the othe

t you had t

ise inviolable; her surprise would have been great if

as she prepared herself quickly. 'I do re

shook her

waiting at the end of the street. She felt a pang of self-reproach; it was wrong of her to have allowed him to stand in

peak a word to him. If you'll go on wh

ntment on the young man's face. He raised his hat to her-an

chapel,' she s

a sudde

sister'll

n't to-night. She's havi

reet. Lydia was impel

ery young yet, Mr. Ackroyd. She

ink of?' he asked

and know you better. Good-bye

d sauntered away witho