Thyrza

in Lydia's absence at the work-room, she sometimes had fits of weeping; it was a relief to shed tears. She could have g

ceptible falling off in the animation which was the note of her character. Perhaps she too was affected by the weath

t was decided that Mr. Boddy should come and have tea with the girls in their own room. Lydia talked over these things with Mary in the kitchen below the shop, where odo

Thyrza would like to see his poor old face when he puts it on

see if

u'll have peo

much rather come and sit with

a as

kroyd been

seen him. I

hat, Mary?' asked

y what I t

which had no place upon her fair, open countenance came for a mo

carefully hidden, to be produced at a suitable moment. The bitter coldness of the day gladdened the girls now that they knew the old man would go away well wrapped up. This coat had furnished a subject for many an hour of talk between them, and now as they waited they

y, if he gets that he

there if he couldn't pay his rent. But I always hope that we shall be able to find what he ne

h-nothing like enough for

rhaps'-she laughed-'we shal

t the veteran overcoat was left behind, for the simple reason that Mr. Boddy felt he looked more respectable without it. His threadbare black suit had been subjected to vigorous brushing, with a little exercise of t

e said as he kissed Thyrza. 'It's cheerin' when you don

ne,' replied Thyrza. '

weet to the poor old fellow to be so affectionately

une, one she had grown fond of in chapel. Mary began to sing it, so Lydia got her hymn-book and asked Thyrza to sing with them. The air was a sweet one, and Thyrza's voice gave it touching beauty as she sang soft and low. O

longer, Mr. Boddy,' she said,

n alone, Miss Mary,' he replied. 'I call

e if you couldn't wal

t as grows on me, I fear. If Lyddy 'ad only tell me of it, both together you

shall cure me of my sharp temper and you of grumblin

n his woollen gloves and took up his hat and t

ing your top-coat,

come in it

? I'm sure we don'

spread the gift. Mr. Boddy looked in a puzzled way; had he

at o' mine, L

roke int

exclaimed. 'Don't play trick

ary waiting,' said Lydia, catchin

. He looked from Lydia to

enough of your money! Lyddy, Lyddy! And you're as bad, Thyrza; a grown-up woman like you, you ought to teach yo

ppearance was remarkable; conscious of it, he held himself more upright and stumped to the little

like these. Good-bye, Lyddy; good-bye, Thyrza. May you have a many happy C

e lost in darkness. Then she returned to her sister with a si

mysterious penalty when they have wrested one whole day from fate. On the Saturday Lydia had no work to go to, and the hours dragged. In the course of the morning she went out to make so

when they had gone into the parlour. 'Would you li

sagreeable; Mary's air of dischargi

t?' she as

I came back last night. He's begun to g

eyes. Mary keeping

what if

you should know, o

o do with Mr. Ackroyd

k, Lydia. Mr. Raggles saw him in a public-house

g before her, and her white knuckles pro

remises whence her conclusions had been drawn were undeniably sound. She was actuated neither by personal dislike of Ackroyd nor by jeal

ed up with

Mr. Raggles? How do you know he tells the truth?

erence what any one believed, Lydia,'

said. I'll never go to chapel again with you, Mary, as long as I live! You're unkind, and it's your chapel-going that makes you so! You'd no b

truth of what she had reported, and she had done her plain duty in drawing the lesson. Whether Lydia would acknowledge t

our. She had heard nothing from Mary Bower, and her resentment was yet warm. She did not

attention to her dress and went downstairs. She knocked a

' she asked timidly,

t she doesn't feel very well.

I'm s

d, just with

to go to her roo

n't disturb her. Would you le

l you come an

arcely that, yet unmistakably his countenance was troubled. This made Thyrza nervous; she did not look at him again for a few moments, but carried her eyes

r. Grail?' she said at length. 'It mu

smile in them, and one so reassuring, so-sh

what I want. I

The words which came from him were involunt

ieve that I would do m

in his words, but replied

so, Mr.

But in the doing it she became frightened; his face had alte

st your life

atively an old man, and his gravity would in itself have prevented her from viewing him as a possible suitor. He seemed so buried in his books

concerted, how almo

dly, releasing her hand. 'I've been too hasty. You didn'

him reproach himself; he sought to soothe her, and was incoherent, awkward. As if in implicit obedience, she moved to

Gra

ed at him, and he was smitten to the hear

drawing near to her, 'forget that I said anythin

his voice touched her. The reverence which she had always felt for him grew w

you, Mr. Grail?' she asked, with a strange s

. 'I am so much older than you, but you are the first for whom I have ever felt love.

held out both her hands

. Grail. I will try my bes

blue eyes, and their depths rendered to him a sweetness and purity before whi

ed and kept h

ng her hands, he had released them at the f

wish to,

u like, Mr. Grai

er cheeks, and the sensation prevented her from

ng?' Gilbert said, relieving her from the necessity

me. Good-nigh

she always did when taking leave of him, save that she could not meet his eyes. He

its envelope and handed to her the letter he had received from Egremont

didn't think there was something that night! Have yo

your a

ith that voice and that look many a time. Well, well, my dear, it's only waiting, you see; som

had talked of it

his to Thyrza to

him, over the top of h

ll. Yes, yes, of

tea. I told her if she'd come down in the

hy didn't you call me?

e. I had something to say to her-something I wanted to sa

aimlessly for an hour and a half, avoiding the places where she

sister had taken off her hat

e Mr. Ackroyd la

the reply. 'I passed him in

when did you

said Lydia, smoothing the h

e forgotten all

the speaker's face with eye

ou say th

think

averting her eyes. 'I don't know. Y

to be friends with us, I don't see why

moment, however, she had altered her voice to add: 'He couldn't be frien

ed some

I shall never be sorry for that. Shall I tell you why? It's something you'd never gue

oked inq

d ask Mr. Grail to lend me a book. I went and knocked at the door, and Mr. Grail was there alone. And

me than it would have taken her to express surprise, her wits had arranged a number of little incidents which remained in her memory, and had reviewed them all in the light of this disclosure. This was the meaning of M

sness, whilst she pressed her s

did you

I would,

ry grave. She bit first he

that at on

felt I

elt yo

vehemence of his feeling went forth in that subtle influence with which forcible natures are able to affect now an individual, now a crowd. Thyrza was very susceptible of such impression; the love which had become all-potent in Gilbert's heart sensibly moved her own. Ackroyd had had no power to touch her so; his ardour had

ered her

felt that it was true. He didn't try to persuade me, Lyddy. When I showed how

You hadn't thought of such a thing-I'm sure

I done wro

nt for his sudden abandonment of disguise? The two were friends; Grail might well have shrunk from entering into rivalry with the younger man. She felt a convincing clearness in this. Then it was true that Ackroyd had begun to show an interest in Totty Nancarrow; it was true, she added bitterly, connecting it closely with

as repeating

yrza?' burst from Lydia. 'He loved you and he still loves you.

ew a litt

I could never have said "yes" to Mr. Ackroyd, Lyddy!' She sprang forward and held her sister again. 'You know why I couldn'

had hallowed so many moments of their lives. Lydia's face

u thought this that yo

no,

don't think I shall ever have a sad minute if I s

y'll be! Of course, everybody'll know soon. I shall go to work to-morrow, you know I'm qui

erself and Mary Bower, and the mention of Ackroyd's name was now a distress

k of it to no one; it was better to wait till Mr. Egremont had himself made the fact known among the members of his class. Lydia was much impressed with Gilbert's behaviour in keeping that good fortune a secret in the

was at the Kennington Road end of Walnut Tree Walk. He seemed to be waiting. He rais

Will you st

Luke held

said, with friendliness. 'But we're not alway

d do. She did not know for certai

ed 'to give your sister

ill, Mr.

I'm not surprised at his luck. I haven't felt I wanted to quarrel with him, and I think bet

r. Ackroyd,' Lydia said,

ellows that can never show what they feel. It all co

eemed to take a pleasure in representing himself as luckle

hese things. You'll soon be cheer

it for anythin