Secret Bread

d. The world without was still steeped in the golden light of full afternoon, but the small windows only looked on to the courtyard and let little of th

under a crock, and Vassilissa Beggoe was preserving the leaven for next week's breadmakin

had the graceful ungainliness of a young animal. She was muffled in a dirty print pinafore, and above its faded blue her neck looked a delicate privet-white, and would have looked whiter still had it been cleaner. In the dusk her little pale head, the shape of it clearly defined by the way in which s

a rub over and put on my Su

, as though the greasy-smelling steam that wavered up towards her nostrils were the sweetest of incense. Vassilissa, who was accustome

rease these three days. Vanities o' the flesh are all you think on, 'stead of helpen' your mother as has done everything for 'ee since you was

ted at one end of the table, eating a pasty. He crammed the last pa

for 'ee, mother.

mind to be Mr. Tonkin's office boy, and from that he meant to become articled clerk, and from that-who could tell? Tom remained quiet on the subject of his ultimate intentions, but he was fighting his mother's apathy and natural habit of opposition to attain the first step in his career. Mr. Tonkin, who, as Ishmael's guardian, visited fairly frequently at the Manor, was expe

wn cheild maken' herself 'ansome. Vassie, my worm, you may have th

face the grease lay in a shimmering arabesque. Annie went round the kitchen rasping the chairs over the stone floor and making futile dabs at their s

d when he kicked the door open and, striding in, flung his burden on to the dying fire. The sudden glow that leapt up revealed Tom ensconced in the settle, cleaning his boots with a pat of butter stolen from the dai

buttering; "I'm going to look decent to-night if no one else is. And so I don't mind a-tellen' 'ee-" with a sudden slip into the dialect that he st

he cheild?

for to-night," replied Archelaus. "Give I a light to take overstairs; 'te

it with a twig from the fire and stood looking at Archelaus for a moment with the cup in her hand. The footlight effect softened her prominently

at the door for 'ee to kiss when you g

ed from one big

, maybe?" purs

her. A maid's a maid," mumbl

ts on the settl

with extraordinary venom for a boy of fifteen; "Jenifer Keast! Have

y maid," mutt

to her but the clothes on her back. You've no call to be leading a maid toall yet.

w I'd be master o' Cloom if right were right, but there

nd then Cloom'd be mother's and ours. Eh, I wish I was

althy enough," g

e as never drew breath," interrupted Annie, "and if the cheild is set up by the law he's your

'n to die by the way you go on at me. I don't-it don't matter to me, for I'm going to be a lawyer l

ht. "Do 'ee grudge a chap a kiss or two? What's the harm in kissen'? You knew all

filial gibe h

al or physical, from a man, whether he be husband, b

e uglies," she said; "he'll look fine at the

y, with a sly glance at his mother. Annie whipped round at him in blank surpris

ie. "Eh, that passon! Sim'me he's lacken' his senses! Sim'me that when the law lets a man l

ned any way a clever chap has a mind. I'll see what I can do with it when I'

cked up his boots and went out. But Tom was of the truly great who can always contain themse

ange aimless way. Upstairs Vassie was tying her hair-brushed out now into a short, crimped fluff that made her look more like an angel than ever-with the blue ribbon; while Archelaus

cket of fuel, his lean little arms aching under its

I'm going to cry the Neck!