Ayala's Angel

y the doing of which was within her reach. It seemed to her that her whole life was a blank. Her father’s house had been a small affair and considered to be poor when compared

ies, of course, forthcoming. There had been the little room in which the girls painted, joining their father’s studio and sharing its light, surrounded by every pretty female appliance. Then there had always been visitors. The artists from Kensington had been wont to gather t

s, perhaps a little dilettanti religion; few domestic laws, and those easily broken; few domestic duties, and those easily evaded; breakfast when you will, with dinner almost as little binding, with much company and acknowledged aptitude for idle luxury. That is life at No. 10. At No. 11 everything is cased in iron. There shall be equal plenty, but at No. 11 even plenty is a bondage. Duty rules everything, a

y, had a certain position in the world which was sufficiently maintained by decent apparel, a well-kept, slight, grey whisker, and an umbrella which seemed never to have been violated by use. Dosett was popular at his office, and was regarded by his brother clerks as a friend. But no one was acquainted with his house and home. They did not dine with him, nor he with them. There are such men in all public offices — not the less respected because of the quiescence of their lives. It was known of him that he had burdens,

y imprudently. Something which he had expected had not come to him; and, as a result, he had been forced to borrow, and to insure his life for the amount borrowed. Then, too, when that misfortune as to the money came — came from the non-realization of certain claims which his wife had been supposed to possess — provision had also to be made for her. In this way an assurance office eat up a large fraction of his income, and left him with means which in truth were very straitened. Dosett at once gave up all glories of social life, settled himself in Kingsb

intentions, but simply on his death. There was to be ever so much of it, four or five hundred a year, which would last for ever. When the old gentleman died, which took place some ten years after Dosett’s marriage, it was found that the money,

ato while she ate only the rind. She told him, unnecessarily, over and over again, that she had ruined him by her marriage. No such idea was ever in his head. The thing had come, and so it must be. There was food to eat, potatoes enough for both, and a genteel house in which to live. He could still be happy if she would not groan. A certain amount of groaning she did postpone while in his presence. The sewing of seams,

at something should be done in their absence. Mr Dosett was also enjoying his official leave of absence for the year, but was enjoying it within the economical precincts of Kingsbury Crescent. There was but seldom now an excursion for him or his wife to the joys of the country. Once, some years ago, they had paid a visit to the palatial luxuries of G

ome from when they wanted frocks — hardly with more precision than the Tringle girls. Frocks had come — dark, gloomy frocks, lately, alas! And these, too, had now come a second time. Let creditors be ever so unsatisfied, new raiment will always be f

ng you like, au

e had been rejected. This had been two days since, and she had not renewed the proposal as she should have done. This had been mainly from bashfulness. Though the work would certainly be distasteful to her, she would do it

ng her eyes to the little volume of poetry, which was one of the f

erself that she could never like her aunt. “I am quite sure that for young girls, as well as for old women, there must be a great deal of waste time

intended the remarks all in good part, thinking them to be simply fitting from an aunt to a niece. It was her duty to give advice, and for the giving of suc

m this careful, sheet-darning housewife of a woman. And in thinking of her mother there had no doubt been regrets for many things of which she would not have ventured to speak as sharing her thoughts with the memory of her mother, but which were nevertheless there to add darkness to the re

n to vex you,”

y — darling, darling

must be borne. But sorrows such as those are much lighter to the busy than to the idle. I sometimes think

ourer then,” said Lu

ou begin to be a labourer the better

ouring should be commenced at once for the sake of “those about you’ — who could only be Aunt Dosett herself — she had seemed to the girl to be harsh, selfish, and almost unnatural. The volume of poetry fell from her hand, and she jumped up from the cha

ot take me up in that way. I am speaking only for your good, because I

sorrows, partly reminded herself that she was not soft and facile as had been her sister-in-law, Lucy’s mother; and then, as she continued her work, she assured herself that it would be best t

d strength with which to look forward to the future? She struggled hard with herself for a resolution. Should she determine that she would henceforward darn sheets morning, noon, and night till she worked her fingers to the bone? Perhaps there had been so

e could not do it as regarded her aunt. She could put herself into

ear it? She begrudged Ayala nothing — no, nothing. But yet it was hard! Ayala was to have everything. Aunt Emmeline — though they had not hitherto been very fond of Aunt Emmeline — was sweetness itself as compared with this woman. “

ouse, so that at least she need not be obedient to the harsh voice and the odious common sense of her Aunt Dosett! But how should she take herself to some workhouse? In what way could she prove her right to be admitted even then? It seemed to her that the same decree which had admitted Ayala into the golden halls of the fairies had doomed her not only to poverty, but to slav

o go with as much ease as into her bedroom, the box at the opera, the pretty furniture, the frequent gems, even the raiment which would make her pleasing to the eyes of men whom she would like to please — all these things grew in her eyes and became beautiful. No. 3, Kingsbury Crescent, was surely, of all places on the earth’s surface, the most ugly. And yet — yet she had endeavoured to do her duty.