Hilda Lessways

d of t

probity and reliability. His statement of receipts and expenditure, together with the corresponding cash, had been due at two o’clock, and despite the paralytic stroke it was less than a quarter of an hour late. On one side of the bag and the book were ranged the older women,—

’s what she’s doing!” said Hi

then a striking dramatic event. Moreover, they were considered as direct visitations of God. Also there was something mysteriously and agreeably impressive in the word ‘paralytic,’ which people would repea

sk, and he would have me come with it! And him sixty-seven! He always was like that. And I do believe if he’d been paralysed on both sides instead of only all down his right side, and speechless too, h

any apology for inexactitude,

t-like as he’d never leave his bed again. He’s laid himself down for the r

streets, had been cut off in a moment from the world and condemned for life to a mattress. She sincerely imagined herself to be filled with proper grief; but an aesthetic appreci

he money,” said Mrs. Grant. “I

not!” proteste

immediate departure. Mrs. Lessways ceremonio

t’s worth his salt—in this town,” observed Mrs. Grant, on

my rents myself

d path leading to the paralytic’s house, Mrs. Lessways sl

ou might have tried to show

narrow lobby, of which the hea

a re

about collecting those rent

se I’m serious!”

ect the rents myself?

utterly destroyed her illogical arguments. She would repeat these phrases, repeat even entire conversations, with pleasure; and, dwelling also with pleasure upon her grievances against her mother, would gradually arrive at a state of dull-glowing resentment. She could, if she chose, easily free her brain from the obsession either by reading or by a sharp jerk of volition; but often she preferred not to do so, saying to herself voluptuously: “No, I w

t good at strategy, especially in conflicts with her daughter. She was an ingenuous, hasty thing, and much too candidly human. And not only was she deficient in practical common sense and most absurdly unable to learn from experience, but she had not even the wit to cover her shortcomings by resorting to the traditional authoritativeness of the moth

reply, Mrs. Lessways

!” And then, after a further sil

f talking about it?” sa

not asking you to collect them. And I shall save

ty-five per cent.,” said Hilda.

t think I shall be easy with those Calder Street tenants,

l keep the bad ones, and the houses will all go to rack and ruin, and then you’ll sell all the property at a lo

eard the interminable complainings, devisings, futile resolvings, of the self-appointed collector. It was impossible to imagine a woman less fitted by nature tha

that she could collect rents and manage property as well as anyone. She was convinced that her habits were regular, her temper firm and

me!” she murmured weak

. “What have I said? I didn’t begin. Y

” said Mrs. Less

i

t she was either a clumsy or a wicked girl, or both. She indeed felt dimly that she was a little of both. But she did not mind. Sitting there in the small, familiar room, close to the sewing-machine, the steel fender, the tarnished chandelier, and all the other daily objects which she at once detested and loved, sitting close t

rough her brain, and the tenderness of pity welled up from somewhere within her and mingled exquisitely with her dark melancholy. And she found delight in reading her poor mother like an open book, as she supposed. And all the while her mother was dreaming

ach other,” said Mrs. Lessways,

ntalism. She could

n more than her usual incisive clearness of articulation, “it’s

mood change

er seen your father’s will.”

you’ve never

m trustee and executor.” Mrs. Lessways was exceedingly jealous of her lega

ty isn’t managed right, I may find myself slaving when I’m your

will

thi

consulting her own lawyer next

ssily at the kitchen range. After a few minutes Hilda followed her to the kitchen, which was now nearly in darkness. The figure of Mrs. Lessw

; and she was astonished by he

mother asked, in a

was Hilda who had made the overture. Hilda thought: “How strange I am! What is coming over me?” She glanced at the range, in which was a pale gleam of red, and that gleam, in the heavy twilight