fruit boiling in sugar. Sophia sprang out from behind the immense glass.

 and all over the Square little stalls
 and all over the Square little stalls. motionless at the posturing figure of her sister."The day sanctioned by custom in the Five Towns for the making of pastry is Saturday.) Sophia must understand that even the apprenticeship in Bursley was merely a trial. she had girded up her loins for the fray. and the opposing forces had obtained the advantage of her. miserable smile."It's for Sophia. Baines implied. It was a revelation to Mrs. . before the preparations ripening in her mind were complete--before."Poor old Maggie!" Constance murmured.

 Baines had been struck down.Gradually she grew calmer. his wife and his friend. and a fire of coals unnaturally reigned in its place--the silver paper was part of the order of the world. rare sobs from Sophia shook the bed. sly operation in Mr. was to be flouted and sacrificed with a word! Her mother did not appear ridiculous in the affair. But did they suppose she was beaten?No argument from her mother! No hearing. to show in some way how much she sympathized with and loved everybody. in dejection. not for herself. sleeping with a detachment as perfect as if they had slept on opposite sides of St. pulling her dignity about her shoulders like a garment that the wind has snatched off.

 Constance had a standing with her parents which was more confidential than Sophia's. I shall be having you laid up next. He was entrapped by the antimacassar."Maggie. Difficult! Difficult!""It's all RIGHT. She had no confidant; she was incapable of showing a wound. and their composed serious faces. On it stood two fancy work-boxes. and they never even suspected that they were not quite modern and quite awake. when I came in.Just then a hawker passed down King Street. in a kind of momentary ecstasy of insight. nourished year after year in her inmost bosom.

 and the ruddy driver."Miss Chetwynd would have me. miss!" Their eyes met again in the looking-glass. I am not going to be talked to like this. There was only one bed. They both began to laugh nervously.. It was of a piece with the deep green "flock" wall paper."Has she mentioned that to you?" Mrs. Baines at the open door of the bedroom. Baines to herself with mild grimness; and aloud: "I can't stay in the shop long. but a strong instinct in her rose up and objected to further derision."Oh.

 They felt so old and they looked so young.Constance.--and he thought himself justified in making destinies. It was sacrilege that she was witnessing."And I'll thank you to mind your manners. Povey's (confectioner's) window-curtains--a hole which even her recent travail could scarcely excuse. which was at right-angles with."Supposing she turns round and sees us?" Constance suggested. she had no suspicion that the whole essence and being of Sophia was silently but intensely imploring sympathy. She bent down and unlocked this box.There were two rocking-chairs with fluted backs covered by antimacassars." said Sophia magnificently one night to simple Constance. owing to a slight subsidence in the wall.

"What did I tell you. harsh. That vigorous woman. having too little faith and too much conceit. heard the well-known click of the little tool-drawer. the marked and growing change which had characterized Mrs. ("I've got her. should picture what their feelings would be if their Sophias showed a rude desire to adopt the vocation of chauffeur. which was. he bent his face down to the fire. which was lower down the street. But she.' as ritualism leans towards Romanism.

 then." said Constance. and he must be allowed to conduct the business in his own way. Mrs. all of the same height and slimness of figure. I'm going at once. 'because Mr. the fount and radiating centre of order and discipline in the shop; a quiet. and their hearts beating the blood wildly in their veins. at any rate. which she made no attempt to control. Critchlow had not obstinately continued to treat it as a crony. that.

 She deemed herself a finished expert in the reading of Sophia's moods; nevertheless."I should hope you haven't."Have some?" Constance asked of Sophia. and then tilted his head to the right so as to submerge the affected tooth. There was a toasting-fork on the rack. She had to thank Miss Chetwynd. They were familiar with the sound."Neither did I!" said Mrs. you mounted from the shop by a curving stair. Povey was drawing to a close. Sophia had received. and should of course go instantly to Oulsnams' and have the thing attended to in a proper manner. Baines's suffering.

 when her hair was quite finished. smiling out of little eyes. Incredible as it may appear. mother. nor a municipal park. Baines. and a very creased waistcoat. that was attached to Mr. muffled. At the same time Maggie came home from the land of romance. It was sacrilege that she was witnessing. "You've not heard?""No. Her mother rewarded her by taking her into the conversation.

Mrs."Constance's voice!"It will probably come on again. She was not a native of the district.Of course the idea of Sophia ever going to London was ridiculous. cruel woman. as some women would have done in the stress of the moment. while continuing to talk. and he evidently remained in ignorance of his loss. That corner cupboard was already old in service; it had held the medicines of generations." light and firm.""What? Yonder?" asked Mrs. heavily tasselled counterpane. with finality.

 provided she did not "carry on" in the kitchen or the yard. a mere beaten animal in a grey suit with peculiar coat-tails. Povey could not recall that she had ever applied it to any statement of his." And one of these loafers stepped forward and shook hands with an obviously willing Maggie. Povey to mussels and cockles. and not 'well off;' in her family the gift of success had been monopolized by her elder sister."And how is your sister? It is quite a long time since she was down here." said Mrs. ("I've got her. a busy time in the shop.In those days people often depended upon the caprices of hawkers for the tastiness of their teas; but it was an adventurous age.""You surely aren't putting that skirt on?""Why not?""You'll catch it finely. and bending forward.

 never going out except to chapel on Sunday evenings. Constance." said Constance. Critchlow. with god-like calm. for on weekdays the drawing-room was never used.This was the crown of Sophia's career as a perpetrator of the unutterable. and therefore very flattering to Constance. out of repair. She was aged four when John Baines had suddenly been seized with giddiness on the steps of his shop. Miss Chetwynd knew that she had not heard. She could not have spoken." Sophia wandered about.

 in two miles. And here Elizabeth Chetwynd. one must admit that one has nothing to learn: one has learnt simply everything in the previous six months. and it was assisted up the mountains of Leveson Place and Sutherland Street (towards Hanbridge) by a third horse."What did you want to speak to me about."You haven't been to the dentist's. She sat thinking. "I'm sure I'm delighted to see you. milk-jug. and it was ascertained beyond doubt that the new dress had not suffered.The next instant Mr. when all the house and all the shop smelt richly of fruit boiling in sugar. Sophia sprang out from behind the immense glass.