one of pleasing her kind inspectors. For a season, indeed, the voluble maid became monosyllabic. There was too much 'Yes, Prudence-Please, Prudence-I quite agree' and so forth. The ladies were delighted. Prudence said to Jacqueline : The dear child is remarkably amenable; I note an improvement in manner and tone. She was getting-hoydenish!' And Jacqueline would murmur in reply: Yes, sister, there is nothing of that woman in her.'

There is not much,' amended Prudence.

One wonders what would have happened had the ladies been privileged to overhear Rosetta's talks with Septimus Lovibond, now about to take his degree at Cambridge.

Septimus appealed to Rosetta because he represented excitement and revolt, the tempest in her teapot. Also he was odd to look at, markedly different from the other young men of her acquaintance. He despised what was known in those days as the crutch-and-toothpick brigade,' speaking of them scathingly to Rosetta as the 'la-di-da lot! He had shocked the Tories of Charminster, and in particular his own father, by professing himself a Radical. The Misses Mauleverer were spared' this dreadful knowledge. To Rosetta alone Septimus let himself go-an irresistible form of flattery. Whenever he said, in his somewhat harsh tones, Look here, Rosetta, I tell this to you. I wouldn't dare say it to anybody else,' she would thrill with delight and satisfaction, looking up into his strong face with beaming eyes and lips tremulously apart, revealing her small, even teeth.

Add to this the knowledge common to each of a tremendous secret; for when Septimus became head of the Charminster Grammar School he had said to Rosetta, even then his adoring slave: How old are you?' She had replied shamefully, 'I'm thirteen,' hastening to add, of course I feel years older.' To this, after piercing examination, Septimus replied: 'In seven years' time I shall marry you.' With an absence of maidenly modesty which would have overwhelmed her sisters, Rosetta exclaimed Oh, Septimus, you are a sweet boy!' And he had quenched ardour by remarking in a hollow voice: I am a man. Don't gush!'

Their love-making, if you can call it such, was of the most prosaic character. For example, Septimus had never kissed her, and if he wrote to her a rare event-his letters began 'Rosetta,'

and ended Yours faithfully.' But somehow the child divined that he was faithful, and that she belonged to him.

He talked to her alone of his ambitions, which mounted into the highest heaven. He had won a scholarship at Cambridge, the first rung in the ladder. A fellowship might follow, and then journalism. Later on-the House of Commons! A fellow should be able to use his pen mightily. The pen, nowadays, overturned dynasties. Billy Russell had destroyed a Government. And look at Delane! What a power! Omnipotence achieved with a quill! His favourite expression during his first year at Cambridge echoed often in Rosetta's ears:

'I shall smash idols.'

He smashed some of Rosetta's graven images, and filled her mind with ebullient ideas barely draped in rough words. He detested humbug and hypocrisy and snobbishness, exclaiming fiercely: Away with that! Throw him' (some curate, perhaps) 'to the lions!

He declaimed verse that pleased him, and passages from the great orators. Rosetta would listen breathless with excitement; but she remembered not to gush, and had wit enough to conceal admiration with a Not half bad, that. You can go it sometimes.' 'I mean to go it.'

By this time Rosetta was seventeen, and the prettiest girl in Charminster. Her portrait in pastel, done by a French artist who wanted money to return to Paris, exhibits a lovely complexion and large velvety brown eyes and hair. Upon the glowing skin, and into the eyes and hair the painter had expressed the joy in living which so distinguished Rosetta from the prim misses of the country town. Romney's best portraits of Emma Hamilton present the same natural gaiety and bloom, an expression almost pagan in its spontaneity. A month after the pastel was hung in the drawing-room the sisters had begun to reckon it a priceless possession, but at first glance Prudence murmured:

Is the child really like that?'

Jacqueline replied:

I know what you mean, sister; but she may have looked to the artist like that. He has brought out what he sees in her.' Prudence frowned.

'There is certainly a-wildness.'

'We have always known that.'

Prudence lowered her voice to a whisper.

'The child's beauty is of a character to appeal to-men!
'We must be careful. A propos

'Yes ? '

'She is very intimate with Septimus Lovibond.'

'Septimus Lovibond. Yes, yes, he is now a young man. seems only the other day that I gave him half a crown.'

It

'I remarked at the time-he was then sixteen-that the tip ought to have been ten shillings or nothing.'

'Septimus Lovibond! Rosetta and he have been as brother and sister, still— ! '

'She is so attractive.'

'We must be very careful.'

They were, of course, much too careful, as will be conceded when their cautionary remarks to Rosetta are recorded. Prudence had times and seasons for everything. About eleven in the morning, for example, when Jacqueline and she had ordered the house to their satisfaction, Prudence read aloud from some serious work generally of an historical character. Lighter reading was continued after tea, but never earlier in the day. At twelve-thirty precisely, when the serious work was laid aside, there was an intermission of a quarter of an hour, when the questions raised in the morning's reading might be profitably discussed. At a quarter to one the sisters retired to their chambers and prepared for luncheon, the principal meal of the day, but never spoken of as dinner.

At twenty-five minutes to one, Prudence laid upon the round table near her chair Motley's Netherlands,' and said nervously: 'Rosetta.'

Septimus Lovibond spent two hours with you in the garden yesterday afternoon.'

'Just one hour and forty-two minutes,' said Rosetta. Immediately she blushed, sensible that this meticulous notice of the exact time was significant. The elder ladies perceived the blush. And you are in and out of the Vicarage at all seasons.' Of course.'

66

There should be no of course

about it. You are no longer a child, dear, and we must consider the proprieties.' But I don't understand. Septimus is our friend and my particular pal.'

Pal? What a word to use!'

Chum, if you prefer it.'

'I do not prefer it. A young woman of seventeen can't be the "chum" of a young man of twenty-two. It's inconvenable.' 'I quite agree,' added Jacqueline. You should make a chum of some young woman of your own age.'

"Ugh!' said Rosetta.

'Laura Pogany, for instance-'

'Poor Laura is impossible. She can't help being a fool, but do you think that I could make a chum of a girl who calls a napkin a serviette?'

'Perhaps not. There are others.'

'Name one,' said Rosetta audaciously.

The sisters stared at each other. Prudence said, with slight asperity: There must be a suitable companion of your own sex somewhere in Charminster. Let that pass.'

Rosetta followed up her advantage.

'Have you anything against Septimus?

'Nothing; a very worthy young man, but he is odd.'

'That's why I like him so much.'

'Dr. Pogany speaks of him as an iconoclast.'

'That's because Septimus has criticised his methods, which are quite out of date.'

'What?'

'Dr. Pogany chooses to ignore the work of the bacteriologists. He can't use a microscope.'

'Do Septimus Lovibond and you pass judgment upon the man who brought you both into this world?'

'Why not?'

'Am I to understand that you have discussed with this young man such subjects as,' her soft voice trembled, 'as-disease?' We have talked about bacteriology.'

'I am distressed to hear it. A gentlewoman should never talk of medical matters except with her medical attendant. Does Septimus criticise his father also?'

Rosetta bit her lip. Prudence continued gently :

'I infer from your silence that he does.'

'Septimus is devoted to his father, but he recognises his limitations as a clergyman of the Church of England.'

'Bless me!' ejaculated Jacqueline.

Prudence rose with dignity.

'For the future,' she commanded firmly,' your intimacy with this young man must be clearly defined and regulated. You will avoid, please, seeing him alone, and without unduly hurting his feelings make him understand that his visits for the future must be of a more ceremonious character.'

She went out, followed by Jacqueline.

Next day, Rosetta told Septimus what had passed. All things considered, he behaved with moderation.

'I'm a nobody; and how can those dears realise that I'm bound to be somebody?'

'It's not that. I was fool enough to let out that we talked about religion and science.'

How indiscreet!'

'Well, you see, I wanted them to know that we didn't prattle about frivolous things only. Yes, I made a sad mess of it.' 'And you surrendered ? '

'I didn't; but they took surrender for granted.'

'And for the future my visits to you are to be ceremonious?' 'I can't see you-ceremonious.'

He answered gravely:

'From their point of view, they are right. What they think, however, doesn't matter. The interesting question is—what are you going to do?'

'I shall revolt.'

A rare smile transfigured his face. Long ago Rosetta had decided that Septimus could never be called handsome according to the standard set by the Apollo Belvidere. His features were roughly hewn and irregular, too massive for the popular taste. But his smile was charming-an inheritance from his mother, and essentially feminine and subtle, inspired rather by sympathy than humour. Rosetta had labelled it romantic.'

'I shall revolt,' repeated the girl firmly. I mean to see you wherever and whenever I can.'

Good.' The smile vanished, but lively flames danced in his eyes. 'We'll plot and plan.'