lucyshanxu

Maggie blundered up the kitchen stairs with the teapot and hot toast; and so Sophia had an excuse for silence. Sophia too had suffered much, suffered excruciatingly; she carried at that moment a whole tragedy in her young soul, unaccustomed to such burdens. Her attitude towards her mother was half fearful and half defiant; it might be summed up in the phrase which she had repeated again and again under her breath on the way home, "Well, mother can't kill me!" Mrs. Baines put down the blue-covered magazine and twisted her rocking-chair towards the table. "You can pour out the tea," said Mrs. Baines. "Where's Constance?" "She's not very well. She's lying down." "Anything the matter with her?" "No." This was inaccurate. Nearly everything was the matter with Constance, who had never been less Constance than during that afternoon. But Mrs. Baines had no intention of discussing Constance's love-affairs with Sophia. The less said to Sophia about love, the better! Sophia was excitable enough already! They sat opposite to each other, on either side of the fire--the monumental matron whose black bodice heavily overhung the table, whose large rounded face was creased and wrinkled by what seemed countless years of joy and disillusion; and the young, slim girl, so fresh, so virginal, so ignorant, with all the pathos of an unsuspecting victim about to be sacrificed to the minotaur of Time! They both ate hot toast, with careless haste, in silence, preoccupied, worried, and outwardly nonchalant. "And what has Miss Chetwynd got to say?" Mrs. Baines inquired. "She wasn't in." Here was a blow for Mrs. Baines, whose suspicions about Sophia, driven off by her certainties regarding Constance, suddenly sprang forward in her mind, and prowled to and fro like a band of tigers. Still, Mrs. Baines was determined to be calm and careful. "Oh! What time did you call?" "I don't know. About half-past four." Sophia finished her tea quickly, and rose. "Shall I tell Mr. Povey he can come?" (Mr. Povey had his tea after the ladies of the house.) "Yes, if you will stay in the shop till I come. Light me the gas before you go." Sophia took a wax taper from a vase on the mantelpiece, stuck it in the fire and lit the gas, which exploded in its crystal cloister with a mild report. "What's all that clay on your boots, child?" asked Mrs. Baines. "Clay?" repeated Sophia, staring foolishly at her boots. "Yes," said Mrs. Baines. "It looks like marl. Where on earth have you been?" She interrogated her daughter with an upward gaze, frigid and unconsciously hostile, through her gold-rimmed glasses. "I must have picked it up on the roads," said Sophia, and hastened to the door. "Sophia!" "Yes, mother." "Shut the door." Sophia unwillingly shut the door which she had half opened. "Come here." Sophia obeyed, with falling lip. "You are deceiving me, Sophia," said Mrs. Baines, with fierce solemnity. "Where have you been this afternoon?" Sophia's foot was restless on the carpet behind the table. "I haven't been anywhere," she murmured glumly. "Have you seen young Scales?" "Yes," said Sophia with grimness, glancing audaciously for an instant at her mother. ("She can't kill me: She can't kill me," her heart muttered. And she had youth and beauty in her favour, while her mother was only a fat middle-aged woman. "She can't kill me," said her heart, with the trembling, cruel insolence of the mirror-flattered child.) "How came you to meet him?" No answer. "Sophia, you heard what I said!" Still no answer. Sophia looked down at the table. ("She can't kill me.") "If you are going to be sullen, I shall have to suppose the worst," said Mrs. Baines. Sophia kept her silence. "Of course," Mrs. Baines resumed, "if you choose to be wicked, neither your mother nor any one else can stop you. There are certain things I CAN do, and these I SHALL do ... Let me warn you that young Scales is a thoroughly bad lot. I know all about him. He has been living a wild life abroad, and if it hadn't been that his uncle is a partner in Birkinshaws, they would never have taken him on again." A pause. "I hope that one day you will be a happy wife, but you are much too young yet to be meeting young men, and nothing would ever induce me to let you have anything to do with this Scales. I won't have it. In future you are not to go out alone. You understand me?" Sophia kept silence. "I hope you will be in a better frame of mind to-morrow. I can only hope so. But if you aren't, I shall take very severe measures. You think you can defy me. But you never were more mistaken in your life. I don't want to see any more of you now. Go and tell Mr. Povey; and call Maggie for the fresh tea. You make me almost glad that your father died even as he did. He has, at any rate, been spared this." Those words 'died even as he did' achieved the intimidation of Sophia. They seemed to indicate that Mrs. Baines, though she had magnanimously never mentioned the subject to Sophia, knew exactly how the old man had died. Sophia escaped from the room in fear, cowed. Nevertheless, her thought was, "She hasn't killed me. I made up my mind I wouldn't talk, and I didn't." In the evening, as she sat in the shop primly and sternly sewing at hats--while her mother wept in secret on the first floor, and Constance remained hidden on the second--Sophia lived over again the scene at the old shaft; but she lived it differently, admitting that she had been wrong, guessing by instinct that she had shown a foolish mistrust of love. As she sat in the shop, she adopted just the right attitude and said just the right things. Instead of being a silly baby she was an accomplished and dazzling woman, then. When customers came in, and the young lady assistants unobtrusively turned higher the central gas, according to the regime of the shop, it was really extraordinary that they could not read in the heart of the beautiful Miss Baines the words which blazed there; "YOU'RE THE FINEST GIRL I EVER MET," and "I SHALL WRITE TO YOU." The young lady assistants had their notions as to both Constance and Sophia, but the truth, at least as regarded Sophia, was beyond the flight of their imaginations. When eight o'clock struck and she gave the formal order for dust-sheets, the shop being empty, they never supposed that she was dreaming about posts and plotting how to get hold of the morning's letters before Mr. Povey.

Combination of leather and mesh face material, contrast color LOGO and cool bar full of decorative details, or wild or classic Skechers Shoes design, so that the upper more modern. Male models new shoes, body sculpting Shape-ups is most vividly reflected in this kind of personality, white, black, brown, dark gray, brown and other earth colors contrast use, disclose a frenzy, fun, and magic and elegance. In the upper, Skechers Official Store using durable leather shoes, body sculpting and face with breathable mesh design, to provide the necessary supporting force and a high degree of comfort. In order to reduce foot pressure, SHAPE UPS shaping shoes to ergonomic concept, design heightening the power boat shoes soles italics, combined with a special soft materials and the pad and dual density midsole insole, a shock-absorbing function in addition to more can effectively reduce the pressure on the foot. Hong Kong supermodel CARA, said: "As a professional model, more than usual emphasis on healthy eating, exercise from time to time, but the face of a busy life, to find time to go to the gym it is a luxury thing. Shape Ups Reebok Shoes shaping shoes, no matter when where I can easily walk, simple shaping and enjoy the fun of intelligent fitness. "Reebok shoes's heavy-bottomed design, integration of elements of female beauty and exercise, fashion and the wild.The Reebok shoes, durable rubber sole shoes, body sculpting design, but also help nature walk. MBT Boost shaping shoes to people anywhere, anytime fitness, its unique design is conducive to enhancing the scientific man in the leg muscles, hip muscles, back muscles and abdominal muscles and promote blood circulation, reduce pressure on the knee and back. the design of shoes, Reebok Freestyle Hi consistent fashion style, comfort, and closely follow the trend of its design, integration of elements of fashion and sports, whether in work, sports and special occasions can be worn. Skechers Shape Ups is the same with the Shape-ups using the same unique swing shoe design, from the maximum extent mimic the barefoot walking in the soft surface of the state, to give your feet a lot of different shaping mode, and for shoes for leg muscle Regional support in order to obtain the most appropriate walking posture, which take into account in the long walk, easy shaping to strengthen leg muscles, legs and buttocks with a perfect curve.

Oh!" said Mr. Povey, facing her with absurd nervous brusqueness, as though pretending: "Ah, yes! We have something to say--I was forgetting!" Then he began: "It's about Constance and me." Yes, they had evidently plotted this interview. Constance had evidently taken herself off on purpose to leave Mr. Povey unhampered. They were in league. The inevitable had come. No sleep! No repose! Nothing but worry once more! "I'm not at all satisfied with the present situation," said Mr. Povey, in a tone that corresponded to his words. "I don't know what you mean, Mr. Povey," said Mrs. Baines stiffly. This was a simple lie. "Well, really, Mrs. Baines!" Mr. Povey protested, "I suppose you won't deny that you know there is something between me and Constance? I suppose you won't deny that?" "What is there between you and Constance? I can assure you I--" "That depends on you," Mr. Povey interrupted her. When he was nervous his manners deteriorated into a behaviour that resembled rudeness. "That depends on you!" he repeated grimly. "But--" "Are we to be engaged or are we not?" pursued Mr. Povey, as though Mrs. Baines had been guilty of some grave lapse and he was determined not to spare her. "That's what I think ought to be settled, one way or the other. I wish to be perfectly open and aboveboard--in the future, as I have been in the past." "But you have said nothing to me at all!" Mrs. Baines remonstrated, lifting her eyebrows. The way in which the man had sprung this matter upon her was truly too audacious. Mr. Povey approached her as she sat at the table, shaking her ringlets and looking at her hands. "You know there's something between us!" he insisted. "How should I know there is something between you? Constance has never said a word to me. And have you?" "Well," said he. "We've hidden nothing." "What is there between you and Constance? If I may ask!" "That depends on you," said he again. "Have you asked her to be your wife?" "No. I haven't exactly asked her to be my wife." He hesitated. "You see--" Mrs. Baines collected her forces. "Have you kissed her?" This in a cold voice. Mr. Povey now blushed. "I haven't exactly kissed her," he stammered, apparently shocked by the inquisition. "No, I should not say that I had kissed her." It might have been that before committing himself he felt a desire for Mrs. Baines's definition of a kiss. "You are very extraordinary," she said loftily. It was no less than the truth. "All I want to know is--have you got anything against me?" he demanded roughly. "Because if so--" "Anything against you, Mr. Povey? Why should I have anything against you?" "Then why can't we be engaged?" She considered that he was bullying her. "That's another question," said she. "Why can't we be engaged? Ain't I good enough?" The fact was that he was not regarded as good enough. Mrs. Maddack had certainly deemed that he was not good enough. He was a solid mass of excellent qualities; but he lacked brilliance, importance, dignity. He could not impose himself. Such had been the verdict. And now, while Mrs. Baines was secretly reproaching Mr. Povey for his inability to impose himself, he was most patently imposing himself on her--and the phenomenon escaped her! She felt that he was bullying her, but somehow she could not perceive his power. Yet the man who could bully Mrs. Baines was surely no common soul! "You know my very high opinion of you," she said. Mr. Povey pursued in a mollified tone. "Assuming that Constance is willing to be engaged, do I understand you consent?" "But Constance is too young." "Constance is twenty. She is more than twenty." "In any case you won't expect me to give you an answer now." "Why not? You know my position." She did. From a practical point of view the match would be ideal: no fault could be found with it on that side. But Mrs. Baines could not extinguish the idea that it would be a 'come-down' for her daughter. Who, after all, was Mr. Povey? Mr. Povey was nobody. "I must think things over," she said firmly, putting her lips together. "I can't reply like this. It is a serious matter." "When can I have your answer? To-morrow?" "No--really--" "In a week, then?" "I cannot bind myself to a date," said Mrs. Baines, haughtily. She felt that she was gaining ground. "Because I can't stay on here indefinitely as things are," Mr. Povey burst out, and there was a touch of hysteria in his tone. "Now, Mr. Povey, please do be reasonable." "That's all very well," he went on. "That's all very well. But what I say is that employers have no right to have male assistants in their houses unless they are prepared to let their daughters marry! That's what I say! No RIGHT!" Mrs. Baines did not know what to answer. The aspirant wound up: "I must leave if that's the case." "If what's the case?" she asked herself. "What has come over him?" And aloud: "You know you would place me in a very awkward position by leaving, and I hope you don't want to mix up two quite different things. I hope you aren't trying to threaten me." "Threaten you!" he cried. "Do you suppose I should leave here for fun? If I leave it will be because I can't stand it. That's all. I can't stand it. I want Constance, and if I can't have her, then I can't stand it. What do you think I'm made of?" "I'm sure--" she began. "That's all very well!" he almost shouted. "But please let me speak,' she said quietly. "All I say is I can't stand it. That's all. ... Employers have no right. ... We have our feelings like other men." He was deeply moved. He might have appeared somewhat grotesque to the strictly impartial observer of human nature. Nevertheless he was deeply and genuinely moved, and possibly human nature could have shown nothing more human than Mr. Povey at the moment when, unable any longer to restrain the paroxysm which had so surprisingly overtaken him, he fled from the parlour, passionately, to the retreat of his bedroom. "That's the worst of those quiet calm ones," said Mrs. Baines to herself. "You never know if they won't give way. And when they do, it's awful--awful. ... What did I do, what did I say, to bring it on? Nothing! Nothing!" And where was her afternoon sleep? What was going to happen to her daughter? What could she say to Constance? How next could she meet Mr. Povey? Ah! It needed a brave, indomitable woman not to cry out brokenly: "I've suffered too much. Do anything you like; only let me die in peace!" And so saying, to let everything indifferently slide! You've been out, Sophia?" said Mrs. Baines in the parlour, questioningly. Sophia had taken off her hat and mantle hurriedly in the cutting-out room, for she was in danger of being late for tea; but her hair and face showed traces of the March breeze. Mrs. Baines, whose stoutness seemed to increase, sat in the rocking- chair with a number of The Sunday at Home in her hand. Tea was set. "Yes, mother. I called to see Miss Chetwynd." "I wish you'd tell me when you are going out." "I looked all over for you before I started." "No, you didn't, for I haven't stirred from this room since four o'clock. ... You should not say things like that," Mrs. Baines added in a gentler tone. Mrs. Baines had suffered much that day. She knew that she was in an irritable, nervous state, and therefore she said to herself, in her quality of wise woman, "I must watch myself. I mustn't let myself go." And she thought how reasonable she was. She did not guess that all her gestures betrayed her; nor did it occur to her that few things are more galling than the spectacle of a person, actuated by lofty motives, obviously trying to be kind and patient under what he considers to be extreme provocation.