and some papers, "that there should be two accidents in one evening!"
On some pretext or another I keep him in the room for fully ten minutes; then he goes out into the garden after Paul.
I wonder if, when I am grown up and am quarrelling with my lover, any good Samaritan will take as much trouble to serve me as I have taken to serve those two who are standing down by the gate yonder, looking into each other's faces with such a different expression on each? So much I see as I hop nimbly to the window as soon as Mr. Frere's back is turned to me.
CHAPTER XVI.
Ophelia.—Indeed, my lord, you made me believe so."
"Come and pray! come and pray!" ring the sweet bells through the hushed peace of the sabbath morning; and obedient to the call we rise up, and, ascending to the higher regions, proceed to cloak and bonnet ourselves after our school-girl lights and abilities. There must be a little fashion wandering about the world somewhere, but it has not yet found its way to Charteris; only in one respect do we follow the mode, and that is by wearing spoon bonnets. Very fresh and fair look some of the faces inside those absurd monstrosities, but unlovely folk are not improved by their shape, and of those hapless latter virgins I am one. I would not mind if the tiresome thing would keep straight; but it will not, and I usually reach church looking as though I had had a fight on the way and come off second best. I am in short frocks still, so that from a distance I look all legs and bonnet—"like a wind-mill," as one of my friends kindly remarked the other day.
We are out in the road now, winding along it, like a dingy
