.Fifteen
guineas
at
least
.
Come
along
,
you
bed-ridden
dump
of
a
Clara
;
it
's
freezing
like
bricks
and
silica
,
and
I
am
in
such
spirits
,
and
Giudice
is
frightening
Tom
out
of
his
life
in
the
kitchen
.
"
She
danced
round
my
little
room
,
like
a
leaf
when
the
wind
is
rising
.
The
Pixie-king
of
my
gordit
could
not
have
been
lighter
of
foot
,
nor
half
so
lovely
of
form
.
How
she
managed
to
spin
so
between
the
"
sticks
,
"
none
but
herself
can
tell
.
What
would
poor
Mrs.
Shelfer
have
said
?
In
spite
of
her
fears
for
the
furniture
,
she
would
have
laughed
,
I
believe
,
and
blessed
the
pretty
feet
.
"
Come
along
,
Clara
child
.
Do
you
think
I
am
going
to
stand
still
here
all
day
?
"
"
If
you
call
that
standing
still
,
pray
give
me
the
senior
sophist
's
definition
of
motion
.
"
"
Oh
I
want
to
skate
,
so
dreadfully
.
And
Pappy
and
Conrad
wo
n't
let
me
.
They
say
it
is
n't
becoming
.
But
what
on
earth
can
be
more
so
?
Would
n't
I
skim
on
one
foot
?
I
'll
skate
,
in
spite
of
them
,
Clara
,
if
you
'll
only
keep
me
in
countenance
.
"
"
Can
you
imagine
me
skating
?
"
"
No.
I
know
you
wo
n't
do
it
,
you
are
so
fearfully
grave
.
But
there
's
more
fun
in
you
,
when
you
like
,
or
when
you
ca
n't
help
yourself
,
as
I
've
seen
you
once
or
twice
,
than
there
is
in
a
hundred
such
Merry-Andrews
as
me
.
At
any
rate
we
'll
go
and
see
them
.
On
with
your
bonnet
now
,
I
cannot
wait
a
minute
.
Have
something
to
cover
your
eyes
.
Conny
'
11
be
there
I
know
.
"
On
went
my
bonnet
,
nothing
loth
to
have
an
airing
again
.
It
was
fading
in
the
box
.
"
Now
lots
of
warm
things
,
darling
.
You
have
no
idea
how
cold
it
is
,
and
scarcely
sun
enough
to
thaw
the
long
frost
in
your
eyes
.
Let
me
look
at
them
,
Donna
.
Oh
if
mine
were
half
as
bright
.
You
ca
n't
have
got
them
in
England
.
"
"
Now
,
Idols
,
do
n't
talk
nonsense
.
Every
inch
of
me
is
English
,
and
not
an
inch
of
you
;
although
your
eyes
are
so
blue
.
You
are
Scotch
all
over
,
or
else
you
are
all
Swiss
.
"
For
answer
she
began
singing
"
the
Merry
Swiss
Boy
,
"
and
was
going
to
dance
to
her
song
,
when
I
danced
her
off
down
stairs
.
Giudice
was
in
the
kitchen
,
with
Tom
,
from
the
top
of
the
coffee-mill
,
sputtering
anathemas
at
him
.
A
magnificent
dog
he
was
,
of
the
race
of
Maltese
bloodhounds
,
now
so
scarce
,
fawn-coloured
,
long
in
the
flank
,
deep
in
the
jowl
,
pouch-eared
,
and
grave
of
eye
.
He
regarded
Tom
no
more
than
if
he
had
been
an
old
hat
brushed
the
wrong
way
;
and
the
birds
,
who
were
all
in
a
flutter
,
he
took
for
British
butterflies
.
He
came
leisurely
to
me
,
walking
one
side
at
a
time
,
and
solemnly
deposited
his
great
moist
nose
in
my
hand
.
I
knew
him
then
as
the
friend
who
addressed
me
,
long
since
,
in
the
Villa
Road
.
"
Why
,
you
graven
images
"
—
a
popular
person
always
has
fifty
nicknames
;
Isola
had
a
hundred
at
least
,
and
she
liked
them
all
—
"
what
depth
of
secresy
and
statecraft
is
this
!
You
know
how
I
love
dogs
,
and
you
never
even
told
me
of
this
splendid
fellow
's
existence
!
"
"
Well
,
Donna
dear
,
do
n't
look
so
indignant
.
He
does
n't
belong
to
me
,
and
he
wo
n't
come
with
me
unless
he
is
told
,
and
then
he
makes
such
a
favour
of
it
.
See
his
long
supple
stride
.
He
walks
just
like
a
leopard
—
do
n't
you
,
you
pious
panther
?
I
wonder
he
took
to
you
so
.
He
is
not
fierce
at
all
,
except
when
he
ought
to
be
;
but
he
hardly
ever
makes
friends
.
"
"
Whose
dog
is
he
?
'
"
Conrad
's
to
be
sure
.
And
I
do
believe
Conny
thinks
more
of
him
than
he
does
of
me
.
Get
along
,
you
yellow
mammoth
!
Why
he
would
keep
his
head
there
all
day
?
"
"
All
dogs
love
me
,
Idols
.
It
was
so
when
I
was
a
child
.
They
know
how
honest
I
am
.
"
"
Well
,
I
believe
you
are
,
Donna
;
and
too
honest
sometimes
.
But
I
am
honest
enough
,
and
Giudice
does
not
appreciate
it
.
Come
along
,
Judy
.
Are
you
going
to
stick
there
all
day
?
"
Away
we
went
,
and
the
great
dog
walked
behind
,
keeping
his
head
most
fairly
adjusted
between
us
,
never
shifting
its
place
an
inch
,
whether
we
walked
or
ran
—
as
we
did
where
the
street
was
empty
,
and
when
we
got
into
the
Park
.
Oh
the
cold
air
of
heaven
,
fresh
from
the
clear
North
Pole
,
where
the
Great
Bear
stalks
round
the
Little
Bear
with
the
vigilance
of
a
mother
,
how
it
tightens
the
clip
of
the
joints
,
puts
a
sting
into
every
step
,
flushes
the
cheeks
with
Aurora
,
and
sparkles
in
young
eyes
!
For
the
nonce
we
forget
who
we
are
,
never
think
how
our
clothes
blow
about
,
our
spirits
are
on
the
north
wind
,
what
are
we
more
than
snow
flakes
,
let
us
glisten
and
lift
on
the
air
.
Crossing
the
Park
(
lightly
furrowed
with
snow
at
the
drains
,
like
our
hair
when
we
part
it
)
we
came
to
a
broad
sheet
of
ice
.
We
had
heard
a
long
way
off
a
crisp
musical
hollow
sound
,
like
tapping
a
box
with
a
hole
in
it
.
The
ice
was
not
like
the
old
ice
at
Vaughan
Park
,
but
seamed
and
channeled
,
and
up
and
down
,
and
powdered
light
grey
with
scrapings
from
skates
and
shoes
.
Thousands
of
people
were
on
it
,
some
skating
,
some
sliding
,
some
rushing
about
and
playing
hot
game
with
crooked
sticks
,
some
sweeping
away
with
short
brooms
,
some
crying
things
for
sale
and
offering
skates
for
hire
,
many
standing
still
and
wistfully
eyeing
the
land
;
but
all
in
the
height
of
good
humour
,
laughing
,
chaffing
,
holloaing
,
drinking
,
and
ordering
more
.
Every
now
and
then
some
great
performer
(
in
his
own
eyes
)
would
sail
by
the
women
grandly
(
like
a
ship
heeling
over
)
,
with
his
arms
folded
and
foot
over
foot
,
and
a
long
cigar
in
his
mouth
.
For
these
one
devoutly
desired
a
fall
.
The
skaters
of
real
eminence
scorned
this
common
show-off
,
and
each
had
his
special
admirers
forming
a
ring
around
him
,
where
he
had
cut
his
own
circus
of
smoother
and
greener
ice
.
Along
the
brink
of
firm
land
,
stood
nurses
and
children
innumerable
;
the
maids
on
the
giggle
at
every
challenge
borne
to
them
from
the
glazed
waters
,
the
little
ones
tugging
,
and
kicking
,
and
frantic
to
get
on
.
The
background
of
all
the
cold
scene
,
whiter
as
it
receded
,
and
broken
by
gliding
figures
,
was
formed
by
some
low
fringed
islets
,
with
open
water
around
them
,
and
crane-necked
wild
fowl
wheeling
about
,
and
warning
boards
,
and
icemen
pushing
flat-bottomed
boats
along
.
In
the
far
distance
,
to
the
right
,
were
two
or
three
canvas
tents
,
where
they
kept
the
range
of
the
mercury
,
and
the
list
of
the
accidents
.
The
long
vista
was
closed
now
and
then
,
as
high
as
hats
and
bonnets
,
by
scuds
of
the
drifting
ice
and
snow
.
Here
as
we
stood
on
the
bank
,
Giudice
forsook
us
shamefully
,
and
bounded
over
the
ice
,
with
a
levity
quite
scandalous
for
a
serious-minded
dog
,
towards
one
of
the
charmed
circles
,
where
eminent
skaters
whirled
,
like
peg-tops
full
of
steam-engines
.
Was
it
likely
that
we
,
two
girls
of
spirit
,
would
halt
ignobly
there
?
First
on
the
ice
went
I
,
holding
Isola
's
hand
,
and
tempting
her
nothing
loth
.
In
spite
of
her
boast
about
skating
,
Idols
was
frightened
at
first
,
and
held
very
tightly
by
me
,
and
wanted
to
run
back
.
But
the
little
feet
grew
braver
at
every
step
,
and
she
ventured
even
to
clap
her
hands
and
dance
.
To
me
the
thing
was
no
novelty
,
except
from
the
number
of
people
,
and
the
puckering
of
the
ice
.
I
had
even
the
courage
to
slide
with
one
foot
,
but
never
with
both
at
a
time
.
As
for
the
cracking
and
bending
when
some
heavy
man
scoured
by
,
on
purpose
,
I
dare
say
,
to
frighten
us
,
I
laughed
with
my
heart
in
my
mouth
.
Isola
was
amazed
.
She
never
could
have
conceived
that
I
had
so
much
effrontery
.
What
cared
I
,
if
a
hundred
people
stared
at
me
?
I
was
doing
nothing
unseemly
,
and
dozens
of
ladies
were
there
.
The
scene
,
and
the
air
,
and
the
spirits
of
youth
set
my
blood
all
on
the
bound
,
and
oh
,
blessing
of
blessings
,
my
blessed
sight
was
come
back
.
How
manly
,
and
stirring
,
to
feel
,
that
a
slip
—
and
a
limb
may
be
broken
;
a
crack
—
and
one
may
be
drowned
.
But
,
as
usual
,
I
suffered
for
my
temerity
.
First
we
followed
Giudice
,
and
found
him
in
the
centre
of
the
ring
,
where
the
greatest
throng
was
gathered
,
the
dog
skating
with
his
master
,
who
was
one
of
the
very
best
skaters
in
the
world
.
Giudice
was
graver
than
ever
,
but
wistfully
glanced
as
he
whirled
round
,
at
every
point
of
escape
.
With
his
heavy
fore
feet
on
his
master
's
shoulders
,
and
his
tongue
lolling
out
,
and
his
eyes
rolling
sadly
at
each
reluctant
caper
,
and
his
poor
tail
between
his
jerked
legs
,
it
was
impossible
not
to
see
that
his
dignity
and
self-respect
were
suffering
.
So
when
Conrad
came
to
speak
to
us
,
I
earnestly
begged
that
Giudice
might
be
set
free
,
which
was
done
in
a
moment
,
to
the
great
disappointment
of
the
bystanders
,
and
the
boundless
delight
of
the
dog
,
who
came
and
gratefully
kissed
my
hand
.
"
Why
,
Donna
,
"
cried
Isola
in
a
small
pet
,
"
Giudice
takes
you
for
his
mistress
:
he
would
never
do
that
to
me
,
if
I
coaxed
him
a
hundred
years
.
"
Through
,
the
colour
the
north
wind
had
spread
on
my
cheeks
,
I
felt
the
warm
blood
rushing
,
and
bent
over
the
dog
to
hide
it
;
then
much
as
I
longed
to
see
Isola
's
brother
skate
,
I
dragged
her
off
rather
rudely
towards
the
rougher
part
of
the
ice
.
Conrad
looked
rather
surprised
and
hurt
,
but
resumed
his
figuring
with
much
apparent
philosophy
.
Idols
and
I
,
with
the
flush
in
our
cheeks
,
and
the
flash
in
our
eyes
,
and
our
forms
all
buoyant
with
innocent
fun
,
came
suddenly
round
a
corner
on
a
party
of
low-looking
men
,
who
were
casting
flat
stones
,
bowling
,
or
curling
,
or
playing
at
drake
,
with
a
great
tin
can
for
their
mark
.
We
turned
and
were
off
in
a
moment
;
but
we
had
been
observed
by
the
sharpest
and
slyest
eyes
in
London
.
A
man
gave
chase
in
half-skating
fashion
,
having
bones
tied
under
his
boots
,
in
lieu
of
skates
.
We
could
easily
have
escaped
,
in
spite
of
his
bones
;
but
was
I
going
to
run
away
,
like
a
skittish
servant-maid
?
I
drew
up
Miss
Isola
sharply
,
whether
she
would
or
no
,
and
confronted
the
enemy
.
It
was
Mr.
Shelfer
himself
,
the
man
so
modest
and
bashful
,
who
could
never
bear
to
look
at
me
.
Though
a
dozen
more
came
after
him
,
I
felt
no
alarm
at
all
,
knowing
his
wonderful
shyness
and
diffidence
.
But
his
first
address
amazed
me
.
"
Now
's
your
time
,
lads
.
At
'
em
,
I
say
.
Here
's
the
two
prettiest
gals
in
London
.
"
The
low
scoundrel
!
I
saw
that
he
was
quite
tipsy
.
But
frightened
as
I
was
,
for
none
but
they
were
near
,
I
could
hardly
help
laughing
at
him
.
He
had
his
usual
slouch
,
and
the
long
sly
nose
,
and
the
pent-house
gleam
of
the
eye
,
and
his
gaunt
cheeks
drawn
as
if
he
was
always
sucking
them
,
and
the
chimneypot
hat
,
that
had
once
belonged
to
some
steady
going
Churchman
,
with
the
crown
flapping
in
,
like
the
gills
of
a
fish
.
All
this
was
balanced
by
the
skill
and
comical
courage
of
Bacchus
,
upon
a
pair
of
grating
marrow-bones
.
Behind
him
his
countless
pockets
yawned
and
looked
brown
on
the
wind
.
And
this
was
the
being
bowed
down
to
by
Mrs.
Shelfer
!
"
Clara
dear
,
stop
,
Clara
!
"
the
impudent
sot
cried
out
.
I
had
stopped
without
that
,
and
was
already
facing
him
.
For
a
moment
he
was
abashed
,
for
my
eyes
were
full
upon
his
;
but
the
others
were
coming
up
.
"
Now
this
is
what
I
calls
harmony
,
dashed
if
it
is
n't
.
Why
look
at
the
trees
and
the
bushes
.
There
's
harmony
in
them
trees
,
ay
in
every
one
on
'
em
.
Fine
trees
and
pretty
gals
,
them
's
the
jockeys
for
me
.
That
's
what
I
calls
natur
'
and
something
like
.
Houses
!
Lor
,
there
's
no
harmony
in
houses
and
pantiles
.
Fine
trees
is
all
harmony
,
and
so
is
lovely
woman
.
Do
n't
tell
the
old
gal
at
home
.
She
never
would
understand
.
Why
Idols
there
is
a
pretty
duck
as
ever
swam
on
the
ice
.
But
Clara
's
a
—
—
fine
swan
,
and
no
mistake
.
Ducks
is
all
very
well
,
but
a
swan
is
the
jockey
for
me
.
There
's
something
to
lay
hold
on
there
.
Give
me
a
swan
I
say
,
and
the
harmony
of
them
trees
.
Bob
Ridley
,
I
'll
lay
you
a
tanner
I
kisses
that
there
swan
.
Ever
see
such
eyes
,
Bob
,
and
look
at
the
way
she
stands
.
Wonder
there
's
a
bit
of
ice
left
here
.
"
The
low
rogue
had
a
long
pipe
"
in
his
head
,
"
—
as
Farmer
Huxtable
expressed
it
,
—
and
at
every
leering
sentence
blew
out
a
puff
of
smoke
.
"
Bet
you
a
tanner
,
Charley
,
you
do
n't
kiss
that
stunnin
'
gal
,
"
cried
his
friend
,
as
drunk
as
himself
.
"
Here
goes
,
neck
or
nothing
;
"
and
the
niddering
made
a
dash
at
me
.
I
drew
my
clenched
hand
from
my
muff
,
where
it
had
been
tingling
in
my
glove
,
and
in
his
tipsy
rush
,
his
face
came
full
against
it
.
It
was
a
very
odd
thing
,
and
I
know
not
how
it
happened
.
He
reeled
on
his
bones
from
the
collision
,
and
staggered
in
staring
amazement
.
Before
he
had
time
to
recover
,
Conrad
dashed
up
like
a
hawk
at
an
owl
;
by
some
wonderful
back-stroke
he
stopped
in
an
instant
,
wrung
Shelfer
's
crooked
stick
from
his
hand
,
hooked
him
under
the
collar
,
struck
out
again
,
and
towed
the
poor
wretch
away
backward
,
at
the
speed
of
a
mile
in
a
minute
.
The
fire
flew
from
his
skates
as
he
dashed
towards
the
open
water
.
Giudice
,
at
full
gallop
behind
,
tried
in
vain
to
keep
up
.
Every
man
and
woman
there
turned
to
watch
the
issue
.
Shelfer
threw
out
his
hands
wildly
,
and
screamed
:
he
was
utterly
helpless
,
his
teeth
rattled
more
than
the
bones
on
his
boots
.
At
the
edge
of
the
open
water
,
three
hundred
yards
away
,
Conrad
stopped
suddenly
,
like
an
engine
in
collision
,
unhooked
Mr.
Shelfer
,
and
let
him
go
with
full
impetus
.
Sprawling
and
yelling
in
vain
,
he
flung
up
his
arms
,
and
fell
backward
into
the
water
headlong
.
The
icemen
came
running
with
boats
,
and
ropes
,
and
grapnels
.
But
before
the
first
splash
was
over
,
another
was
seen
;
Giudice
,
at
a
sign
from
his
master
,
plunged
in
,
drew
the
poor
man
of
harmony
out
,
and
laid
him
high
and
wet
on
the
ice
.
He
was
taken
at
once
to
the
tent
;
where
,
as
I
afterwards
heard
,
he
made
a
fine
afternoon
of
it
with
the
society
's
men
;
most
of
whom
,
it
is
needless
to
say
,
he
knew
.
Be
that
as
it
may
,
the
lesson
did
him
good
.
He
never
insulted
a
lady
again
,
or
(
what
is
still
worse
)
a
poor
honest
girl
,
with
no
education
,
and
no
one
to
defend
her
.
As
for
me
,
I
really
believe
he
never
durst
blink
his
sly
eyes
in
my
direction
again
.
I
love
good
justice
,
in
or
out
of
the
pod
.
The
bean
is
as
sweet
to
me
from
the
rough
air
of
heaven
as
from
a
juryman
's
pocket
.
But
I
thought
Master
Conrad
had
overdone
it
this
time
.
He
had
no
right
to
risk
the
poor
man
's
life
.
And
so
I
told
him
when
he
came
back
,
as
calm
as
if
he
had
cut
a
spread
eagle
.
He
assured
me
that
he
had
not
risked
the
man
's
life
at
all
.
He
knew
the
depth
of
the
water
there
by
the
island
.
It
was
five
feet
and
no
more
.
Then
I
felt
all
of
a
glow
and
longed
to
give
him
the
kiss
which
had
cost
Mr.
Shelfer
so
much
.
The
next
minute
I
felt
humiliated
,
and
burst
into
a
passion
of
tears
,
to
think
what
my
father
would
say
at
his
pet
of
grace
and
luxury
being
insulted
like
that
.
Idols
and
Conrad
,
not
knowing
my
story
,
could
not
understand
it
at
all
.
They
came
home
with
me
at
once
.
Conrad
,
"
under
the
circumstances
,
"
ventured
to
offer
his
arm
,
which
I
,
under
the
circumstances
,
ventured
to
accept
.
At
the
door
he
left
me
;
but
Idols
came
in
with
Giudice
,
commissioned
to
see
her
safe
home
.
She
came
in
partly
lest
I
should
feel
lonely
,
partly
to
arraign
Mrs.
Shelfer
(
already
condemned
by
both
of
us
girls
)
for
daring
to
have
such
a
reprobate
drunken
husband
.
CHAPTER
IX
.
When
Isola
had
told
Mrs.
Shelfer
everything
,
and
a
little
more
than
everything
(
for
her
imagination
was
lively
)
,
the
dominant
feeling
in
the
little
woman
's
bosom
was
not
indignation
,
as
we
had
expected
,
but
terror
.
Terror
of
two
evils
;
the
first
and
chief
evil
,
the
possibility
of
Charley
catching
cold
;
the
other
,
the
probability
that
he
would
crush
Conrad
,
and
tread
him
into
the
earth
,
at
the
earliest
opportunity
.
I
assured
her
warmly
that
Mr.
Conrad
could
well
defend
himself
,
even
if
Shelfer
should
dare
to
meddle
with
him
.
"
Oh
,
my
good
friend
,
you
have
no
idea
what
a
terrible
fellow
Charley
is
.
Why
he
broke
the
head
of
the
skittleman
at
the
"
Load
of
Hay
.
"
So
he
told
me
himself
.
Ah
,
he
's
a
terrible
fellow
,
when
he
's
put
out
.
"
"
But
you
forget
,
Mrs.
Shelfer
,
he
has
n't
been
put
out
this
time
;
he
was
put
in
.
"
That
Isola
always
loved
small
jokes
.
"
Put
in
,
Miss
Idols
?
"
Mrs.
Shelfer
never
understood
any
joke
but
her
own
—
"
oh
yes
,
put
into
the
water
you
mean
.
True
,
true
,
and
serve
him
right
(
so
long
as
he
do
n't
take
cold
)
for
calling
me
,
his
lawful
wife
who
keeps
him
together
,
'
the
old
gal
at
home
!
'
But
Charley
's
a
terrible
fellow
,
terrible
.
"
"
Terrible
coward
more
likely
,
"
I
cried
,
"
or
he
would
never
have
dared
his
low
insolence
to
me
.
I
am
sorry
for
it
,
Mrs.
Shelfer
,
utterly
as
I
scorn
him
,
because
it
compels
me
to
leave
your
house
;
and
you
have
been
truly
good
and
kind
to
me
.
"
I
thought
of
Mrs.
Huxtable
;
but
how
different
was
the
fibre
of
her
kindness
!
"
Leave
my
house
,
Miss
Valence
!
No
,
no
,
my
good
friend
,
that
will
never
do
,
not
to
be
thought
of
,
and
us
so
used
to
you
and
all
,
and
Tom
,
and
the
blackbird
,
and
the
new
squirrel
!
A
likely
story
,
my
good
friend
,
and
with
your
eyelashes
coming
!
And
do
you
know
who
would
come
instead
of
you
?
"
"
Of
course
not
,
Mrs.
Shelfer
.
"
"
Why
a
nasty
stinking
hussy
,
that
would
steal
the
feathers
out
of
my
best
bed
again
,
the
same
as
they
did
before
.
My
very
best
bed
,
Miss
Idols
,
as
dear
Miss
Minto
left
me
by
her
will
,
not
a
better
bed
in
London
,
unless
it
's
the
Queen
's
,
and
so
I
used
to
tell
her
when
I
helped
to
shake
it
up
.
My
mouth
watered
over
it
so
,
that
she
said
one
day
,
and
the
knife-boy
heard
her
on
the
stairs
,
'
Patty
,
you
've
been
a
good
girl
to
me
,
and
you
deserves
it
,
and
you
shall
have
it
,
when
I
am
tucked
up
for
good
and
all
.
'
And
so
I
did
,
very
honourable
,
and
all
above
board
.
Yes
,
yes
;
I
had
a
commercial
gent
one
time
,
a
wonderful
heavy
man
to
be
sure
,
and
he
stayed
with
me
three
year
for
the
sake
of
that
same
bed
.
And
he
knew
what
beds
was
,
and
no
mistake
.
It
was
bootiful
to
see
when
he
was
a
getting
up
.
It
began
to
rise
up
,
up
,
the
same
as
Tom
's
back
,
when
he
see
your
dog
,
Miss
Idols
.
"
"
Come
,
Mrs.
Shelfer
,
I
fear
we
can
hardly
wait
.
"
"
'
Twas
like
dough
put
afore
the
fire
,
Miss.
There
's
no
such
Dantzic
now
.
You
could
n't
put
your
fist
into
one
side
of
it
,
but
out
it
would
come
the
other
.
Oh
Lor
,
I
could
cry
;
that
nasty
sly
minx
,
she
was
softer
than
parsnips
,
you
'd
say
,
and
one
leg
more
than
the
other
.
I
could
n't
think
why
it
was
she
would
always
make
her
own
bed
.
'
Thank
you
,
Mrs.
Shelfer
'
—
with
her
lips
sucked
in
like
a
button-hole
—
'
thank
you
,
you
are
too
kind
.
It
does
n't
at
all
fatigue
me
,
and
my
doctor
pronounces
the
exercise
good
for
my
chest
and
arms
.
'
Thank
God
,
she
got
some
exercise
good
for
her
legs
as
well
.
Six
months
on
the
treadmill
.
Charley
got
me
an
order
,
and
it
did
my
heart
good
to
see
her
.
But
my
twenty
pounds
of
best
feathers
never
came
back
again
,
and
that
was
n't
the
worst
of
it
neither
.
"
"
Oh
dear
no
,
"
says
Idols
,
"
the
worst
of
it
was
the
sin
,
Mrs.
Shelfer
.
"
"
The
worst
of
it
was
that
she
stuffed
it
with
sawdust
,
and
oakum
,
and
jovanna
,
I
do
believe
,
by
the
smell
of
it
.
"
"
What
do
you
mean
,
Mrs.
Shelfer
?
"
"
Lor
,
Miss
Valence
,
do
n't
you
know
jovanna
that
the
kingfishers
lays
on
the
top
of
the
sea
,
and
the
gardeners
make
water
with
it
?
"
"
And
what
did
she
do
with
your
feathers
?
"
"
Sneaked
them
out
of
the
house
in
the
crown
of
her
bonnet
,
and
sold
them
at
eightpence
a
pound
,
and
they
worth
three
and
sixpence
,
every
flue
of
them
.
But
the
rag
and
bottleman
got
two
months
,
thank
God
for
it
.
Ah
,
it
will
never
be
a
bed
again
under
5
*
l
.
*
at
least
.
"
"
Is
it
the
one
I
sleep
on
,
Mrs.
Shelfer
?
"
"
Yes
,
my
good
friend
,
the
very
same
.
"
"
And
you
have
put
me
to
sleep
on
guano
!
Well
,
I
thought
it
smelt
very
odd
.
"
"
No
,
no
,
my
good
friend
,
wait
a
bit
.
We
got
most
of
that
out
again
,
and
gave
it
to
our
geraniums
.
She
stole
it
out
of
a
sack
as
Charley
kept
in
the
washhouse
.
There
was
feathers
in
it
.
That
put
it
into
her
head
,
I
suppose
.
But
as
for
your
going
,
Miss
Valence
,
that
will
never
do
.
Never
,
never
.
Will
it
now
,
Miss
Idols
?
And
to
see
her
dress
,
to
be
sure
,
that
baggage
!
Why
,
my
best
tarlatan
,
as
dear
Miss
Minto
give
me
to
be
married
in
,
was
n't
good
enough
for
her
to
sweep
the
stairs
in
.
Sweep
the
stairs
—
yes
,
yes
,
she
did
sweep
the
stairs
when
I
see
her
last
;
and
she
had
afore
,
I
know
;
she
was
so
clever
at
it
;
and
that
was
why
one
leg
was
so
much
more
than
the
other
.
"
"
Mrs.
Shelfer
,
do
you
expect
us
to
listen
to
you
all
night
?
"
"
True
,
my
good
friend
,
quite
true
.
But
when
I
thinks
of
my
feathers
,
something
comes
over
me
,
I
must
out
with
my
troubles
,
or
burst
.
But
you
mus
n't
go
,
Miss
Valence
.
That
will
never
do
,
never
;
ask
Miss
Idols
now
.
"
And
she
turned
to
Isola
,
who
was
quite
ready
to
be
turned
to
.
"
Of
course
it
wo
n't
,
Mrs.
Shelfer
.
You
are
quite
right
,
my
good
friend
.
I
wo
n't
hear
of
it
for
a
moment
.
Why
Mr.
Shelfer
was
drunk
.
I
know
it
by
the
way
he
held
his
pipe
.
Quite
'
drunk
and
incapable
,
'
you
know
.
And
he
will
be
so
sorry
,
and
he
'll
never
do
it
again
.
And
he
did
not
mean
to
be
drunk
at
all
,
but
the
frost
was
very
hard
,
and
the
cold
got
into
his
head
.
I
am
sure
it
would
into
mine
,
if
I
had
stayed
much
longer
;
and
he
did
n't
understand
brandy-balls
,
as
we
do
at
College
—
you
could
not
expect
it
,
you
know
.
"
The
pure
good
faith
of
this
last
was
too
much
for
me
.
I
laughed
outright
,
having
no
husband
concerned
in
it
.
As
for
the
dry
little
woman
,
she
actually
cried
.
I
had
never
seen
a
tear
in
her
quick
,
shy
eyes
before
,
though
the
feather-bed
nearly
brought
them
,
and
so
did
the
death
of
the
elder
Sandy
,
the
squirrel
.
She
turned
away
.
She
was
always
ashamed
of
emotion
.
"
Bless
your
innocent
heart
,
Miss
Idols
,
if
you
do
n't
marry
a
king
!
Not
one
of
us
is
good
enough
to
tie
your
shoes
as
you
talked
of
,
you
are
that
simple
and
good
of
heart
.
"
Is
there
any
goodness
more
touching
to
a
veteran
than
a
soft
young
nature
's
disbelief
in
evil
?
But
for
bitter
experience
,
I
might
have
been
sweet
as
Isola
.
Thank
God
,
that
in
spite
of
all
vinegar
,
the
ailment
is
still
infectious
.
Isola
could
not
make
it
all
out
.
"
To-morrow
morning
,
Miss
Valence
,
"
began
Mrs.
Shelfer
again
,
"
to-morrow
morning
,
after
I
have
wigged
him
well
all
night
,
and
then
given
him
a
good
breakfast
,
he
'll
come
and
beg
your
pardon
like
a
child
,
and
be
ashamed
to
look
any
higher
than
your
flounces
;
and
I
know
you
'll
forgive
him
.
"
"
Mrs.
Shelfer
,
I
have
forgiven
him
long
ago
.
I
cannot
bear
enmity
against
such
people
"
—
these
last
three
words
had
better
been
away
—
"
for
such
little
wrongs
.
And
I
owe
you
a
great
deal
for
all
your
kindness
to
me
.
The
only
question
is
,
whether
self-respect
and
prudence
allow
me
to
stay
here
.
I
will
leave
the
decision
to
Miss
Isola
.
Young
as
she
is
,
and
innocent
and
confiding
,
she
cannot
be
wrong
on
a
question
of
delicacy
.
As
for
prudence
,
she
knows
more
of
London
than
I
do
.
"
Hereon
I
sat
down
with
a
womanly
air
.
But
I
could
hardly
help
laughing
when
the
senior
sophist
jumped
up
,
proud
to
deliver
judgment
.
To
look
taller
,
she
shook
her
flounces
down
,
threw
back
her
plump
white
shoulders
—
her
bonnet
and
cloak
were
off
—
drew
her
rich
flowing
hair
down
the
pearly
curve
of
her
ears
and
,
scarcely
satisfied
yet
,
thought
of
mounting
a
stool
,
then
took
her
foot
off
the
too
convictive
bema
.
After
all
these
anabolisms
,
she
began
with
much
solemnity
.
She
was
thinking
of
the
College
,
and
her
father
in
the
rostrum
.
"
Miss
Valence
and
Mrs.
Shelfer
,
since
you
have
honoured
my
weak
judgment
by
appointing
me
umpire
,
and
as
I
am
led
to
believe
without
any
right
of
appeal
,
I
will
do
my
utmost
to
be
discreet
and
impartial
.
In
the
first
place
I
award
that
Miss
Valence
remain
in
this
house
,
forget
and
forgive
her
wrongs
.
In
the
second
place
I
recommend
(
in
such
a
matter
I
will
not
presume
to
command
)
that
till
Mr.
Shelfer
has
made
a
humble
apology
and
promised
faithfully
never
to
be
intoxicated
again
,
however
cold
the
weather
is
,
Mrs.
Shelfer
shall
not
permit
him
to
have
a
single
kiss
,
nor
a
single
bit
of
hot
dinner
.
Now
I
have
delivered
my
decree
.
"
"
Lor
,
Miss
Idols
,
you
are
too
soft
for
the
Old
Bailey
.
He
never
kiss
me
,
unless
it
is
when
he
knows
I
have
got
some
money
.
But
he
do
like
a
good
hot
dinner
.
Right
enough
there
,
my
good
friend
.
"
So
this
knotty
point
was
settled
;
and
Giudice
,
who
was
very
loth
to
leave
me
,
escorted
Miss
Idols
home
,
Before
going
,
he
made
another
solemn
deposit
of
his
great
jowl
in
my
hand
,
and
looked
at
me
with
an
air
so
tutelary
and
encouraging
,
that
I
could
not
help
laughing
;
at
which
he
felt
hurt
,
but
condoned
it
.
Isola
told
me
that
when
he
was
put
in
charge
of
her
,
he
felt
the
responsibility
so
strongly
that
he
would
not
stir
from
her
side
,
not
even
to
speak
to
the
most
colloquially
gifted
dog
;
though
at
other
times
he
would
stay
gossiping
near
a
lamp-post
for
five
minutes
together
.
One
evening
when
he
was
thus
commissioned
,
a
rude
fellow
pushed
between
them
,
and
said
something
to
Isola
.
Giudice
had
him
down
in
an
instant
,
and
stood
over
him
,
like
a
tawny
thundercloud
,
with
growlings
so
fearful
and
such
flashing
eyes
,
that
two
policemen
felt
it
wiser
not
to
act
as
conductors
.
Idols
herself
was
obliged
,
at
the
entreaty
of
her
prostrate
foe
,
to
coax
the
great
dog
off
;
but
when
the
ungrateful
man
got
up
,
he
insisted
on
giving
Giudice
into
charge
,
and
having
him
dragged
to
the
Station
.
"
Very
good
,
Sir
,
"
said
the
policeman
,
"
we
'll
enter
the
charge
when
you
bring
him
there
;
let
him
go
,
Miss
,
for
the
Gent
to
collar
him
.
"
The
"
Gent
"
was
away
in
no
time
,
and
Giudice
and
his
mistress
walked
off
amid
loud
hurrahs
from
all
the
boys
of
the
neighbourhood
.
Conrad
called
with
his
sister
the
day
after
Mr.
Shelfer
's
ducking
,
to
reassure
himself
as
to
my
nerves
,
which
were
never
better
.
He
looked
over
some
of
my
drawings
,
and
without
seeming
to
give
,
but
rather
to
seek
information
,
afforded
me
many
a
hint
,
which
I
afterwards
found
most
useful
.
I
now
learned
what
his
profession
was
;
and
it
gave
me
pleasure
to
find
that
he
was
not
,
as
I
had
feared
,
a
mere
lounger
upon
town
.
Instead
of
that
,
he
was
working
very
hard
,
being
(
as
he
told
me
)
nothing
more
or
less
than
a
journeyman
sculptor
.
Though
,
as
himself
admitted
,
by
no
means
a
novice
,
he
was
going
through
the
regular
course
of
study
and
hand-labour
under
an
eminent
artist
.
But
Isola
told
me
,
and
no
doubt
it
was
true
,
that
he
could
beat
his
master
out
and
out
,
and
that
for
any
choice
design
,
where
original
power
and
taste
were
needed
,
they
always
came
to
him
.
Of
late
the
frosts
had
lightened
his
tasks
;
for
warm
the
room
as
they
would
,
the
weather
always
affected
the
material
;
and
they
feared
to
attempt
the
more
delicate
parts
of
the
work
during
the
rigours
of
winter
.
So
when
the
thaw
came
,
he
must
lose
the
pleasure
of
seeing
me
for
a
while
,
unless
dear
Isola
wished
to
be
escorted
home
on
a
Sunday
;
if
,
indeed
,
I
allowed
her
to
come
on
that
day
.
Why
,
that
was
the
very
day
when
I
could
best
indulge
in
a
walk
with
my
gentle
friend
,
after
going
to
church
;
and
I
was
sure
her
society
did
me
more
good
than
the
sermons
.
On
her
part
,
Isola
found
that
the
services
always
made
her
so
nervous
(
her
nerves
were
as
good
as
mine
)
,
and
that
she
did
not
much
like
walking
about
with
a
big
dog
on
Sundays
,
and
Cora
was
always
cross
all
the
day
after
mass
,
so
Conrad
must
promise
upon
his
honour
always
to
come
for
her
,
rain
,
hail
,
or
shine
,
on
a
Sunday
.
This
he
promised
so
readily
,
that
,
for
a
moment
,
I
fancied
it
had
all
been
preconcerted
.
Then
I
despised
myself
for
the
suspicion
.
The
trick
would
have
been
not
out
of
the
compass
of
Isola
,
but
very
unworthy
of
Conrad
.
CHAPTER
X
.
Soon
as
ever
my
sight
was
fully
restored
,
and
I
had
Dr.
Frank
's
permission
,
I
took
to
my
drawing
again
,
and
worked
at
it
till
my
eyes
ached
.
This
was
the
symptom
upon
which
I
had
promised
immediately
to
leave
off
.
Then
out
I
would
rush
,
towards
dusk
,
and
away
into
the
great
square
,
full
of
the
pure
air
of
heaven
,
round
by
the
church
at
the
top
,
and
six
times
round
it
till
my
breath
was
short
.
The
senior
sophist
reminds
me
that
round
a
square
is
impossible
.
After
squaring
the
circle
,
extract
the
square
root
,
dear
Idols
,
by
the
binomial
theorem
.
You
do
learn
so
much
at
college
:
but
I
write
simple
and
often
foolish
English
.
Never
mind
;
I
would
rather
write
bad
English
,
than
the
best
French
ever
written
.
One
is
the
tongue
of
power
and
multitude
:
the
other
the
language
of
nicety
and
demarcation
.
Which
of
the
two
is
the
more
expansive
,
even
a
woman
may
guess
.
High
time
it
was
for
me
to
recruit
my
exchequer
.
Dr.
Franks
had
charged
me
far
less
than
I
even
dared
to
hope
.
How
I
trembled
when
I
opened
the
envelope
!
What
quick
terror
is
half
so
bad
as
the
slow
fear
of
gathering
debt
?
I
was
accustomed
to
medical
charges
of
the
time
when
I
was
an
heiress
:
but
his
appeared
to
me
now
to
be
even
below
reason
.
The
sum
could
hardly
have
paid
him
for
his
numerous
walks
to
and
fro
.
Then
a
wretched
idea
shot
through
me
:
had
he
charged
me
so
little
,
because
he
knew
I
was
poor
?
I
took
Mrs.
Shelfer
into
my
confidence
;
she
was
likely
to
know
what
the
London
scale
should
be
.
The
little
thing
soon
reassured
me
:
it
was
quite
enough
,
she
declared
;
if
she
were
in
my
place
,
she
would
demand
a
discount
for
ready
money
!
"
Oh
you
dreadfully
mean
little
woman
!
I
should
lose
my
sight
,
and
deserve
it
,
if
I
did
.
"
However
,
in
spite
of
all
this
,
money
was
scarce
and
scarcer
every
day
,
and
none
of
my
grand
revenues
would
fall
due
for
ever
so
long
.
So
another
visit
must
be
paid
to
Mr.
Oxgall
.
Isola
insisted
on
coming
with
me
;
to
my
surprise
I
found
that
,
with
all
her
soft
simplicity
she
had
much
more
idea
of
making
a
market
than
I
had
.
The
reason
probably
was
that
she
had
much
less
pride
.
No
pocket
would
hold
mine
,
when
a
tradesman
attempted
any
familiarity
.
And
whoso
stands
on
a
pedestal
to
sell
,
is
like
to
find
the
buyer
's
arm
too
short
.
Whether
it
were
that
,
or
the
golden
charm
of
her
manner
,
or
of
something
else
,
let
Mr.
Oxgall
say
;
certain
it
is
that
the
man
of
crackly
canvas
(
for
whom
,
by-the-bye
,
I
have
a
sincere
respect
,
because
he
cheated
me
so
little
and
so
neatly
)
—
this
man
,
I
say
,
regarded
her
with
a
wide-mouthed
,
brooch-eyed
,
admiration
,
which
he
hardly
ever
expended
on
anything
out
of
oils
.
For
the
king
of
painters
himself
she
was
a
vision
sweeter
than
dreams
of
heaven
.
Such
a
tint
in
her
lustrous
eyes
,
such
tone
in
her
dainty
cheeks
,
such
perfection
of
line
in
her
features
,
and
every
curve
of
her
exquisite
shape
.
And
bounding
and
sparkling
through
all
,
from
the
rippled
wealth
of
her
hair
to
the
light-curved
arch
of
her
foot
,
the
full
play
of
her
innocent
,
joyous
,
loving
life
.
No
wonder
the
picture-dealer
shaded
his
eyes
and
gazed
,
and
rubbed
them
and
gazed
again
.
I
have
frequently
seen
respectable
elderly
gentlemen
,
whose
rakishness
has
never
been
more
than
found
vent
in
the
cock
of
a
hat
,
magisterial
men
I
mean
,
who
would
no
more
think
of
insulting
a
girl
in
London
or
anywhere
else
,
than
of
giving
their
daughters
as
prizes
for
competitive
skill
in
poaching
,
such
good
men
and
true
,
also
simple-hearted
clergymen
(
for
some
there
still
are
from
the
country
)
these
and
the
like
,
I
Clara
Vaughan
have
seen
,
when
they
met
my
Isola
,
stop
short
,
wink
frequently
,
and
without
much
presence
of
mind
,
until
she
was
gone
by
;
then
shumble
hotly
across
the
street
,
with
hands
in
their
tail-coat
pockets
(
for
these
gentlemen
always
expect
most
to
be
robbed
when
there
is
least
chance
of
it
)
pretend
to
look
at
a
shop
,
then
march
at
top
speed
,
fumbling
all
the
while
for
their
spectacles
,
until
they
got
well
a-head
of
us
.
Then
I
have
seen
them
cross
again
,
some
thirty
yards
in
front
,
with
spectacles
nicely
adjusted
,
and
become
again
wholly
absorbed
by
the
beauty
of
metropolitan
goods
.
But
when
the
light
foot
sounded
,
from
a
fair
gazing
distance
,
these
same
gentlemen
have
(
by
some
strange
coincidence
)
alway
turned
full
upon
us
,
in
an
absent
and
yet
nervous
manner
,
and
focussed
their
green
or
pale
blue
eyes
upon
the
rich
violet
orbs
of
Isola
.
I
have
even
known
them
to
look
at
me
(
when
they
could
see
her
no
more
)
,
to
find
some
sympathy
for
their
vague
emotions
.
Idols
knew
it
:
of
course
she
did
.
And
she
rather
gloried
in
it
.
She
had
much
respect
for
a
fine
old
gentleman
;
and
I
know
not
how
it
was
,
but
nobody
ever
thought
of
insulting
her
when
she
could
be
clearly
seen
.
A
"
pretty
girl
"
you
would
never
call
her
—
though
Mr.
Shelfer
did
—
the
term
would
be
quite
unworthy
;
even
a
"
beautiful
girl
,
"
sweetly
beautiful
though
she
was
,
would
hardly
be
your
expression
,
at
least
for
a
while
.
But
a
"
lovely
girl
,
"
and
the
loveliest
one
ever
seen
,
that
is
what
she
would
be
called
at
once
,
if
you
could
take
your
eyes
off
,
to
analyse
your
ideas
.
Isola
knew
it
of
course
,
as
I
said
before
,
she
knew
all
her
wondrous
gifts
;
but
as
for
being
conceited
,
a
trull
with
a
splay
foot
and
a
crop
of
short-horn
carrots
has
often
thrice
her
conceit
.
A
certain
pretty
graceful
pride
she
had
,
which
threw
a
rosy
playful
halo
round
her
,
but
never
made
other
women
look
plain
in
her
eyes
.
She
will
not
value
her
beauty
much
,
until
she
falls
in
love
;
and
blessed
is
he
who
shall
be
the
object
,
if
she
is
allowed
to
abide
with
him
.
Meanwhile
Mr.
Oxgall
wished
for
nothing
but
to
hear
and
see
her
talk
;
and
this
she
did
to
some
purpose
.
I
like
a
man
who
at
the
age
of
sixty
is
still
impressible
to
the
gay
vein
of
youth
.
I
know
at
once
by
his
eyes
whether
his
admiration
is
abstract
and
admissible
.
If
it
be
,
I
reciprocate
it
.
What
clearer
proof
can
we
find
,
that
his
heart
has
not
withered
with
his
body
;
that
he
is
not
a
man
of
mammon
,
tinsel
,
or
phylactery
,
—
in
a
word
,
no
mummy
?
Shall
I
ever
finish
this
bargain
?
I
have
never
been
so
reflective
before
;
and
all
the
time
no
less
a
sum
than
five
pounds
hangs
upon
it
.
Five
guineas
(
which
sounds
better
)
was
the
amount
at
which
dear
Idols
let
off
Mr.
Oxgall
.
I
believe
she
might
have
got
ten
,
but
she
had
an
excellent
conscience
.
It
worked
like
a
patent
chronometer
,
with
compensation
balance
.
Mine
was
still
more
sensitive
.
I
could
hardly
think
my
landscape
,
perspective
mare
's
nest
and
all
,
worth
that
amount
of
money
,
and
I
wished
to
throw
off
a
guinea
,
but
Idols
would
not
hear
of
it
.
"
Miss
Valence
,
I
am
your
factor
for
this
beautiful
landscape
,
which
has
cost
you
so
much
labour
.
Either
accept
my
terms
,
inadequate
as
they
are
,
or
take
the
agency
from
me
,
and
recommence
with
Mr.
Oxgall
'
de
novo
,
'
as
we
say
at
College
.
"
Betwixt
her
beauty
and
my
stately
integrity
,
poor
Mr.
Oxgall
knew
not
where
he
stood
.
I
heard
him
mutter
that
he
would
rather
go
through
fifty
auctions
,
even
if
it
was
George
Robins
.
But
if
she
had
come
to
sell
him
a
picture
the
very
next
day
,
he
would
have
gone
through
it
all
again
with
the
same
infatuation
.
So
I
took
the
money
;
and
now
my
evil
demon
,
who
had
chafed
beneath
all
this
trampling
,
had
his
turn
again
.
We
had
foolishly
brought
the
great
dog
Giudice
,
for
our
delight
and
the
expansion
of
his
mind
.
In
Mr.
Oxgall
's
shop
he
behaved
to
admiration
.
With
the
air
of
a
connoisseur
he
walked
from
picture
to
picture
,
closed
one
eye
,
and
faintly
wagged
his
tail
.
Then
he
found
a
Scotch
terrier
scarcely
worth
a
sniff
,
and
a
mastiff
whom
he
saluted
with
a
contemptuous
growl
.
The
only
work
of
high
art
he
could
discover
was
an
interior
,
with
a
flitch
of
bacon
in
the
foreground
uncommonly
well
drawn
.
Before
this
he
sat
down
,
and
receiving
no
invitation
,
bedewed
the
boards
with
a
stalactite
from
either
side
of
his
mouth
.
The
dog
was
so
well
behaved
,
he
never
took
anything
without
leave
and
saying
t
a
long
grace
.
Unluckily
Mr.
Oxgall
,
mainly
I
believe
to
prolong
his
interview
with
Idols
,
insisted
upon
taking
us
to
the
shop
of
a
carver
and
gilder
close
by
;
where
my
first
drawing
(
which
had
been
sold
)
was
to
be
seen
in
its
frame
.
He
declared
that
we
could
not
tell
what
a
painting
was
like
,
until
we
had
seen
it
framed
.
Observing
several
large
mirrors
in
this
shop
,
I
begged
that
Giudice
might
be
left
outside
.
And
so
he
was
,
but
he
did
not
stay
there
.
Scarcely
had
we
begun
to
discuss
the
effect
of
the
frame
on
my
drawing
,
when
Giudice
pushed
his
way
in
,
and
looked
about
with
a
truly
judicial
air
.
The
shop
was
long
,
and
the
owner
was
with
us
at
the
further
end
.
I
saw
what
would
follow
,
and
dashed
off
to
stop
him
,
but
it
was
too
late
.
Giudice
had
seen
the
very
finest
dog
he
ever
beheld
in
his
life
—
a
dog
really
worth
fighting
.
Up
went
his
crest
and
his
tail
,
one
savage
growl
,
and
he
sprang
at
him
.
Crash
,
—
and
the
largest
mirror
there
was
a
wreck
,
and
Giudice
the
rock
beneath
it
.
For
a
time
he
lay
quite
stunned
;
then
to
my
great
delight
he
staggered
to
me
,
not
Isola
,
laid
his
cut
paws
in
my
hands
and
his
bleeding
nose
in
my
lap
,
and
explained
it
all
to
me
with
much
entreaty
for
sympathy
.
This
I
gave
him
readily
,
even
to
tears
and
kisses
.
Isola
wanted
to
scold
and
even
to
beat
him
,
but
I
would
not
hear
of
it
.
He
had
seen
another
great
dog
between
himself
and
us
,
how
could
he
help
attacking
him
?
I
ordered
a
sponge
and
some
water
at
once
,
and
bathed
his
fore
paws
,
which
were
terribly
cut
;
then
remembering
the
Inspector
,
I
sent
Idols
for
some
arnica
.
But
the
blood
was
not
stanched
by
it
as
I
expected
;
perhaps
the
drug
was
not
pure
,
or
the
hair
obstructed
its
action
.
So
I
held
his
paws
in
the
basin
,
and
he
whinged
,
and
licked
me
,
and
made
my
face
all
bloody
.
Meanwhile
the
poor
carver
and
gilder
thought
much
more
of
his
looking-glass
than
of
noble
flesh
and
blood
.
The
picture-dealer
as
well
was
in
a
great
predicament
.
"
Mr.
Oxgall
,
"
I
cried
,
still
sponging
the
wounded
dog
's
nose
,
"
let
us
hear
no
more
about
it
.
Tell
me
the
full
value
of
the
mirror
,
and
I
will
pay
for
it
.
What
are
glass
and
quicksilver
,
or
even
gold
,
compared
to
a
noble
dog
like
this
?
Not
worth
a
wag
of
your
tail
,
are
they
,
my
duck
of
diamonds
?
Give
me
another
kiss
,
you
delicious
pet
of
a
dog
.
"
The
delicious
dog
was
entirely
of
my
opinion
.
His
beautiful
eyes
were
unhurt
.
His
nose
tasted
wholesomely
salt
.
But
Isola
was
not
half
so
romantic
.
Little
she
cared
about
money
for
herself
;
yet
she
had
no
idea
of
seeing
a
friend
disburse
.
Empowered
by
nature
to
wind
all
men
round
her
finger
,
she
now
called
art
to
her
aid
,
and
Mr.
Oxgall
,
who
was
half-way
round
already
,
had
no
chance
of
escape
.
She
settled
it
thus
:
the
carver
and
gilder
,
in
consideration
of
his
dealings
with
Mr.
Oxgall
and
his
own
"
careless
exposure
"
of
the
mirror
,
should
accept
cost
price
for
the
article
.
That
amount
should
be
paid
in
equal
shares
by
all
three
of
us
:
by
Mr.
Oxgall
because
he
would
drag
us
thither
,
by
herself
as
the
mistress
of
the
dog
,
and
by
me
as
the
cause
of
the
expedition
.
She
had
attended
a
course
of
lectures
upon
jurisprudence
,
and
her
decision
was
better
than
that
of
a
judge
,
because
she
had
seen
the
whole
of
it
,
and
because
the
dog
was
hers
—
at
least
her
brother
's
,
which
was
all
the
same
.
As
for
the
owner
of
the
mirror
,
he
must
think
himself
wonderfully
lucky
in
having
met
with
such
honest
people
,
and
in
having
sold
his
glass
,
and
had
n't
he
got
all
the
pieces
,
and
she
must
have
the
largest
one
for
Judy
to
dress
his
hair
by
.
And
so
indeed
she
did
.
After
our
dear
Portia
had
finished
,
and
the
whole
thing
was
settled
,
it
struck
me
that
no
lectures
upon
jurisprudence
could
turn
wrong
into
right
.
Mr.
Oxgall
was
quite
blameless
,
so
was
I
,
so
was
Idols
,
except
in
bringing
unlucky
Giudice
with
her
,
which
,
from
the
outset
,
I
had
discouraged
.
She
,
as
the
temporary
owner
of
the
dog
,
should
have
borne
all
the
loss
;
and
so
she
would
have
done
gladly
,
only
she
did
not
see
it
in
that
light
.
As
it
was
,
she
tried
afterwards
to
force
upon
me
her
last
three
guineas
(
that
being
the
sum
which
I
had
paid
,
as
my
third
of
the
whole
)
,
but
of
course
I
would
not
accept
them
.
She
had
no
money
with
her
,
so
I
paid
her
contribution
,
but
allowed
her
to
repay
me
.
Mr.
Oxgall
's
third
I
made
good
to
him
(
without
consulting
her
)
when
he
paid
me
for
my
next
drawing
.
So
I
had
earned
five
guineas
,
and
lost
six
.
Is
it
always
to
be
so
when
I
labour
to
make
a
little
money
?
At
my
earnest
entreaty
—
Idols
could
refuse
me
nothing
,
when
I
was
in
earnest
—
darling
Giudice
was
brought
home
in
a
cab
to
my
lodgings
.
I
knew
that
he
would
not
be
cared
for
at
the
stables
where
he
was
boarded
;
and
his
wounds
were
very
serious
.
As
for
home
,
Professor
Ross
,
who
detested
dogs
in
general
,
would
not
admit
him
into
the
house
.
He
even
thought
it
a
great
stretch
of
grace
to
allow
old
Cora
to
watch
the
dog
back
to
the
stables
,
after
he
had
been
patrolling
all
the
afternoon
with
his
mistress
.
How
I
hate
such
low
ingratitude
!
An
animal
is
to
serve
us
,
body
and
soul
,
to
crouch
and
fawn
for
our
notice
—
not
that
Giudice
ever
fawned
to
him
,
but
growled
awfully
—
and
we
are
to
think
it
well
off
with
a
curse
or
a
kick
,
which
we
durst
not
give
it
but
for
its
loyalty
to
us
.
What
pleasure
I
had
in
nursing
that
poor
Giudice
,
and
how
grateful
he
was
!
When
we
got
home
,
I
washed
his
wounds
again
,
with
warm
water
this
time
,
as
the
bleeding
was
stanched
;
and
then
I
"
exhibited
"
(
as
the
doctors
absurdly
say
)
a
little
friar
's
balsam
.
"
Oh
,
it
does
smart
so
!
"
Giudice
exclaimed
with
his
eyes
,
"
but
I
know
it
's
for
the
best
,
and
you
wo
n't
see
me
give
one
wince
.
"
Neither
did
I
.
Then
a
nice
soft
bandage
over
his
lovely
paws
,
and
a
plaister
across
his
nose
,
and
he
lies
snugly
,
at
the
proper
distance
from
the
fire
,
as
proud
as
possible
of
being
nursed
,
and
with
an
interesting
air
of
pallid
refinement
on
his
features
.
He
will
hardly
notice
Idols
,
but
exclaims
,
at
length
,
with
the
petulance
of
an
invalid
,
"
Isola
,
ca
n't
you
let
me
alone
?
Clara
understands
a
dog
,
and
I
like
her
much
the
best
.
"
So
he
followed
me
all
round
the
room
with
his
eyes
,
and
begged
me
to
come
and
talk
to
him
,
which
I
would
not
do
,
because
he
needed
quiet
and
composure
.
CHAPTER
XI
.
Beloved
Giudice
remained
many
days
under
my
care
,
until
he
became
convinced
that
he
was
my
dog
absolutely
,
and
had
no
claim
on
any
other
human
being
.
He
more
than
paid
for
his
board
and
medical
attendance
,
by
sitting
repeatedly
for
his
portrait
;
in
which
at
last
I
succeeded
to
his
and
my
own
satisfaction
.
Though
by
no
means
a
conceited
dog
,
there
was
nothing
he
loved
better
than
having
his
likeness
taken
;
and
directly
after
breakfast
he
always
assumed
the
most
becoming
attitude
,
and
watched
intently
for
the
appearance
of
the
pencil
with
his
massive
head
a
little
on
one
side
,
and
his
dark
brown
eyes
full
of
dignified
interest
,
and
his
great
ears
curving
down
through
russet
tufts
,
like
tawny
cascades
in
autumn
,
he
seemed
fit
study
for
a
real
artist
,
who
should
quicken
as
well
as
copy
him
.
However
,
he
was
too
much
of
a
gentleman
to
sneer
at
my
weak
efforts
,
for
he
saw
that
I
did
my
best
.
Oftentimes
he
would
gaze
steadfastly
at
the
portrait
and
then
at
me
,
and
hobble
up
,
and
nudge
me
,
and
whine
,
a
little
,
and
then
sigh
in
self-abasement
at
his
want
of
speech
.
Whenever
he
did
this
,
I
knew
that
he
wished
to
have
something
altered
;
but
it
was
long
before
I
could
discover
what
that
something
was
.
I
tried
every
change
of
line
or
colour
that
I
could
think
of
—
all
to
no
purpose
.
At
length
it
struck
me
that
as
he
criticised
more
with
nose
than
eyes
,
the
defect
must
be
in
the
smell
.
Happy
idea
!
I
satisfied
my
Giudice
at
last
,
and
did
it
thus
.
After
shading
around
the
nose
and
mouth
,
before
laying
on
the
colour
,
I
took
a
clean
dry
brush
,
and
passed
it
lightly
round
the
hollows
of
his
own
sweet
saltish
nostrils
,
carefully
avoiding
the
cut
;
then
one
turn
of
the
brush
,
not
on
the
palette
,
but
on
a
dry
square
of
colour
,
and
with
that
I
expressed
the
dear
dog
's
nose
so
well
,
that
he
would
have
spoiled
it
in
a
sniffing
ecstasy
,
if
I
had
not
pulled
it
away
.
His
portrait
now
possessed
the
life
which
he
required
.
Meanwhile
I
received
almost
daily
visits
from
Isola
and
her
brother
;
the
latter
was
,
of
course
,
very
anxious
about
his
poor
dog
,
and
could
only
relieve
that
anxiety
by
long
interviews
with
him
.
It
happened
strangely
enough
,
yet
more
and
more
often
as
time
went
on
,
that
Isola
during
these
interviews
felt
an
especial
desire
for
Mrs.
Shelfer
's
society
,
which
she
could
only
enjoy
by
betaking
herself
to
the
kitchen
.
There
,
with
all
the
pets
,
except
old
Tom
,
who
was
constancy
itself
,
and
the
lame
blackbird
who
was
all
gratitude
,
her
influence
began
to
supersede
mine
,
and
even
Mrs.
Shelfer
's
;
for
this
I
cared
but
little
,
so
long
as
Giudice
kept
to
me
.
Over
that
great
dog
,
as
he
turned
upon
his
side
,
and
lifted
one
hind
leg
(
the
canine
mode
of
showing
submission
to
the
will
of
God
)
,
over
him
we
bent
,
Conrad
and
I
,
in
most
interesting
diagnosis
,
until
it
seemed
the
proper
thing
that
our
hair
should
flow
together
,
and
our
breath
make
one
soft
breeze
.
From
this
position
we
would
rise
with
a
conscious
colour
in
our
cheeks
,
and
a
flutter
at
the
heart
,
and
a
certain
awe
of
one
another
.
Then
it
would
be
ever
so
long
before
either
of
us
dared
to
seek
the
other
's
eyes
.
Haply
when
those
eyes
were
met
—
unwitting
yet
inevitably
—
they
would
drop
