Meade L. T. - The Girls of St. Wode's стр 7.

Marjorie sighed in her sleep, and Mrs. Chetwynd bent over her.

Dear, lovely child, I surely shall be able to mold her to my wishes, she thought; never considering that Marjories chin, with its cleft in the middle, was full of obstinacy, and that her lips were as firm as they were beautiful.

Mrs. Chetwynd went on to the next room. Eileen was also sound asleep, and her room was also untidy. The girl looked lovely, with her classical features and the long straight lashes lying upon the soft rounded cheeks. Yes, they were both singularly handsome girls, and very like one another. Of course they would do splendidly yet. Perhaps the world would appreciate them all the more for their little eccentricities. They must appear as débutantes at the very first drawing-room. Yes, to-morrow at an early hour, Madame Coray should put their presentation dresses in hand.

Mrs. Chetwynd hesitated a moment before she went into Letitias room. It would not be very interesting to look at Letitia asleep; but still, what she did for her own girls she invariably did for her husbands niece.

Letitias room was in exquisite and perfect order, everything put neatly away, and Letitia herself lying in her little white bed with her arms folded across her chest and her hair swept back from her pretty brow. Mrs. Chetwynd could not help feeling drawn to her. She bent and kissed her on her forehead. She had not dared to do this to her own girls, fearing to awaken them.

She then went back to her room, to sleep as best she could.

CHAPTER V THE MODERN VIEW OF LIFE

You may get the dresses, mother, said Eileen, only I sincerely hope you wont, for we cannot wear them. We dont quite know yet what we mean to do with our lives; but fashionable society girls we will not be. Now, mammy, why should we be fashionable girls if we dislike the idea?

Here Marjorie, notwithstanding her rude words, went on her knees, wound her strong young arms round her mothers waist, and looked with such imploring eyes into her face that, notwithstanding her anger, Mrs. Chetwynd was touched in spite of herself.

We should hate it all, you know, dear mammy, said Marjorie. I speak for Eileen as well as for myself. You agree with me, Eileen, dont you?

Of course, replied Eileen. Well, Marjorie, have it out with the dear mammy, for I must go at once to see Fowlers last baby. I am taking it a rattle and some chocolates.

You will kill a young infant if you give it chocolate, said Mrs. Chetwynd, and I forbid you to go to Fox Buildings. No young ladies from my house must go near such a place.

Dear me, mother, why not? said Eileen.

Eileen, my dear, I decline to argue with you. Really, when I think of all that you two girls are doing to oppose me, and render my life miserable, I could almost wish that you were back at school.

Of course, mother, said Eileen gravely, if you positively forbid me to go I will obey you.

She sat down on the nearest chair and stared hard at her mother.

I do forbid you, Eileen. Young ladies of eighteen are not allowed to go about London alone.

But really, mother, you are mistaken, said Marjorie;

in these days they are. All that dreadful period of bondage in which the girl of twenty years ago was kept has passed away; the English girl of the present day has her freedom. I have read all about it; I know it to be a fact. College girls, too, have told me. You cannot deny us our birthright, mammy, can you?

College girls? What do you know about college girls those awful, underbred, unwomanly creatures! said Mrs. Chetwynd.

You say that, mother, because you do not know them.

Well, I do know one thing, continued Mrs. Chetwynd, her eyes filling with tears. I cannot imagine what I have done to deserve such girls as you two. I have taken no end of pains with you both. Of course I was obliged to stay in India during your fathers lifetime, which prevented my having as much influence over you as I should otherwise have obtained: but I little thought to come back to such a reward as this. I sent you to the best schools I could afford, and have always attended to your wardrobe, and given you plenty of pocket-money. I have done all that a mother could do, and now just when I was beginning to expect my reward, there come back to me a couple of

Tomboys, mother darling, said Marjorie. She wound her arms still tighter round her mothers waist, and kissed her on her cheek. Mammy, youll get accustomed to us after a bit, she cried. We are not in the ordinary groove; but there are hundreds of girls like us. There will be more girls like us year after year; all the modern training tends to it, mammy, and you cannot keep us back. We are in the van, and in the van we will stay. Mammy, we decline to go into society, we decline to turn night into day, we decline to spend unnecessary money upon clothes.

And what do you intend to do, Marjorie; if I may venture to ask? said Mrs. Chetwynd, folding her hands in an attitude of despair. Having declined so much, is there anything you agree to?