One candle had to be lit before her toilet was completed, and then at
half past seven she stole down the stairs, full of shadows, and across
the hall to the great dining-room, where the Misses La Sarthe dined in
state at seven o'clock, off some thin soup and one other dish, so that
at half past seven the cloth had been cleared away by old William (in a
black evening coat now and rather a high stock), and the shining
mahogany table reflected the two candles in their superb old silver
candlesticks.

At this stage, as Halcyone entered the room, it was customary for
William to place the dish of apples on the table in front of Miss La
Sarthe, and the dish of almonds and raisins in front of Miss Roberta.
The dessert did not vary much for months--from October to late June it
was the same; and only on Sundays was the almond and raisin dish allowed
to be partaken of, but an apple was divided into four quarters, after
being carefully peeled by Miss La Sarthe, each evening, and Miss Roberta
was given two quarters and Halcyone one, while the eldest lady nibbled
at the remaining piece herself.

In her day, children had always come down to dessert, and had had to be
good and not greedy, or the fate of Miss Augusta Noble of that estimable
book, "The Fairchild Family," would certainly fall upon them. Halcyone,
from her earliest memory, had come down to dessert every night--except
at one or two pleasant moments when the measles or a bad cold had kept
her in bed. Half past seven o'clock, summer and winter, had meant for
her the quarter of an apple, two or three strawberries or a plum--and
almost always the same conversation.

Miss La Sarthe sat at the head of the table, in a green silk dress cut