'I must, if I'm to pass at Christmas,' she said firmly. 'It's my weakest
subject.'

'Christmas or no Christmas,' he replied, 'I'm not going to let you kill
yourself. Look at your face! I wonder your mother----'

'Run into the garden for a while, my dear,' said Leonora softly, and the
girl moved to obey.

'Rose,' he called her back sharply as his exasperation became fidgetty.
'Don't be in such a hurry. Open the window--an inch.'

* * * * *

Ethel and Millicent disappeared after the manner of young fox-terriers;
they did not visibly depart; they were there, one looked away, they were
gone. In the bedroom which they shared, the door well locked, they threw
oft all restraints, conventions, pretences, and discussed the world, and
their own world, with terrible candour. This sacred and untidy
apartment, where many of the habits of childhood still lingered, was a
retreat, a sanctuary from the law, and the fastness had been ingeniously
secured against surprise by the peculiar position of the bedstead in
front of the doorway.

'Father is a donkey!' said Ethel.

'And ma never says a word!' said Milly.

'I could simply have smacked him when he brought in mother's birthday,'
Ethel continued, savagely.