'In the breast of a true woman,' said Amelia authoritatively, as a
fishmonger might speak of fish, 'is no room for blame.'

'True woman be damned!'

Miss Clomber saw that for to-day the cause was lost.

At this point Miss Amelia uttered a piercing yell. The hedgehog,
encouraged by being left to itself, and by the slight dusk that had
begun to gather in the northerly rooms of Undern--where night came
early--had begun to creep about. Surreptitiously guided by Hazel's
foot, it had crept under Amelia's skirt and laid its cold inquiring
head on her ankle, thinly clad for conquest.

Hazel went off into peals of laughter, and Miss Amelia hated her more
than before.

Vessons, in the kitchen, shook his head.

'I never heerd the like of the noise there's been since that gel come.
Never did I!' he said.

'Leave him!' said Miss Clomber to Hazel on the doorstep. She was going
to add 'for my sake,' but substituted 'his.' 'You are causing him to
sin,' she added.

'Be I?' Hazel felt that she was always causing something wrong. Then
she sighed. 'I canna leave 'im.'