He started up and hurried away, reminding Edith that dinner was to be at
eight. They parted with affectionate smiles.

When he had gone down in the lift, Edith took an inextensive walk
through the entire flat, going into each room, and looking at herself in
every looking-glass. She appeared to like herself best in the
dining-room mirror, for she returned, stared into it rather gravely for
some little time, and then said to herself: 'Yes, I'm beginning to
look bored.'

Then she rang the bell, and the nurse brought in a pretty little boy of
nearly two, Huffily dressed in white, who was excited at the prospect of
his great morning treat--going down in the lift. Speaking of him with
some formality as Master Archie, she asked the nurse a few questions,
which she mistakenly supposed gave that personage the impression that
she knew all that there was to be known about children. When she was
alone with him for a minute she rushed at him impulsively, saying,
privately, 'Heavenly pet! Divine angel! Duck!' in return for which he
pulled her hair down and scratched her face with a small empty Noah's
Ark that he was taking out with him for purposes of his own.

When he had gone she did her hair up again in a different way--parted in
the middle. It was very pretty, wavy, fair hair, and she had small,
regular features, so the new way suited her very well. Then she
said again--

'Yes, if it were not for Hyacinth I should soon look bored to death!'


Hyacinth Verney was the romance of Edith's life. She also provided a