Alice Sit-By-The-Fire

and, in Amy's opinion, rather a dear). To take such a liberty, and allow the reader to look over our shoulders, as they often invite you to do in novels (which, howeve

te to make sure. On these occasions she undoubtedly lingers among the pages, re-reading the peculiarly delightful bit she wrote yesterday; so we could peep over her shoulder, while the reader peeps over ours. Then why don't we do it? Is it because this would be a form of eavesdropping, and that we cannot be sure our hands are clean enough to turn the pages of a young girl's thoughts? It cannot be that, because the novelists do it. It is because in a play we must tell nothing t

ave not always been such sticklers for the etiquette of the thing

pletely, for Amy in her pursuit of the arts has often to drop one in order to keep pace with another. Some of the chairs have escaped as yet, but their time will come. The table-cover and the curtains are of a lovely pink, perforated ingeniously with many tiny holes, which when you consider them against a dark background, gradually assume the appearance of something pictorial, such as a basket of odd flowers. The fender stool is in brown velvet, and there are words on it that invite you to sit down. Some of the letters of this message have been burned away. There are artistic white bookshelves hanging lopsidedly here and there, and they also have pink curtains, no larger than a doll's garments. These littl

e not strayed here, they live here; indeed this is among other things the dining-room of a modest little house in Brompton made beautiful, or nearly so, by a girl, who has a soul above food and con

position in which we can do justice to her undoubted facial charm. Seated near her is her brother Cosmo, a boy of thirteen, in naval uniform. Cosmo is a cadet at Osborne, and properly proud of his station, but just now he looks proud of nothing. He is plunged in gloom. The cause of hi

eyes. They always do this when they meet, though they meet several times a day, and it is worth doing, for what they see in those pellucid pools is love eternal. Thus they loved at school (in their last two terms), and thus they will

a, my b

my bett

othe

g almost painful

well, G

well,

f Amy because Gine

d my Am

a good

to some other room, his bedroom probably, where a man may be alone with mannish things, his razor, for instance. The maidens do not resent his rudeness. They know that poor Cosmo's time will come, and they are glad to be alone, for

we go to another to-night?' This does not puzzle Amy, she is prepared for it, her honest grey eyes even tell that she has wan

he says recklessly, 'but it is al

us so much, haven't they? Until Monday, dear, when we w

ached school-girls, Amy

hat gives Ginevra the moral a

now, 'of course I had my diary, dear, and I do think that, even be

a cruelly, 'that necessita

Ginevra. But we have made up for lost time. Every night s

she may see the revelations

when the love-maddened woman v

dened, Ginevra; she really love

he last act

in the crepe de chine, but we know that she only went to the man

alm,' says Ginevra

all at those chambers while she was there. And he did. Ginevra,

s her lips t

the nick of time her lady friend would step out f

omising hers

s so unexpectedly, with noble self-renu

ange, Ginevra, that it

ays are always about a lady and two men; and alas, only one of them is

I hope it wasn't wrong of me to go.

oth w

th a latchkey of your own; you have no one dependent

, if it can; and as the sister is only a baby, time

s place for the ti

go to thinki

seen since I was twelve years old. I don't even know if they will like the house. The rent is what they told me to give, but perhaps my scheme

are not both on their knees to you for the noble way in

l I ask is to be all

hen they return. Your mother having been so long in India can know little about

ght of that

another theatre to-night. I have three and ninepence,

girl, it

not,

he telegram more pugnaciously

Miss Dunbar t

'Boat arrived South

han they expecte

e other bit proves to be 'Hope to reach our pets this afternoon

Cosmo has bee

ies. 'What can the te

s, 'you want to k

ther I am worrying about; with his "kisses to both from all." All I ca

uncommonly like a father's kiss. He immediately begins to rehearse the greeting which is meant to ward off the fa

'How silly of us,' she says;

om, and we may gather that this is for the nonce the nursery of the house, though to most occupants it would be the back dining-roo

etter show her the telegram. She is sure to cry. She looks

of emotion without words, implies that she is nobody and must submit, nods humbly, sets her teeth, is both indignant and servile, and finally burs

slips the diary into the hand of Ginevra, who pops upstairs with it to read the latest instalment. Nurse rambles on. 'I have had her for seventeen months. She was just two months old, the angel, when they sent her to Englan

nurse for mother?' asks Cosmo

ldren,' the more expe

le beasts,'

a sense it's hard on all of us-I mean to be expecting parents in these circumstances. There mus

He goes to her as the awfulness of this sinks into him

tionate nature, is glad to

now about mother, Co

rhaps a tou

e her let

y your letters to her, saying that your motto is "Something at

ght that woul

ters she says thing

wrig

amping a fellow when he was t

loser to him, 'is that as brother and sister,

mo says, and ge

her that she hasten

at I'm very sorry I used

girls are. Amy, it's all ri

be a sort of moth

anxiously to the greater question, 'Am

course. We know that father

such an old chap shoul

ty,' Amy says

more than forty,' Cosmo sa

osmo.' But she has to add. 'Of course we

hy

ming from India, you know. The

smo says manfully, 'We shan't be any

ind

on it, and Cosmo

e these yellow flowers in t

ce. After all, Cosmo, we seem to know a good deal about

That's drin

youth she was one who did not love easily; but when she loved once it was for aye. A nature very difficult to understand, but profoundly interesting. I can feel her within me, as she was when she walked down the

about

ficers are paid in rupees, which means that for every 2s. due to them they get only

e. But what would you say

o if he was deceived would never face his fellow-creatures,

, that he takes a

e sort of man my m

he is just as likely

kes him feel that this r

up four things to say to father, and it's after I've said them that the awkward time will come. So then I say, "I wonder what is in the evening papers"; and out I slip, and whe

,' she reflects. 'Hav

nevra, to leap into

because that is what it is, though they are very se

u hand-sew them and stretch them over a tin cylinder, and they are the

Gossip says they h

ion I try goes out before

mbers th

evra like m

me down to speak about. You

forgive me? Let us go u

oice of Colonel Grey. He can talk coherently to Fanny, he can lend a hand in dumping down his luggage in the passage, he can select from a handful of silver wherewith to pay his cabman: all impossible deeds to his Alice, who would drop the luggage on your toes an

choes wofully, '

, ma

united fancies of her son and daughter; and she will dance them round the room many times before they know her better. Amy will never be so pretty as her mother, Cosmo will never be so gay, and it will be years before either of them is as young. But it is quite a minute before we suspect this; we must look the other way while the Colonel dries her tears. He is quite a grizzled ve

bert,' she says, thrilling. 'I da

, she did,'

, Amy's

keep cool,

e my orders from you now,' th

s, so timidly that Fanny

ll be a bit trying fo

s taken

hought of t

s it time to

ng your mistress a

y, ma'am. I can't take the resp

'I daren't break into Amy's caddy.

Fanny cannot but admire the Col

own house already. Don't stare at m

fe says; but as soon as they are alone she cri

s glad

had a real one before. Thank God,

y from one object in

ll Amy's work. They are splendid.' With pe

nd-painted curtains. 'She seems to have stopped everything in the middle. St

ing more precious. She utt

t is

re a dove. Then she is appalled. 'Robert, if I had met my baby coming a

'Don't break down now. Just think, Alice; af

y, joy

of her face changes

it now,

she won't

ossi

e of them wi

e their mother, whether they see mu

old yo

e. It was

st faith

warning note. 'Of course you

e ever love me. They mustn't think me over first or anything

ays, surveying her quizzically as if s

I always told you about it afterwards, didn't I? And I ce

apped me up fi

or lonely boys. What are you lo

re you as you will be

rly grown up. And yet it's true; it's the tragedy of Alice Gre

ged bloke. I chuckled over your gaiety, but it gave me lumbago to try to be gay with you. Poor old girl, you were like an only child who h

g, what nonsens

to myself when I was shaving, "I won't ask her to settle down until I have given her a year in England." A year from to-d

front of her, like the school-mistresses when they are teaching boys Latin. Dearest, you haven't been disap

comes by way of the nursery, and is a child's cry. The heart of Alice Grey stops beating for seve

Is it-Mr

'Yes. Is my-c

'Yes,

atch her if she fal

ingly, 'May I

m, and I have made it a rule to let her wake

t, 'I'm sure it's a good rul

e of, 'Gad, I will. It's the least s

rontery of the man, 'Do

ing? Why, she c

came out-to see who wa

yet when she is alone with M

it's old-fashioned of me. Not bein

, 'After all, s

mly, 'Come a

d prefer to go

break it to her that I'm

the door. The nurse d

, ma'am; she doesn't like t

'Stra

'Really

It's qui

gel if you have the

shouldn't have the

EL. '

man has sc

ees, 'Nurse, what sort of a wa

not fond of a

intly, 'I

discharge her if he dares, that is if he wishes to see his baby wither and die. One may as well say here that nur

n a rather undignified pursuit. He is listening avidly at the nursery door, and is thus discovered by another member of his family who has entered cautiously. This is Master Cosmo, wh

'Hullo,

es the door and

'Is it-it

fore, 'I'm awfully glad to see

own, my boy, and let

tingly, 'Have s

. 'Put

es for the worst. The Col

look at you. S

-pleased, while Cosmo bac

eeting is now an affair of the pa

e down? She'

e nursery door and

you do

d be-best.' In a burst of candour, 'Thi

ng it. My dear fellow, I was planning it too

Now that's over-our first meet

t yet. Come

and his boy of thirteen can sit in the same chair. Cosmo is

see-ways change. I daresay they did it, wh

isn't done, y

g both hands and saying 'Dear f

n glad you told me, Cosmo. Not having been a fa

's all right. You'll s

u could give me

urse you didn't mean any harm when you christened me Cosmo, but-I a

o they call

, no, they c

o you want me t

t before people, you know, you needn't call me anything. If you w

. But you won't make yo

'Oh no-of course w

inch and save more than I should have allowed-to be able

n planning how t

Good lad.

lly hides the 'yellow flowers' behind a photograph. This

t have your meda

ut. But your mother does, the goose.

blue, 'Yes

that he can only look it. He looks it so eloquently tha

ning papers. If you don't mi

n the room, the picture of distress. No wo

baby. Robert, listen; t

cowers

he is teething. It's her teeth, isn't it?' he barks at the nurse, wh

flection on her charge. 'S

rn, 'The better

d it. She is usually the best-tempered

eager to accept, but after one step t

to have anything to do with her till she

convey possibly this u

self-abnegation, 'Go, Robert. Pe

e's a contem

'I'll show her,' with a happy pretence that his object is merely to enforce discipline. The fo

tranced,

er!' She envelops him in her arms,

osmo-how sple

ly, 'That's all

'Say it

That's a

o, the ot

. 'Mo

. 'Ag

' When she has come to

my son, and he

llowances must be m

glad to see your

r! Will you h

do nothing for the rest of my

course, I h

Do the officers

, 'Love me! I s

to ask them all to c

Scott, mother, you can

? Are you very

re William Shakespeare and William Mil

; and I'm afraid they sometimes b

elief, 'Do th

ars again, 'But not half

help her, 'What

n't help wanting to hold her

of course you couldn't.' He refle

ppose in som

t like thi

omily, 'I

ould have done

shows her how t

ming humility, '

n the high good humour that comes to any man when

does a little sleight of hand-'is right. Another way is this, with their head hanging over your shoul

She practises diligently with the

ass. It's just a knack.

im instead of the cush

ear a boy calling t

e can be nothing in the evening papers

haven't seen Amy yet. It isn't fair of Amy. She

u don't mean that

is words, though well meant, are not so happy as his actio

ns, 'Yellow?' Her brain reels.

of the kind who judge people by their looks.

'Plai

y.' He lures her away from the subject. 'I can tell you a funny thing about that. We

hands, 'I played in

O. '

s. Why sho

t we did i

'So d

he universe crumbling

Take car

t you're o

tn't mother

they? I see. You had

I played the girl in

r, I played the girl in

on-this ought to brin

'But the reason I did it was that we were all boys.

. He accepts it as a smack. The Colonel foolishly chooses this moment to make his return. He is in

y, 'It's all right now, Ali

rtly, 'Oh

ed at me-pulled

u got on with our

sn't he a f

face.' She sits down and weeps, while

, I think you had better go

flying, and the bewildered

s face. But

He infur

seems such

he is. It must be very try

ps you were too

man he doesn't know! No

I can't ma

ite simple. He saw throug

e hears whisperings outside the do

there's a girl

r feet, with

embling, 'I

Robert, if she doesn't

But he has grown nervous. 'Don'

try to be cold.

o leap into the arms of the mother who craves for her. But Alice is afraid of

ventures at last to kiss her. 'It is a great p

f course I have been looking forwa

'It is very sweet

onel regards them uncomfortably. Amy turns to him. S

ou have known

der. She's not

sed to be demon

erly, 'W

, 'Oh, I grew ou

sympathetic, 'The we

ncing, 'N

ersation, 'You h

E. '

curiosity, 'What di

-seemed a

rt, 'An

'Yes-

sn't sh

. 'Is

e's head

se, sir-I think bab

es complacency, but he

at do you th

der the blow, 'B

come also? Perhaps

nihilating look, 'No, I-I had

with a countenance of foolish raptur

come back, 'You can't have bee

uite long

before she can speak again. 'Yo

dear.' They sit dow

ostess, 'Both m

ly a guest,

u will like the

have chosen wisely. I

shed. I haven't quite decided w

ne never

d you notice that there is a

o, I didn

the cab filled it; but you c

Grown desperate, 'Amy, have you no

hem. And here are the tradesmen's books. They are all paid up to Wednes

there not

de. 'Perhaps you have no

my, when you came into the roo

, 'Not very long. I-

ear, put it down again

rnly, 'I feel I

-you? Am I never to kno

arried before yo

mother. And even at tha

'Oh, mother, not s

'What can you kn

e I hope, mother, tha

ld!' Seizing her: 'Amy,

please. I have sworn

Sworn? T

To ano

s on her daughter's engagemen

me, Amy, who

y, 'It is o

Amy, I b

'Dear mother, I am so

shoulders. 'Amy, you drive me frantic. If you don't t

she is shaking Amy when th

eavens, Alice, again! Am

tears, from the room, 'It means, f

ed, 'Won't you

, I am in terr

EL. '

have spoken to her again.' She clings to her h

with our girl, there isn't, memsahi

'Yes, yes, has

l's well wit

it is. It was si

L. 'An

n his breast, 'I begin to feel Robert that I should have come ba

the villain we can provide for Amy. His entrance is less ostentatious than it might be if he knew of the role that has been assigned to him. He thi

Jericho; but it's six months since I saw

re's someone in this house glad to see me a

eek wet, 'You are not telli

can't unde

gods of India, you know, eve

'That's why I take

ould like to get rid of the Colonel for an hour or two, suppose he dines w

rsery door, 'No, Steve, I-the

y, 'He means he ca

t has tak

aggering, '

as stolen them from me. He has taken up

ome round to-night to see you after dinner, Ste

r about Amy, 'In the meantime I want to

Then I shall pop in here again. How is the tea busine

alary I had in India, but my he

e further subjugation of Molly. He sees his happy face in a lookin

ing scorn, 'Oh, go

el has gone she turn

andidly what you

have never set

ll. She goes sometimes to the Deans and

pened to be there at the same tim

What do

enthusiastic-an i

I'm so glad. Now y

of the belle of the Punjab

shall begin to think

he spell.' She shakes her hea

, 'They were

was the only one you

No one could flir

why.' The problem has troubl

'I wo

there's some sor

. No, it's because you we

ing I wanted to do it too, but I could never think of how to begi

erhaps it is the place I have left behind me.' The joyous gurgling of Molly draws them to the nursery door; and there they are observed by Amy and Ginevra who enter from the ha

e is now entering on the gay c

ert to get on with her so well

od afternoon, 'Of course

you for saying so.' The doomed

r to-night, Alice? Here, I'll leave my ca

r my silly husband wants to stay with his wretch of a baby. I'

ne go. Amy and Ginevra emerge white to the li

e screen for suppor

nly, 'He call

to his house to-nig

ays chambers. And after dinner, he said-so he's s

of him. They said

nsington West. That's the n

father. It w

ster mind, 'He

ra, what's

know exactly what to do. It

You mean I must g

irmly, 'At

vening

ess. And don't be afraid of his M

Oh, Gi

back their cloak-like this, dear. If that fails, threaten h

ld suspect and follo

acrifice yourself for her

o my duty. Oh, Ginevra, what things the