The Odd Women

nother note next morning-Saturday. It was to req

cold-caught, doubtless, between open window and door whilst the bedroom was being aired fo

ht have something of importance to tell or to suggest. Mrs. Conisbee, sy

on was a plain, low roomy old house in Queen's Road, over against the hospital gardens. On asking for Miss Nunn, she was led to a back room on the ground floor, and there waited for a few moments. Several large bookcase

nce seemed masculine, its expression somewhat aggressive-eyes shrewdly observant and lips consciously impregnable. But the connoisseur delayed his verdict. It was a face that invited, that compelled, study. Self-confidence, intellectual keenness, a bright humour, frank courage, were traits legible enough; and when the lips parted to show their warmth, their fullness, when the eyelids drooped a little in meditation, one became aware of a suggestiveness directed

at her visitor with a smile which betrayed

have you bee

voice had not much softness of timbre, and perh

you were so near! I have been in London m

ined Alice's a

ne evening a month. She is at business till half-past

a motion with her hand as if to brush away something disag

re we ou

ak manner were thrown into painful

ittle Monica! But do tell me about yourself and Mi

orrespondence I remained in your debt. But it was a troublesome and

g, I trust, with tha

rs!' sighe

our pa

she always begged me not to desert her-that was how

are so difficult to decide. Self-sacr

so?' asked Vir

ause people proclaim it a virtue without any referenc

arcely less disagreeable. Now I have none a

usion to her poverty, a

done with teaching-you know that. I disliked it too much, and partly, of course, because I was incapable. Half my teaching was a s

Alice, I'

; at the end of the year I was vastly improved in health, and felt myself worth something in the world. I got a place as cashier in a large shop. That soon tired me, and by dint of advertising I found a place in an office at Bath. It was a move towards London, and I couldn't rest till I had come the whole way. M

etic you h

teaching them the things that I learnt in Bristol, and typewriting as well. Some pay for their lessons, and some get them for nothing. Our workrooms are in Great Portland Street, over a picture-cleaner's shop. One or two girls have evenin

e must be! What a

e that she migh

laimed Virginia, with eager atten

Monica e

r child. We hoped to persuade her to go back to the shop at Weston; but if this you speak of were

t I see a great deal in those outrageous hours. She won't easily do better in London, w

is; very r

other, with a nod. 'Will you

unn caught the expression in her v

ing-room, and bring up some meat-Miss Barfoot,' she added, in explanation to Virginia, is out of

d in the dining-room, she at first refused the offer of meat, alleging her vegetarianism; but Miss Nunn, convinced that the poor woman was starving, succeeded in

e shall soon see each other again, I hope, but we might as well talk of serious t

r looked

ossibly say that

all about your circumstance

r needed to entrench upon our capital. Whatever

tter use of that money? It is eight hundred pounds, I think? Have

larm, then trembled delicious

ossible? Reall

ht. Heaven forbid'-this sounded rather profane to the listener-'that I should urge you to do

ng we were saying the other da

seemed t

own judgment approves it. But couldn't one open a preparatory school, for instance?

n and discouraged women with a particle of her own enterprise. Perchance they altogether lacked ability to manage a school for even the youngest children. She did not press

om the vases. 'Let them be my message to your sister. And I should be so glad

turmoil of strange new thoughts, which she was impatient to pour forth for Alice's wondering comment. It w