The Two Sides of the Shield

ntre, and at one end a soup tureen, from which a gentleman had helped himself and a young girl of about thirteen, without much apparent consciousnes

the vegetables and changed the plates, really came as near to f

t, and give a heavy over-hanging look to the upper part of the face, which below was tin and sallow, well-featured, but with a want of glow and colour. The thick masses of dark hair were plaited into a very long thick tail behind, hanging down over a black evening frock, whose white trimmings were,

refused, and the maid had retired, leaving some dull crackers and v

lor

, fa

e she fixed her eager eyes upon him so earnestly that he let his fal

was dry, as if all fee

, fa

have accepted t

, fa

be absent three ye

es

, how you are to be disp

th you?' she said,

licit. 'I shall have no fixed residence, no one with whom to leave you; and the cli

fat

el

here with Caroline and Fraule

his morning promised to let the

Carol

sekeeper, and I think she will. Well, what is it? You do not

ly if I might

rfold. I have no fear that she and her girls will not do their best to make you happy and good, and to g

bell had not rung at the moment and Mr. Smithson had not been announced. Fate was closing in on her. She retired into her book, and remained as long as she possibly could, f

n that, glad to escape from the dreariness which had settled down on the house since his wife's death, about eighteen months previously, he had a

pursuits. Dolores had been her constant companion; but after the mother's death, from an accident on a glacier, a strange

n, she decided that the English had no feeling, and acquiesced in the routine of lessons and expeditions to classes. She was never unkind, but she did not try to be a companion; and old Caroline was excellent in the

All that Dolores heard of the result of it was 'So,' and then lessons went on until twelve o'clock, when it was the custom that the girl should have an hour's recreation, which was, in any tolerable wea

nd entered together. Maude was a tall, rosy girl, with a great yellow bus

arest

, it is

nd mater talking about it yesterday, and they

did not say anything

darling? Oh no; and I's afraid it is of no use to ask her, for

ell me, Maud

t is a shame. She said she was glad she wasn't o

telling me that! I'm sure I don'

going to one

not hear a word against it, and I know it

who did not happen to have any personal exp

aunts, but aunts that h

not an orph

re no end of cannibals there, so that he would not take me o

they eat peop

hose aunts begin pretty well, while they are i

aid Maude, in a tone of c

book, that I read once-long ago,' said Dolores, who had in her

er the Shield,' b

e ever so much worse than the stepmothers! Not th

a pretty name. Which is she? You have o

ommand in some place in India; but she cannot stand the climate, and is living at home at a place called Silver

u know th

o! I think my aunts w

xclaime

ooked down on her, though she was ever so much nicer, and clever

Maude, to whom it wa

rd Rotherwood's; but she never would, except once, when I can hardly remember, go to stay at their slow places in the country. I've heard father try to persuade her when they didn't think I understood.

Mr. Mohun to

re is grown up, and father seems to have a wish for me to

wish it, if she was

elfast, and all sorts of places, so they will all have regular garrison frivolous manner, and

s a professor, looked q

fuse better things.' She f

ill they've been awfully bullied. All the cousins are jealous, and t

ly nice boy-cousin, or uncle, or something, that makes up f

e Bath, that is. Besides, I don't care for love, and titles, and a

ever saw a

re were so many people, and such a talk, and such a bustle, that I hardly knew which was which. Aunt Jane and Aunt Ada were a talking that it made my head turn round; but I saw how affected Aunt Lilias is, and I knew that

uncles!' said Maude, 'and I have n

said Dolores, said Maude. 'T

nd makes her waist just like a wasp. She and Aunt Jane live together at Rockquay, because she has bad health-at least she has whenever she likes; and Aunt Jane does all sorts of charit

out all I did, and she did bother mamma so about a maid she

Emily, who is a very great swell indeed. Her husband was a canon, Lord Henry Grey; but he is dead, and she lives at Brighton, a regular fat, comfortable down-pillow of a woman, who isn't ba

uncles. There's Major

mother, for it was just after that we went to stay at Beechcroft with Uncle William. You know him, and how mother used to call him the very model of a country squire; and I like his wife, Aunt Alethea. Only it is very pokey and slow down there, and th

father to change a

pe, though I shall have no advantages, I shall still be able to go up for the Cambridge examination, if Au

nation, Dolly dear, and we shall do

be allowed to do anything that I wish. Only

three

wever, when I'm seventeen perhaps he will

ou'll come

sten-I've another uncle

I thought sh

e met me in the park with Fraulein, and gave m

mother was daughte

self by writing. Once I heard father go out of the house, saying, 'Well, it's your own to do as you please with.' And then mother went to her room, and I know she cried. It was the only time that ever mother cried!' And as Maude listened, much impressed-'Once when she had got eleven pounds, and we wer

Uncle Alfrey can b

tuck up, except father, and they wanted mother to despise him, and not help him. And you see, she stuc

t the time of the accident, or in the terrible we