refused to believe that she was a Philistine at heart. It was her absurd
infatuation for George that made her see with his eyes and bow down
before the hideous household gods he had chosen to erect. On such
weakness Flossie had no mercy.

'Well, Ella, dear,' she began, 'mother and I have seen your house.
George has quite surpassed our wildest expectations. Accept my
compliments!'

'Flossie,' said her mother severely, 'will you kindly choose some other
topic? I really feel too seriously annoyed about all this to bear to
hear it spoken of just yet. I think you shall come with me to the
Amberleys' garden-party this afternoon, and not Ella, as we are dining
out this evening. You had better stay at home and rest, Ella.'

In this, and countless other ways, was Ella made to feel that she was in
disgrace.

Nor did Flossie spare her sister when they were alone. 'Poor dear
mother!' she said, 'I quite thought that house would have broken her
heart--oh, I'm not saying a word against it, Ella, I know _you_ like it,
and I'm sure it looks very comfortable--everything so sensible and
useful, and the kitchen really charming; mother and I liked it best of
all the rooms. Such a horrid man let us in; he was at work there, and he
would follow us all about, and tell mother his entire history. I don't
think he _could_ have been quite sober, he would insist on turning all
the taps on everywhere. I suppose, Ella, it's ever so much _cheaper_ to
furnish as you and George have done; that's the worst of pretty things,
they do cost such a lot! I'd no idea you were so practical, though,' and
so on.

On Sunday George came to luncheon. He was delighted to hear from Flossie
that they had been to the house, and gave a boisterously high-spirited
account of his labours. 'It _was_ a grind,' he informed them, 'and, as
for those painter-fellows, I began to think they'd stay out the entire
lease.'

'Art is long, George,' observed Flossie, wickedly.

'Oh yes, I know; but they promised faithfully to be out in ten days, and
they were over three weeks!'

'But look at the result! George, how _did_ you find out that Ella liked
grained doors?'

'Well, to tell you the truth, Flossie, that was a bit of a fluke. The
man told me that graining was coming in again, and I said, "Grain 'em,
then"--_I_ didn't know!'

In short, he was more provokingly dense than ever to-day, and Ella found
herself growing more and more captious and irritable that afternoon; he
co