upon it. It was horribly difficult to think of
anything new and original to say, especially as your best ideas were
liable to be anticipated by someone else airing them first, leaving you
racking your brains for any observation to contribute, however stale and
commonplace. I remember upon one occasion the subject was botany. Most
of the girls said something pretty about flowers and gardens. Janet
quoted Wordsworth, and Cathy scored by mentioning exogens and endogens
with an air of much knowledge. Mrs. Marshall at length turned to me.

"Cannot you give a fresh direction to the conversation, Philippa?" she
asked. "We have spoken so much already of blossoms in spring-time, of
pressed wild-flowers, hot-houses, and the beauties of Kew Gardens. It is
surely possible to treat the subject from a different stand-point."

There seemed to be nothing left. The topic, to my mind, was plainly
exhausted, but I was bound to hazard some remark. In my desperation I
ventured:

"Botany Bay is a place in New South Wales where criminals used to be
sent. Many of the principal families of Australia are descended from
them."

A shudder ran through the room. Though I did not know it at the time,
Mrs. Marshall had been born in Australia, and I could not have uttered a
more deliberate insult. She flushed a little, and glanced at me keenly.
I think she either realized my complete ignorance, or thought it wiser
to ignore the allusion.

"Not quite to the point, my dear," she replied with dignity. "It is well
to keep strictly to our subject. I had thought you would have been ready
with some remark upon the orchids of your South American forests, or the
orange plantations which I have heard you mention. But here comes the
coffee. Doris, it is your turn to pour out to-night!"

To hand and receive the cups prettily, and to sit drinking them in
graceful attitudes, was part of our evening discipline; and to us a very
severe one, for Mrs. Marshall was hard to satisfy, and to clink your
tea-spoon or to flop into a chair was a desperate offence. She herself
was a tall, elegant woman, erect and stately, with a habit of swimming
into the room, and a measured way of speaking, as if each word had been
prepared beforehand. The abrupt school-girl type of conversation she
would not tolerate, and our sentences must be as carefully chosen as her
own. A girl who had spoken slang in her presence would, I believe,
almost have been threatened with expulsion. I somet