e had no business to repeat to me what,
however silly, had been said in her private ear. She was quite
unimpressed. 'In such a place as this what should we do if we did not
repeat things?' she asked.

"She told me, as a huge joke, that her husband had overheard the
servants saying she called me by my Christian name! Carter went to her
for an explanation. No doubt she had chosen to call me 'Job,' or some
nonsense of the kind, when the servants were in the room. She's
delighted, and says Carter was quite annoyed.

"He's about the only Man in the woman-ridden place; after this I shall
be ashamed to look him in the face.

"When Mrs Bust was taking away my supper to-night she requested me not
in future to speak to her daughter as 'Cissy.' It was so very _marked_.
I was not in the mood to receive the rebuff calmly, and she simmered
down. Young girls got such strange ideas in their heads, she said. It
was better not to be _too_ familiar!

"Poor little Cissy, aged sixteen, and her flower on my plate! I've had
a certain pleasure in that unfailing mark of a little girl's goodwill;
but to receive a flower from _Miss Bust_! I shall hurl it into the
coal-box in the morning....

* * * * *

"2_nd January_ 1902.

"You harp a great deal on one string, old man. I know you mean it
kindly, I know you'd like to see things put right for me in that
quarter, but do believe I've had enough. I don't pretend--to you--it
was a pleasant experience. I won't deny it was a nasty knock--but it's
over, and Richard's himself again.

"You ask about the tea. Oh, well, there was no tea. At the last minute
Mrs Bust refused to make tea for Mrs Carter. To the other nine she did
not actively object--safety in numbers, I suppose--but Mrs Carter, it
seems, had asked her during the progress of my last cold if she had
neglected to air the sheets for my room. Such impertinence from any
woman no lady could suffer, Mrs Bust informed me. Into her house Mrs
Carter shall never set foot again. Seeing that I had laid in the cakes
and sweeties and rubbish for the tea she suggested that she herself and
Cissy should be of the company. In that case the most particular, she
assured me, would have nothing to get hold of. I scrupled not to make
plain to her that her plan did not commend itself to me.

"Mrs Carter is delighted, and tells the story, with additions,
everywhere. She ask