that I was going to Dublin for there to
be quite a commotion. The one little maid brought in the tea, which Miss
Bride poured out of a china pot into little teacups which were all of
different colours, although of the same design. The tea was fragrant and
strong, with thick cream in it; and when I begged for a little water to
be added the two sisters broke out in protestations. That would be a
real slur on their hospitality, and, seeing how they took it to heart, I
was obliged to set my own liking aside and drink the tea as it was.

There were slices of thin bread and butter and sandwiches and toast
under a silver cover, all of which I could have eaten myself, for I had
an excellent appetite. But I denied myself again, and was rewarded by
hearing Miss Henrietta declare, on her second scrap of bread and butter,
that she had a most indelicate appetite, and she hoped her dear young
friend, meaning me, would not be shocked at her.

I could always spend an hour or two happily in the little low-browed
cottage drawing-room, with even the strong May light coming in greenly,
having been filtered through the new leaves. It was a room that always
pleased my imagination, for it was so full of bits of china and
pictures, of old silver and ivory curios and nicknacks, that you could
spend a day looking at them. On the low walls were several portraits of
pretty ladies, to whom the Misses Chenevix bore the strongest
resemblance. Because there had been rain earlier in the day there was a
fire in the grate and the firelight sparkled prettily on the glass of
the pictures, on the china and silver, and in the brooches and rings of
the ladies.

A half-glass door led from the drawing-room into an old-fashioned garden
which was now nearing the last of its bloom, and presently would show a
most wonderful profusion of fruit; giant strawberries, currants like
strings of carbuncles and rubies, raspberries larger and juicier than
mulberries, with a great quantity of apples and pears and plums and
apricots to follow.

The sun had come out after the rain, and I could see from where I sat
the garden sparkling; and the box borders smelt very sweet.

Both the ladies were eager to know what clothes I was to have and to
learn what friends I was going to see and what festivities I should
attend; and Miss Bride took care to impress upon me that my visit was to
be paid at a hopelessly unfashionable time of year.

"There'll be nothing doing at the Castl