ets just as long as they
thought they would.

"You ought to rest, my dear," she said hesitatingly. "I should lie
down on that nice couch of yours every day after lunch, if I were you.
A few minutes make all the difference, I assure you."

"I never used to rest," said Marie.

Mrs. Amber continued her matronly diplomacy:

"No, duck; but that was different. It's so different--"

"What is, mother?"

"When you're married, dear. You should rest a bit."

"I don't know what you mean, mother," said Marie.

"Just that, love," Mrs. Amber replied soothingly, "only that you
should rest. It's wiser and it will make a great difference to you."

"I can't think what you mean, mother. I don't see why being married
should alter one."

Mrs. Amber looked into the fire and said slowly: "Well, duck, it does.
Doesn't it?"

Now Marie was conscious of an overpowering irritation. These old
wives' tales! These matronly saws! How stupid they were! How
meaningless, foundationless and sickening! She did not reply to Mrs.
Amber's question, but stirred restlessly in her chair, swinging her
foot, and said:

"Well, it's after twelve, and we may as well have some lunch. I'll
just run--"

"No, love, you _won't_!" Mrs. Amber exclaimed, showing
considerable vivacity. "I'm going to take you straight away to lie
down on that nice couch, and I'll find the lunch myself, and we'll
have it on a tray together. Now!"

"There isn't a fire in the drawing-room."

"I'll soon put a match to it, dear."

"Then we'll let this fire out," said Marie, after a pause.

Mrs. Amber hesitated, too.

"It's quite right to be careful," she replied.

"After all," said Marie, her irritation breaking out, too rebellious
for all bonds, "I don't want it, mother. I'll only have to do the
grate to-morrow; two grates instead of one. That's all. Such is life!"

Mrs. Amber looked into the fire.

"I'll tell you what," said she slowly. "You lie down on your bed. I
don't know why I didn't think of it before. There's a gas fire there,
and we'll have that."

"There are such things as gas bills, too."

"And a time to worry over them," said Mrs. Amber tartly; "but this
isn't the time. You're going to be comfortable, and I'm going to make
you so. You'll come along with me right now, my duck, and in five
minutes you'll say what a wise old woman you've got for a mother."

Suddenly Marie leaned upon her mother and obeyed. She was lying on her
bed under the pink quilt, and